Aquapalooza 2009 - Cayo Costa, FL

ChuckW

ChuckW

Active Member
Mar 6, 2009
1,487
MA & Southwest FL
Boat Info
2007 RoadKing Tri-Axle Trailer towed by a 2013 Yukon XL K2500
Engines
496 MAG Bravo III
Anyone in CSR going to this event location? It's on the 19th from 11-3. However, we raft up the night before in Pelican Bay with others for an all nighter on the water.

Anyone coming?
 
Anyone in SW FL coming to this event?
 
We have been to the last couple but I don't know yet if we will make the hike up to Cayo. I think it's about 35 miles for us. I thought you were brave staying overnight in the heat until I saw that you have a generator. Might check out Useppa and see if they have any slips.
 
Fishnut said:
We have been to the last couple but I don't know yet if we will make the hike up to Cayo. I think it's about 35 miles for us. I thought you were brave staying overnight in the heat until I saw that you have a generator. Might check out Useppa and see if they have any slips.
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Yeah you can't do it around here this time of year without the A/C running. Life's little comforts...

I don't see any activity on this topic, so apparently no other CSR members are coming to Cayo Costa. I thought there were more around, but guess not. :huh:
 
We'll be there with the Sarasota Marinemax crowd. Hot dogs might taste like 40w. Gary (Service Manager) has to cook.....
 
We expect to be there. I noticed that they have moved it to the intracoastal side instead of the Gulf side. We have never anchored on that side of the island - hopefully it is as nice as the beach side.
 
I'd thought about it since apparently MM canceled the Tampa Bay event. It's a decent run for me- about 150 miles or so if I recall- but I don't have any local knowledge of the area. I haven't been down there in a long time (last time was South Seas) and it sure is beautiful there. I'd like to make the trip and spend a few days on the hook but don't know if there's any really protected anchorages- wifey hates bouncing around on the hook so open water anchorages aren't an option for us.

If anyone has info on any good locations to spend a couple of days I'd appreciate the info.
 
I'd like to be there but not able to this time due to bad timing on the wife's work schedule.
 
tobnpr said:
I'd thought about it since apparently MM canceled the Tampa Bay event. It's a decent run for me- about 150 miles or so if I recall- but I don't have any local knowledge of the area. I haven't been down there in a long time (last time was South Seas) and it sure is beautiful there. I'd like to make the trip and spend a few days on the hook but don't know if there's any really protected anchorages- wifey hates bouncing around on the hook so open water anchorages aren't an option for us.

If anyone has info on any good locations to spend a couple of days I'd appreciate the info.
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Pelican Bay on the inside of Cayo Costa, where they are holding this event, is an excellent and well used anchorage. Well protected.
 
ChuckW said:
Pelican Bay on the inside of Cayo Costa, where they are holding this event, is an excellent and well used anchorage. Well protected.
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Met you in the pool, right?

We rafted up with 6 other boats, and stayed on the hook Saturday night. Sunday a lot more boats came in. We had a live band in the cockpit of a Cabo playing to the beach. Dogs, burgers, and Sea Ray SchWAG rounded out a beautiful day. We made a weather decision to break camp around 2:30pm, and further decided to stop for the night at Cape Haze Marina. That turned out to be a great decision. Sarasota and points North were getting hammered by front lines. We got ours around 9:00am Monday morning. We had another cup of coffee, and watched the ferrys battle the winds and lightning. By 10:45, it was all over, so we ambled North enjoying somewhat cooler air, and blue skies! All in all fun enough to do it again next year, but add a day or two on either end to make the distance more worthwhile.
 
370Dancer said:
Met you in the pool, right?

We rafted up with 6 other boats, and stayed on the hook Saturday night. Sunday a lot more boats came in. We had a live band in the cockpit of a Cabo playing to the beach. Dogs, burgers, and Sea Ray SchWAG rounded out a beautiful day. We made a weather decision to break camp around 2:30pm, and further decided to stop for the night at Cape Haze Marina. That turned out to be a great decision. Sarasota and points North were getting hammered by front lines. We got ours around 9:00am Monday morning. We had another cup of coffee, and watched the ferrys battle the winds and lightning. By 10:45, it was all over, so we ambled North enjoying somewhat cooler air, and blue skies! All in all fun enough to do it again next year, but add a day or two on either end to make the distance more worthwhile.
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That was me. Thanks for the tour of Beach House. Wish I could have taken you up on that drink offer. Great stuff!
 
Looks like we missed a good time at Cayo Costa! :smt021

We'll be out and about Sarasota Bay this weekend and probably South Seas next weekend if any CSR folks are going to be around.
 
I'll be down that way as well (I hope) as I'm planning a visit to Palm Island Marina and Gasparilla Marina to get more info and a tour. Trying to decide if and which location I want to dry store the boat.
 
Morpheus said:
I'll be down that way as well (I hope) as I'm planning a visit to Palm Island Marina and Gasparilla Marina to get more info and a tour. Trying to decide if and which location I want to dry store the boat.
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I have been to both as transients and both treated me great. Gasparilla has a super ship's store. Palm Island has the pool and Leverrock's Restaurant though it's been a few years since I've been to either. Of course Palm Island has the indoor storage if you prefer that option. Don't recall if Gasparilla does.

I have rack stored my boat both inside and out if you want any feedback on that let me know. Pros and cons to both. Good luck with your search.
 
Gasparilla has indoor now too. That's why I'm looking at both. There are things I like about both and things I don't like so it's gonna be a hard sell.

Both want $12 a foot at the moment but gonna see if that is negotiable.

I'd love to hear your feed back on dry storing inside since it's all new to me.
 
tobnpr said:
Thanks for the pics. I gotta get down there and spend a few days.
I was looking at Pelican Bay on Google Earth and it looked a bit shoaled at the entrance. Is there always good depth there, how deep is the anchorage, and is the holding good?
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There is plenty of water if you know the way in. Here is a map with a route to the mooring field. Basically keep tight to the shoreline to the NW as you approach, the middle of the pass only carries 2-3 ft at low water, but you'll have 6-8' close to the beach. As you pass by the "Beach" (see the umbrella) you can ease away from the shore. From there in the charts are fairly accurate.

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I've seen upwards of 50+ boats in there, big ones up to 80' and deep draft sail boats. You'll anchor in 6-8' of water with a mostly sand and some seagrass at the bottom. Once inside the mooring field the only winds that can kick it up a bit would be out of the SE. Other than that, she is dead calm.
 

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Oh and you're an easy tender ride to Cabbage Key just south. If you've never been, you have to go once so you can say you've been there.
 
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