Is Cape Coral the best place for water access to gulf? (Fort Myers: real estate, crime rate)

[equalrightsforeveryone]

Even on some off the "Saltwater canals it can take you a long time to get to the Gulf.
Be very careful where you buy your home.

[easytim]

MESSING ABOUT, read below

[easytim]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Tim,
What sort of boating are you interested in? Sailing, pleasure cruising or fishing? That will narrow down your choices.

When I relocated to SWFL in 2007, Cape Coral was high on my list...until I got here. The crime of CC and FM is much higher than than in neighboring Charlotte County, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. There were 3 shootings in Fort Myers on Saturday night alone. The city government and budget issues in CC appear to be really troublesome.

When the Gulf waters are rough, the water in Charlotte Harbor is still very do-able. I settled in Port Charlotte, with a canal home behind 3 bridges and a 2.6 mile low wake ride to open throttle. I bought the wrong boat the first time and one low bridge limited my boating. I have the right boat now, still have a T-top for shade, but the bridges are no issue.

I love Punta Gorda too but settled in PC and saved about $50,000 on the home.

If you want to know more about our area, check out the city-data page for Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice. That's where Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda info is placed. Best of luck.

As far as boating, cruising and fishing, 4 people max, maybe a 25 ft cuddy cabin for over nighting. See picture below of the kind of boat I have in mind, I will pay attention to height now that you said something

Crime in CC and FM is nothing compared to St. Louis is has been the #1 murder capital of the United States on and off for many years, I think its #3 now, last year it was #2. Nothing to be proud of, I hate it

I have been looking in PC = Punta Gorda, prices are high, there are slim pickings for me in PC. There are many more choices in CC = Cape Coral The canals in PC look wider. I have not looked around in Port Charlotte yet, thats a good idea, A BIG THANKS for your very nice reply!!!!

[easytim]

Originally Posted by equalrightsforeveryone

Even on some off the "Saltwater canals it can take you a long time to get to the Gulf.
Be very careful where you buy your home.

THANKS

[Messing About]

Here's some earlier discussions of boats you may find informative:
//www.city-data.com/forum/saras...l#post19211329

you might like the thread "Fishing Charlotte Harbor Area", located here:
//www.city-data.com/forum/saras...rbor-area.html

sometimes we post our catch, sometimes we post our projects and sometimes we just BS about drinking beer...but it's a great threat that has been viewed more than 15,000 times since it was started last January. must be doing something right.

[easytim]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Here's some earlier discussions of boats you may find informative:
//www.city-data.com/forum/saras...l#post19211329

you might like the thread "Fishing Charlotte Harbor Area", located here:
//www.city-data.com/forum/saras...rbor-area.html

sometimes we post our catch, sometimes we post our projects and sometimes we just BS about drinking beer...but it's a great threat that has been viewed more than 15,000 times since it was started last January. must be doing something right.

Thank you messing about

[easytim]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Tim,
What sort of boating are you interested in? Sailing, pleasure cruising or fishing? That will narrow down your choices.

When I relocated to SWFL in 2007, Cape Coral was high on my list...until I got here. The crime of CC and FM is much higher than than in neighboring Charlotte County, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. There were 3 shootings in Fort Myers on Saturday night alone. The city government and budget issues in CC appear to be really troublesome.

When the Gulf waters are rough, the water in Charlotte Harbor is still very do-able. I settled in Port Charlotte, with a canal home behind 3 bridges and a 2.6 mile low wake ride to open throttle. I bought the wrong boat the first time and one low bridge limited my boating. I have the right boat now, still have a T-top for shade, but the bridges are no issue.

I love Punta Gorda too but settled in PC and saved about $50,000 on the home.

If you want to know more about our area, check out the city-data page for Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice. That's where Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda info is placed. Best of luck.

Thank you very much, I am going to look at a home in PG, not as many homes to choose from.

I might just buy in the SW of Cape Coral, you can get a home with all the bells and whistles and more there, but with no access or not very good to the gulf.

I might just rent a slip somewhere

Or I might buy at a canal just for the view of water, and forget boating it in the SW, but put a boat in a slip close to river

[easytim]

I like the idea of being able to go to the islands with a boat, there are lots of places to go, it looks like boat heaven

[Messing About]

You are soooo like me, when I first moved here. We both looked at those kinds of bigger boats.
Trust me, my friend. You don't want an I/O on the Gulf coast. I thought my wife would come out with my like she did on the lake in Arizona, where we had a 34 ft. Sea Ray cruiser. A couple of days of choppy water and she decided she was not an open water boat person. I was stuck with too big a boat and no one to go out with me.

I calculated a trip from Charlotte Harbor to the Keys on my own boat. $900 in fuel, round trip. Forget it.

Remember, the bigger the boat...the bigger the maintenance bills and the bigger the headaches.

There are two types of power boaters in SWFL. Those who own outboards and those who have yet to learn they should have bought an outboard.

You should look at center console bay boats. Many manufacturers make bay boat hulls. They are the perfect mix of shallow draft hulls, capable of fishing the backwaters but still heading 5 miles off shore in a 2' sea. A 19' bay boat will comfortably seat 4 for a trip to the intercoastal islands for lunch or a great day of fishing.

There are soooo many canal home deals out there now. You'll be making a mistake if you give up for a trailer or a slip that you won't visit as often as your own backyard.

Look at this listing...it's actually asking 179k now, down the street from me. I'd offer 150, then add a pool if you want. 2407 Bendway Drive, Port Charlotte FL | MLS# C7024380 - Trulia

[easytim]

Heres a home I'm looking at right now, great water access
1932 SE 31st Ter, Cape Coral, FL 33904 MLS# 201129995 - Zillow

See picture of boat, I'm going to get one like this - a PURSUIT maybe 25 ft

I have been to Key West in the early 1980's it was a cool place
then once in the 1990's and once in 2000's now all the big money has moved in, now things
look brand new, I don't like it any more. I loved the old Key West, the old weathered look.