Were talking canals here

randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
Over the next week or so I'm going to be posting a lot about canals and waterways. Thought it will be to much to just add to Will's pic of the day. You may get tired of reading but I'll include lot's of pic's. I know it's winter, what else you got to do.

First we are going to talk about Cape Coral FL which is a fairly new city. as you will learn. hang tight I'm just getting started.

Cape Coral, Florida,  is a city located on the north bank of the Caloosahatchee River across from Fort Myers.
Cape Coral Florida Aerial View

The city had its beginning in 1957 on a tract of land known as Redfish Point.

Real estate developers and brothers Leonard and Jack Rosen bought the land for $678,000 and began developing it as a planned community.

A distinctive feature of Cape Coral is its canal system.  The city has more than 400 miles of canals, more than any other city in the world.  It has the unofficial slogan of "Waterfront Wonderland".

Cape Coral Canal
Cape Coral Canal

Boating and fishing are a way of life for many Cape Coral residents and visitors.  Most of the canals are navigable, and a large percentage of Cape Coral homes have boats in their back yards.  One of the largest marinas in Florida is located between Cape Coral and **** Gorda on Burnt Store Road.

There are also several golf courses in Cape Coral and Fort Myers for those that want to supplement their boating lives.  Cape Coral is also the entry point to Pine Island by way of the fishing and artistic community of Matlacha.

Cape Coral Yacht BasinCape Coral Yacht Basin

Cape Coral is connected to Fort Myers and other areas south of the Caloosahatchee River by several bridges, most of them built since the development of the city.


Handy was kind enough to take me on my first experience boat ride on a canal. In his awesome, in his meticulous maintained 342. What a boat it is, I had a 270 at the time , I hope he will share a picture. Because I was in awe of his set up. That boat ride got my interest up into our waterways and canals.  It was about 3 years ago, we took about a 15 minute boat ride through the canal to get to the river, then out into the gulf.  On the way back in we stopped at a boat up restaurant. And had a hamburger and a beer. A first for me. It was a great day.


The City of Cape Coral does a good job of dredging canals to maintain depths of 6.5' to 7' in center but canals are variable. All saltwater canals lead to the Gulf, but getting to the river is key.



Are there alligators in Cape Coral canals?
We have chosen to live in their habitat. They are in the canals, in the river, in the Gulf. They are in lakes, including artificial lakes on golf courses. They are in water-filled ditches. But they really do not like salt water, and will not stay there for long.
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Comments

  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The population of Cape Coral is approximately 200,000 today

    Instead of borrowing from banks and lenders, the developers factored the sales contracts to pay for building the infrastructure. Canals were dug, streets paved, houses and businesses built.[8] Cape Coral was promoted like no other Florida development. Celebrities were brought in to tout the benefits of "the Cape", as it is known locally. The first building in Cape Coral was the Rosens' sales office. It was built where George's Auto now stands, at Cape Coral and Coronado Pkwys.[9] Cape Coral's first permanent resident was Kenny Schwartz, the Rosens' general manager.[10] Cape Coral's first four homes were completed in May 1958, on Riverside and Flamingo Drives.[11]

    Development continued through the early 1960s, mostly on Redfish Point, south of Cape Coral Parkway. By 1963, the population was 2,850; 1,300 buildings had been finished or were under construction; 80 mi (130 km) of road had been built, and 160 mi (260 km) of canals had been dug.[citation needed] The public yacht club, a golf course, medical clinic and shopping center were up and running. A major addition for Cape Coral was the construction of the 3,400 feet (1,000 m) long Cape Coral Bridge across the Caloosahatchee River, which opened in early 1964. Before the bridge, a trip to Fort Myers was more than 20 mi (32 km) via Del Prado Boulevard and over the Edison Bridge to cross the river.

    The city incorporated in August 1970, and its population continued to grow rapidly until the real estate slowdown that gripped the region beginning in 2008.


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  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,882 ✭✭✭✭
    Probably the wrong time of year but how common are manatee in those canals during the warm months?


    Also, do you get the daily patrols of sharks feeding off all the fish scraps? 
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Probably the wrong time of year but how common are manatee in those canals during the warm months?


    Also, do you get the daily patrols of sharks feeding off all the fish scraps? 
    We had manatees, alligators, stingrays, and schools of fish.  
  • RiverRat232RiverRat232 Member Posts: 596 ✭✭✭
    Cape Coral would be one of my top realistic choices if I moved to Florida. Sanibel or Captiva would be at the top of the list but that's some expensive real estate. If you had the money and the guts, Cape Coral had a lot of foreclosures during the Great Recession and houses were going cheap. 
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, Rat, those property's on the Island's are for the rich. We have drove around most. Make's you wonder where all that money comes from.
     
    The canal behind my rental it's 100 ft wide, this guy was passing by yesterday. A nice skeeter CC with 300 hp.. Maybe it was a 24ft  And thanks for the encouragement.

     

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  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021
    My address at my rental unit is 550 Lindley Terrace Port Charlotte Fl in case you want to sent a pizza over. Just kidding. If you want to look it up on Realtor.com or google earth.
    Here's the deal, it's 2500 per month for 3 months, 2 bed 1 ba, 1200 sq ft has carport. (for boat) 12 x 24 screened in covered porch in back. Boat dock,  Free internet, includes 150 a month for elect. 75 on water. trash pick up included. They cut the grass. It was built in 1959, still has jalicy crank out windows. The roof does not leak. Heat and Ac work fine. 
    I probably will find a better deal next year. Since I'm here to look around. 

    Today we went  for a 4 hour canal cruise here in Port Charlotte. We had to wait until 2:00 for the tide to come up.



    This was interesting, these two poles were about 35 ft apart, when I cut through the middle it was only 2 ft deep. If you go outside these markers. You are sol.
      

     the canal I'm on

    Pic of back of house, from water.

    Typical boat lift.


    Big SR

    You see every kida boat down here.


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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That is a sweet area..tides are brutal.
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Fort Myers is popular for its beaches, fishing, shopping – and the opportunity to learn about two of the nation’s most famed inventors and business leaders.

    You and your family can experience one-on-one natural encounters, play on top-notch beaches and treat yourselves to endless family-friendly attractions, restaurants and resorts in Fort Myers and surrounding areas along southwest Florida’s sunny Gulf Coast.

    Visits to the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford winter estates are a must. Back in 1916, Ford bought land in downtown Fort Myers, next door to Edison, his mentor. Now, both estates serve as museums that honor their founders and remind all of us about what they overcame and what they accomplished.

    I hope The link works For Thomas Edison, we took the tour. Spent about 4 hours, if you like history. It was interesting. Edison had a few boats. This pic is Edision and Firestone in a speed boat in 1928,


    Edison's electric boat The Reliance that he used to cruise along the Caloosahatchee River . . . . . . . Old Pictures, electric boat, fishing, tarpon, Caloosahatchee River, tropical, paradise, Southwest Florida, travel, sportfishing.


     Pic below, early 1900's - 100 years ago we had electric boats.

    • Elco designs one of the first “planing” hulls -the Elcoplane Bug
    • Henry Ford and Thomas Edison each own an Elco and moor their vessels at their adjoining Florida estates.
    • port elco club - electric boat motor
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  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    shawnmjr said:
    Crazy that your rental sold for $85,000 in 2011 and now getting $2,500/month

    Long term down here,  maybe around half that much. When you factor in winter,  furnished, and short term, (3 months) they got ya. 

    Hind site is 2020, Our problem was we procrastinated. We had a flight scheduled in the spring of 2020 to come down here visit Handy. Check out different property's and secure one for the winter.   We canceled the trip, in fear of covid. waited too long to pull the trigger. all the nice ones were taken by the time we made up our mind's. so all the rich A$$ Canadians scooped them up. LOL
     As Handy just reminded  us, most plan a year in advance. 

    Handy and I have a scheduled fishing trip planned on January 10th. His son in law is a licensed captain.  We will be fishing around Pine Island. we will update you on the trip.

    The climate and sun is why people migrate here. Here is the link to annual weather.

    https://www.holiday-weather.com/cape_coral/averages/

    We went to a farmers market Saturday, picked up some nice fruit's and vegie's
    About 95 percent were wearing mask.




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  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021

    The city of Punt@ Gorda is a historic town that lies along beautiful Charlotte Harbor. Streets lined with huge royal palms, beautifully restored period homes with wide verandas, brick lanes, street lamps and benches leave an almost tangible old-Florida atmosphere. Nearly everything is waterfront here from hotels and shopping to parks and fine dining.

    In 2004, Hurricane Charley plowed right up Charlotte Harbor, with the eye passing directly over **** Gorda.  The town was extremely hard hit.  Since then, **** Gorda has set the standard on recovery.  While repairing and rebuilding, **** Gorda was vigilant in preserving historical aspects of the town.  

    The small city is one of the most bicycle friendly towns in the U.S.  With bike paths connecting nearly all of the city, and a climate that screams to be outdoors, many residents make bicycles their go-to mode of transportation.  No Bike? No Problem.  A bike loaner program exists at various locations throughout the city where visitors can borrow a bike at no charge.

    In 2013, Punt@ Gorda rallied and became a finalist in the Rand McNally Best of the Road competition for 'Most Beautiful Small Town in America.'  During this competition, **** Gorda received not only the most votes in the 'Most Beautiful' category... but also the most votes overall.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K48UozQn_Jo

    Post edited by raybo3 on
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  • LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021
    Face it ... you just like saying Punt@.  
    Post edited by raybo3 on
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice articles Randy
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer. In 1508–09 he explored and settled Puerto Rico, founding the colony's oldest settlement, Caparra, near what is now San Juan. He is also credited with being the first European to reach Florida (1513).
    Juan Ponce de Len - Wikipedia
    Ten acre Ponce de Leon Park is located at the tip of a peninsula where Little Alligator Creek meets Charlotte Harbor. Some people believe this where Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon landed in 1513 and the park is named in his honor. Ponce de Leon set up the first European colony with 200 soldiers, monks, and farmers. They lasted six months before being attacked by the Caloosa during which Ponce de Leon was mortally injured and died in Cuba. St. Augustine, the first town, wasn't founded until almost 50 years later in 1565. There are several statues of Juan Ponce de Leon in the park as well as historical markers.
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  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    One more city that I wanted to share info on.

    Port Charlotte, along Florida's welcoming Gulf Coast, is about halfway between Sarasota and Fort Myers, perfectly positioned to offer every manner of water-borne activities.

    Port Charlotte features more than 165 miles of waterways, providing access to Charlotte Harbor, the Gulf of Mexico, and miles of natural shoreline bordering Charlotte Harbor and the Peace and Myakka rivers.

    But that's not all. Seven of the 21 golf courses located in Charlotte County are found in Port Charlotte.

    Population 64,000

    The second largest estuary in Florida (after Tampa Bay), Charlotte Harbor centerpieces a water-centric world that hides from the mainstream.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @randy56 Do you have your green card to enter the Spanish parks?? LOL
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    the barrier islands to Port Charlotte are awesome! You also have Uspea Island where the Bay of Pigs invasion was practiced...Cabbage key boasts where Jimmy Buffet ate and wrote Cheese Burger in Paradise but I'd question that one... and Boca Grande Pass the Taron fishing capital of the world if you ask them...a super cool area I hope to go back to one day...we vacationed like 3 years in a row...2 at Cayo Costa and one at the lower Captiva Island...best vacations I ever had. I did not venture into the canals...intercostal was enough...plus, I remember the tides being so low, in the channel you had dirt on either side with birds standing on it!
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Good to have you back posting regularly Ras. We went to Manasota beach, we called it therapy.

     
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  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod
    rasbury said:
    ...Cabbage key boasts where Jimmy Buffet ate and wrote Cheese Burger in Paradise but I'd question that one... 
    Well, I agree with everything but this statement.  It was on the island of Tortola in the Caribbean.

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We attended an out door boat show today. There were about 400 boats there. maybe 50 pontoons, 250 CC, 1 cruiser,  40 deck boats, 20 run abouts, catamarans, No blow boats.








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  • reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Disitions disitions disitions. 
    Ok keep the boat you have.
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unreal new prices. 
  • LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    All about the outboards.  Not me ... I'll pay extra to maintain sterndrives so I can have a huge swim platform.  
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There was not one stern drive at the show. Only OB. I found that odd. There are a lot of things odd here. Happy hour is 4:00 
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  • WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hate to tell you guys, but unless you're in the 45' and up category, inboards are dead. There are even some interesting designs out there with a raised rear platform overtop of the outboards. Anyway, it's like the diesel/gas, hardtop/soft top arguments. Everyone has a preference and an opinion.
    And you're right Randy, 4:00 happy hour is odd. Mine's usually about Noon when I'm down there.  :D
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here's a few more boat show pic's the first  2 was the only cruser there. Could not find the price on that one. The last is a Grady White. Notice how they engineered there trim tabs.



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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dream_Inn said:
    rasbury said:
    ...Cabbage key boasts where Jimmy Buffet ate and wrote Cheese Burger in Paradise but I'd question that one... 
    Well, I agree with everything but this statement.  It was on the island of Tortola in the Caribbean.
    WHich is also apparently disputed by some...guess we need to ask Jimmy!
  • WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭✭✭
    shawnmjr said:


    @randy56 Rinker actually did a similar trim tab design on the 276
    I've seen some Four Winns and Maxxum models like that also.
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We make "decent" money, nothing like what I'm sure some of you all make, especially Handy, no way I could afford anything near what these new boats cost...I could not sleep at night with that kind of nut every month! 
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