Boating comparison - gulf vs. Atlantic

[SJNE17]

We've been to west coast plenty the past year and a half. I love it, esp. PG. Her, ehhh, not as much as me. She prefers beach proximity and a little more age diversity in the town populace. We saw that in Stuart and Delray area, lots of varying ages and the beach access on those big condo places (in Delray area) is a nice feature and makes it more attractive to rent if we need to at any point in time.

Flying into/out of PBI though is immensely more convenient for us and also a bit more affordable. FLying into west coast is a little more headache and expense, generally.

I really liked Stuart, has a much more mellow vibe to it.

I suppose the next step will be to check out some other places on the west coast, up in Clearwater/Sarasota area.

We like Marco Island a lot (been there a couple of times), but for me, it was too landlocked. I need to be able to do a fair amount of cycling (bike riding) and that place is madness.

Originally Posted by SeaRay35

Bring her to the West Coast, she will never want the East again. Where Jupiter, Stewart are beautiful areas all in all East can't compare to what we have.

[SeaRay35]

Flying ACY to RSW can be costly unless you find deals.
Try Venice and Englewood both have very nice beaches. Venice has a great downtown area and nice restaurants.

[MikeM8560]

Originally Posted by SJNE17

how 'bout water conditions? rougher, smoother, about the same?

general calm

[SeaRay35]

And when you get a boat here Mike can do your canvas work

[JERSEY MAN]

I can give you some insight on the Atlantic side by Stuart. I had a waterfront condo with a boat slip for about 7 or so years on the St. Lucie River a few miles from Stuart. We boated in the river which is fairly large in the Stuart area. 20-30 minutes out of the St. Lucie inlet into the Atlantic. The inlet was dredged a couple of years ago and seemed pretty uneventful.

The thing I liked about boating in that area was that the gulf stream was only 7/11 miles offshore. Bahamas is about 50 miles. So we could be on sailfish, blackfin tuna, mahi etc. quickly. Stuart is known as the Sailfish capital of the world and they have some good tournaments in the winter. The gulfstream kept the ocean temp. in the 70's in the winter, even at the beach. As to boating in Stuart, the town has a new municipal floating dock that is awesome with about 20 free slips, no overnighting. We could go to about 10 different bar/ restaurants within 15 minutes by boat. The gulfstream always provided a breeze by the condo as we were about 5 miles to the beach.

I can't comment on the boating on the gulf side from Punta Gorda but I do know I'm 20/25 minutes from the harbor and I guess about a half hour from Alligator Creek to the gulf. I will find this out in a few weeks as I just had a dock/with lift installed. What I did notice is the humidity is a little higher and the temps a couple degrees warmer on the gulf side where I live now. The trip by car to the gulf is about 45 minutes also with less parking available.

The thing that brought me to the gulf side is/ was family and budget. You can't or couldn't get a waterfront home for around 300K on the east coast by Stuart but you can or you could have in Charlotte County. Hope that helps a bit.

[SeaRay35]

I myself find the west coast less humid than the east but just my opinion.

[SJNE17]

Thanks Jersey Man.

The closest thing that Stuart has in terms of PG-like homes/lot siting is a little nook in Palm City called Lighthouse Point. It's 5-10 min. drive from downtown Stuart. Some houses are beautiful, some are dumps, there's def. no HOA. That's a mixed bag with plusses and minuses as we all know. We spent a lot of time there recently, checking out every single house for sale out in our budget. Found one we liked, but the view across the canal to the neighbors is, in a word, heinous.

The town of Stuart itself is really fun. Very casual for the most part, very friendly laid back people, with mixed ages. It's kind of like PG, just a bit bigger (more to do and see). Not pretentious. Have been told the town gets bonkers during the winter though (crowded), so we'll have to check that out I guess. "Crowded" is a relative term given where we're from.

Originally Posted by JERSEY MAN

I can give you some insight on the Atlantic side by Stuart. I had a waterfront condo with a boat slip for about 7 or so years on the St. Lucie River a few miles from Stuart. We boated in the river which is fairly large in the Stuart area. 20-30 minutes out of the St. Lucie inlet into the Atlantic. The inlet was dredged a couple of years ago and seemed pretty uneventful.

The thing I liked about boating in that area was that the gulf stream was only 7/11 miles offshore. Bahamas is about 50 miles. So we could be on sailfish, blackfin tuna, mahi etc. quickly. Stuart is known as the Sailfish capital of the world and they have some good tournaments in the winter. The gulfstream kept the ocean temp. in the 70's in the winter, even at the beach. As to boating in Stuart, the town has a new municipal floating dock that is awesome with about 20 free slips, no overnighting. We could go to about 10 different bar/ restaurants within 15 minutes by boat. The gulfstream always provided a breeze by the condo as we were about 5 miles to the beach.

I can't comment on the boating on the gulf side from Punta Gorda but I do know I'm 20/25 minutes from the harbor and I guess about a half hour from Alligator Creek to the gulf. I will find this out in a few weeks as I just had a dock/with lift installed. What I did notice is the humidity is a little higher and the temps a couple degrees warmer on the gulf side where I live now. The trip by car to the gulf is about 45 minutes also with less parking available.

The thing that brought me to the gulf side is/ was family and budget. You can't or couldn't get a waterfront home for around 300K on the east coast by Stuart but you can or you could have in Charlotte County. Hope that helps a bit.

[Macgregorsailor51]

Toss in the cost of a Charlotte Harbor 3-2-2 or larger Pool Home, on a canal with immediate access to HUGE Protected Waters and GOM access and it might well be a done deal.. or look in the Keys if money in no object. I have only been to the Keys diving , but I have Good Friends here who grew up and lived in the Lower Keys. As I said they Now Live Here ...Biggest Reason? Costs Across The Board.

Originally Posted by SeaRay35

Bring her to the West Coast, she will never want the East again. Where Jupiter, Stewart are beautiful areas all in all East can't compare to what we have.

[SJNE17]

Mac, the biggest draw for my wife is beach. I love PG, but PG stinks in that regard: there isn't one and Englewood proximity is a schlep and a half that we've done...and that we have no desire to do routinely or with family/guests as visitors.

She's very agreeable to working with me on my only 2nd home requirement being the MUST HAVE waterfront for boating, so I'm being cognizant of her beach needs. Happy wife and life and all that jazz....

And yes, it's a no brainer on cost of home in the towns surrounding Charlotte Harbor compared to what you get elsewhere. No comparison whatsoever.

Maybe I could create a beachscape in a PG backyard by the pool, complete with sand, seashells and the sounds of crashing surf piped in over outdoor speakers.

[Messing About]

Of course you'll get another vote for the best, er...uh....I mean West coast from me.
I moved here for a regional position with my employer and had the option of living anywhere in "the region" which was South of Bradenton to Naples or Ft Pierce to Homestead. The catch was it was my purchase, my nickel.

I explored over here and over there...quickly running back over here. My Company has branch offices about every 30-50 miles on both coasts. Homestead, Kendall, Miami Beach, Medley, Pembroke Pines, Sunrise, Coral Springs, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, Loxahatchee, Palm Beach, Jupiter, Stuart, Ft. Pierce and beyond to New England. I've been to every one of these towns and explored the beaches. I've fished the Gulf Stream out of Boyton Inlet and the Indian River flats. While there are beautiful spots on the Atlantic side and the deep water fishing is closer access, what drew me back was #1 more house for my money on the Gulf side and #2 less crowds/traffic over here, as well. (If forced to be over there, Stuart/Palm City would be my choice). The water is much calmer here. This is the only knock on our beaches...not big enough waves for surfing. Does she surf? I didn't think so.

Over here we work in Naples, Bonita Springs, Ft Myers, PG, PC, North Port, Englewood, Venice, Sarasota, Longboat Key, Bradenton and beyond to the Panhandle. (My territory now covers 14 States and The Caribbean but this isn't about me, it's about the places I've seen).

Here's my take on Southwest Florida: lower cost of living, lower cost of insurance, gas, groceries, homes and taxes, low crime, less traffic (even during season when you compare the number of cars on the east coast during the same period), lots of polite/friendly types from the Midwest and Canada (with respect some of my new friends and neighborsfrom Jersey and NY, we must have accepted only the best of who was there cuz I love you's guys).

As was stated earlier, if money is not an option...buy in the Keys. I'd be in Islamorada if I could, but I can't, so I'm here. But if you want what we on this board call paradise, look no further. My thing is fishing. In 7 years, I'm on my third FL boat. Each time, I've gone smaller, older and cheaper (26, 20, 17) until finding what was right for me. It sounds like you want to cruise around island hoping, bar and restaurant visiting, good time having. Have you studied the charts on both sides? Look at all the islands we offer, with docks and restaurants. Look at the two rivers, Peace and Myakka, feeding Charlotte Harbor and leading to the Gulf ICW and beaches. Study Google earth. You will be amazed at how much more there is to do here besides heading out to sea.

I love PG and PC. However, It sounds like your wife definitely is a beach going gal and she won't want a 30-45 minute commute each way. Focus your search on Englewood, the upper Cape Haze portion of the ICW, Stump Pass, Lemon Bay and Manasota Key. Yeah, Manasota Key. You want to spend about a half million on a million dollar lifestyle? That's where your wife will thank you, everyday. I worry about you being any further North than that because the islands from Boca Grande to Sanibel will be such a long boat ride. But with the geography I'm recommending, she gets the beach life and you get the boat life you both seek.

If you think this sounds remotely attractive, get to know my friend Harbor Hopper. On these same CD boards. He's lived on the waterfront in both Port Charlotte and now Englewood. His knows the water here as well as anyone and he has a great grasp on the housing market. Play your cards right and he'll take you and she out for a day of exploring by boat and beach.

Last point: what will she enjoy more? Sunrises or Sunsets?
Best of luck in your search but don't spend too long seeking. Get over here and start living.