"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 02:42:07 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:

The longest stretch that I'd have to run outside would be from Venice to
Boca Grande Pass, right?

===============

Not sure I understand your question. You can run inside the entire
way if you want, only a few slow speed zones and you should fit under
most of the bridges with no problem.

Nevermind. For some reason, I thought that the intracoastal dead-ended at
Venice.

The big decision is really at
Tampa since the Sarasota inlets are questionable without local
knowledge, probably OK for outboards however, just not in my boat.

Coming in at Boca Grande has a lot to recommend it in any case since
Pine Island Sound is wide open, usually flat water, and essentially
with no enforced speed restrictions. There is a narrow cut close to
the beach on the north side of Boca Grande inlet which avoids the long
trip out and around. I've been through there twice with 5 1/2 ft
draft and had no problems. The locals do it all the time it appears.


I bought a boat in Longboat Key about 5 years ago, and drove it down to
Naples on the outside. I've been on the intracoastal north of Venice, but
it was 12+ years ago in a rental. I also did some boating in Sarasota
Bay...but that was 4 or 5 years ago too.

I know the waters from Redfish Pass south...but have only travelled the
stretch of water by Cabbage Key and Useppa one time.

I use this site for my wave forecasts:
https://www.navo.navy.mil/cgi-bin/gr...336/21/0-0-1/2

It shows waves 4-6 feet in the mouth of Tampa Bay...dropping to 2-4 from
Anna Maria island south to Venice...and then dropping to 0-2 from there on.
The wind is supposed to be out of the northeast, and swinging around to the
east later on...which means the land will block it, and leave the seas along
the coast pretty flat.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Gulf immediately adjacent to
sanibel/captiva flatter than Pine Island Sound tomorrow afternoon.