----------------------------------------------TRIPS DEPARTING TO CAYO COSTA STATE PARK----------Best in April,May, ----------------------------------------- 50% advance fee required(for fuel).---- 9:00 am boarding,----------

Trip No. 1 will take you to this Lee Island State Park named CAYO COSTA. Great water for snorkelling. click & see

Trip No. 1:-----$250.00 gives 4 adults a full day to Cayo Costa State Park where water is clear enough for snorkeling during the Dry Season. Tannins from river rain water runoff make the water a brown hue during the rainy season, from June through October, and snorkelling trips are done from November to January and from March to June, before the rains arrive. BEST TIME FOR SNORKEL TRIPS IS IN NOVEMBER & MAY. A stop will be made at nearby Cabbage Key for lunch paid for by Matlacha Sailing. Snorkel gear, provided includes boots, wetsuits if needed, masks, snorkell, & fins. During Summer, water is murky but beach wading and shelling is still very relaxing. Bring Mosquito Repellant. A really neat day trip if I do say so! aye.

This is the Gramma'Dot's website where Trip No, 2 Takes you.

This is a 2nd location which the Trip No. 2 lunch could be taken at, The Waterfront Restaurant on Pine Island

Trip No. 2-----$250.00 gives 4 passengers a day of Shelling up to North Captiva Island and a stop off at either Gramma Dots, or the Waterfront Restaurant at St. James City for lunch paid for by Matlacha Sailing. The shelling is what u would expect on a beach with no road access. This trip is great for getting drift wood, and dried bits of sea sponges and stuff to make a really neat shell cabinet. Shelling done on State owned intertidal zone beach at a privately owned island. Surprisingly remote and unpicked like parts of N. Sanibel. I recommend the lunch trips for those wishing to reserve a trip for friends or relatives as a gift.

This a hiking trip in the back bay behind Fort Myers Beach

Trip No. 3:----- $100.00 gives two adults a back bay tour to Mound Key plus a stop off at the Fish House Restaurant for lunch. Lunch paid for by the captain.

Trip no. 3's lunch South Fort Myers Beach version of "local" (click & see )

Trip No. 4:----- $100.00 gives two adults a night fishing trip with a night out on the Gulf at anchor. FISHING POLES,TACKLE,BAIT provided for night fishing. Passengers to carry their own saltwater fishing licenses. Summer fishing in Upper Matanzas near dock lights for snook or sheepshead in winter. Possible fishing on May Reef in Fall and Spring otherwise Inshore fishing.

Have 10 Minutes-Read Memoirs of Hernando Fontenada on Florida 1566. Translation to English 1854 "Mentions Miami, Tampa, Apalachee, Alligators, racoons, Local Indians the Calusa and their Chief Carlos. {the translator left out the formal introduction to the King of Spain at the beginning of the letter} Aye,.

What is Cabbage Key all about?(click & see )

Note that cost per person has been halfed as the deck boat allows for more room onboard, less travelling time to get there, and the ability to seek a sheltered water route if the wind kicks up.

Trip No. 6:----- $500.00 gives 2 passengers a three day 2 night cruise with overnights at Cabbage Key. The first day starts off with a departure from Fort Myers beach and a lunch, paid for by Matlacha Sailing, at the Waterfront Restaurant on the Southern end of Pine Island, or St. James City Florida, to be exact. Then its on to the beaches for some shelling or swimming, and a break at Barnicle Phils, a small burger stand cafe out in the middle of no-where, well not really, but only accessable by boat or seaplane. Lunch paid for by the captain. Finally its on to Cabbage Key and of course dinner and a hotel room, paid for by Matlacha Sailing. sleep tight. Day 2 begins with breakfast at Cabbage Key paid for by Matlacha Sailing, a good eggs and bacon breakfast, or its equivalent, and a visit over to Cayo Costa State Park. When Lunch time comes around its over to Captn. Con's seafood restaurant on the Northern Tip of Pine Island, or Bokellia Florida to be exact. And then its on to Matlacha for some entertainment at Bert's bar. anyone hungry after lunch just go ahead and order some food and Matlacha sailing pays for it. When the day is getting long, it will be Back to Cabbage Key and its relaxed isolation and great dining experience, paid by Matlacha Sailing. The next day it is a ride back South for a stop over at the double Nickel pub at St. James city florida and then back home to point of beginning. A 60 mile round trip which provides a good look at the back bays behind the barrier islands of Lee county. Matlacha sailing will pay for one cottage for 2 nights and six scheduled meals, including an alchoholic beverage if desired per adult per meal. Guest may also bring coolers with their own beverages.

Trip No. 8 involves a cruise down to Naples for lunch at the Naples city docks. Then. and by way of Rookery Bay, down the Marco River for dinner and an overnight stay at Goodland. Next day is a tour of the outskirts of Marco Island and Cape Romano and on to Everglades city to the Rod and Gun Club, former haunt of Theodore Rosevelt and many others, yes its that old.

This is where I take you during trip No. 8. One wonders how this boat accessable area can still appear remote and far from the damage caused by urban development

I take you over to that pristine beach area while on our way to Everglades City on Trip No. 8

Trip No. 8------$500 gives 2 passengers a trip to the Northern Everglades and back. It begins with a meet up and boat ride down to the Naples city dock for lunch and few alcoholc drinks ,if wanted, paid for by matlacha sailing. After a visit to Rookery Bay and the Gulf beaches around the North end of Marco Island, an early dinner will be taken in Goodland at Stan's or one of the other riverside restaurants there. Then there will be a open water trip down to Everglades City for the night at the Rod and Gun Club. The next day will involve a breakfast at the Club, paid for by Matlacha Sailing, and boat ride down to shops, small restaurants and a turn of the century trading post made into a museum, called "Smallwoods Store" in the village of Chokoluskie where lunch will be taken. Then its out to Gulf for a run down the coast of the everglades for a few scenic views and then its back to the Rod and Gun Club for the 2ND night. Everglades is a sleepy little town with a lot of very good places for seafood or alligator, for that matter. The next day its breakfast again and Back to Goodland for departure after visiting Cape Romano for some shell collecting or general beach combing. This trip is an alternave to the Charlotte Harbor weekend Cruise No.6. As in trip 6, this trip provides a hotel room for 2 nights, and regularly scheduled meals paid for by the Captain to include an alcholic beverages if desired per adult per meal. Guests may bring additional alcoholic beverages in their own cooler. This covers a vast area of SW Florida , making anyone a native in as far as seeing what tourists rarely get to see

Trip No. 9:----- $100.00 per day for either sailing instruction or a captain for hire on their own boat. good .Great WAY TO LEARN THE LOCAL AREA----check here for a 24 or 29 footer to rent----------here for a 14ft hobiecat to rent

Trip No.11:----- $100.00 gives three adults a 2 hour boat ride aboard Mischief in the back bay behind Estero Island. This can also be a trip out to the Gulf for the purpose of releasing burial ashes into the sea. $15.00 each for aditional adult passenger

THIS GOES TO MY LINKS PAGE (click & see )

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