Having cruised both areas pretty extensively, I can assure you that
swapping a spring LIS for Florida West Coast Cruise is a can't lose
proposition.

Some of the facilities on Sanibel and Captiva are still hurting from
last season but for the most part things have returned to normal. I
highly recommend the Claiborne Young guide but have never thought much
of the Lefensky book. The guide to Anchorages is excellent and much of
that information is available free here on the net at:
http://www.flseagrant.org/program_ar..._inventory.htm

A particularly nice anchorage is Pelican Bay right off Cayo Costa. You
can use the dinghy dock at the State Park and explore one of Florida's
nicest and least used (it's accessable only by boat) parks. I usually
opt for a stop at Cabbage Key in the same area and at Tween Waters
Resort/Marina. I understand they were hit hard so may not be operating
at 100%. I don't think storm damage was too much of a problem north of
Captiva and the area between Venice and Clearwater is problem free.


wrote:
After most reluctantly surrendering to admonitions re a spring Long
Island Sound cruise (mainly crowdedness), I am now considering a
several weeks long cruise along west coast of Florida.

Anyone with local knowledge about (1) changes in charted channels and
depths after last year's hurricanes in any of ICW from Ft. Meyers north
to Clearwater and south from Ft. Meyers to Marathon (Vaca Key) and (2)
recommended (remote) anchorages?