Last time I paddled down the east side of Pine Island. My measurements showed it to be a little shorter and most importantly I could stop for breakfast and Coffee at Matalacha. (Note: The coffee shop in town is not some dive joint. Showing up in your underwear with a sprayskirt smelling like something that just crawled out of a bait barrel will get you some odd looks, but they will serve you fast!) This year it looks like I'll be crossing Charlotte harbor with an ebbing current, does it make more sense to go down the west side of the island? Are there other benefits to going down the west side?
East side or West side of Pine Island
(14 posts) (9 voices)-
I've gone down the west side of pine twice on SUP. 1st time was hugging the west side of Cayo Costa due to the west wind (I hugged the coast down to Boca) and it was a pleasant paddle. Last year I hugged the west coast of Pine Island due to the east wind and found a lot of super skinny flats, push poling for a while. My plan this year (what ever thats worth) is to shoot toward Matlacha. Just my experiences...
See Ya on the Beach!
CTJAM
Posted 1 year ago # -
Oops, I meant east side of Cayo Costa to stay in the lee. I past by Cabbage and saw the Flock at sunset as they tucked in to camp just North of Captiva Pass. You have options with any wind direction, but east wind makes for a tough crossing of Charlotte Harbor especially on an incoming.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm wondering if you get a East or NE wind with the current heading out the pass at Cayo Costa if it makes more sense to ferry across the current right at the pass and head down the west side of Pine Island. It looks like the current in Charlotte harbor can get up to 1.5 kts. That plus a head wind in the harbor could make for a very long crossing if you head to the east side and Matalacha.
Posted 1 year ago # -
The following two vector diagrams for Charlotte harbor provide a wealth of information. I have probably spent a few hours studying them.
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/pages/8900/f8903/f8903.htm
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/pages/8900/f8904/f8904.htm
As class 1 (kayak), sometimes I go down Pine Island Sound, sometimes down Matlacha Pass, and once hugged the western shore of Pine Island (in the shallows). It all depends on wind, current and tide, so know your options and stay flexible. There is a great waterpark at Matlacha, but there are also places to camp along Pine Island Sound if you "scout" on Google Earth
The western shore of Pine Island is very shallow (slow), but protected, so that is also an option to avoid strong easterly winds. There is a canal at the end of Pine Island, "Long Cut-off", that lets you cut the corner. Some restaurants are in the canals in that area too, but I have never visited them during an EC.
Greg
Posted 1 year ago # -
Bermudaboy
MemberAny strictly sailors ever gone down the east side running with the wind, and your experiences? Never considered before, seems like would be a lot of dirty air for saving only 2 miles or so in distance but imagine a much smoother ride and be nice not to have cross over at Sannibel especially if knarly...
KV, never fails, you really dig deep into logistic...impressive prep! Ive only ever thought about tide at CHKP2 and have given up all hope for wind & water height going right way, at right time, in FB.
Posted 1 year ago # -
StumblingThunder
MemberI have investigated the route. There is one bridge, 9 foot clearance, but opens. Yes it is closer to the rhumb line from Cape Haze to Choko, but you have to do a bigger diagonal to get across Charlotte Harbor to set up for the entrance, negating the benefit. One runs the risk of a bascule failure or tender on break in a big boat.
It would have to be nuclear conditions to make that route selection appealing, which would make a harbor crossing dangerous (24 hr hold conditions).
Posted 1 year ago # -
StumblingThunder
MemberAs for diversion options for the west side of Pine Island in addition to Cabbage Key, there is a restaurant and a bar/grill in the harbor on the North end of North Captiva Island. Have not been to either in a long time, but the great intelligence says they are open.
Posted 1 year ago # -
MicroTom
Key Master"It all depends on wind, current and tide, so know your options and stay flexible." - X2
If conditions are good and I am paddling, I head for Matalacha Pass. On a nice day the Intracoastal Waterway (west side of Pine Island) is a big boat nightmare. The wakes are be demoralizing.
If there are any adverse conditions its game day decsion. The one time WaterLily and I took the west side of Pine Island was due to a strong east wind making for a nasty crossing. I wanted to take the shortest way across and find calm water. Once across, we work our way through the shallow flats and stayed away from open water (the Intracoastal). It was very enjoyable.
Posted 1 year ago # -
WaterScout
MemberCharlotte Harbor is usually an enjoyable crossing, I've seen it look like glass with no wind, but if it has confused seas/ bad wind, it will be a long crossing to Matlacha. I tried to make the E side of Pine Island at sunset last year with an Easterly wind and it was not a fun rodeo, we didn't make it. Crashed into the beach at Capt'n Cons Fish House on the N end of Bokeelia and slept inside their front porch and lauched into the protected Jug Creek in the AM. They do make an awesome breakfast if your in the area.
Pine Island Sound is my plan A for this year in a TI but we won't know till we get there. Shooting down Pine Island Sound has a quick Boca Grande Pass crossing in any tide, there are more places to camp, and you can find any water depth you need, kayak to sailboat. Camping on the East side is slim until you get to Picnic island.
Posted 1 year ago #
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