# Looking for Advice of Areas with decent sailing conditions and communities



## RidingTheUnknown (Aug 28, 2020)

Hello,

I'll get the question out of the way, then give a back story for those that care for the bigger picture.

What location in the USA is best for a New boat owner to learn to sail?

I know during these times we are all probably looking for ways to quite the world and escape. I have tried to read as many of the similar questions that are posted but i have yet to find one that really gets to my question.
I have sailed before but not much, I'm also a professional scuba instructor (NOT how i make a living) and I have spent thousands of hours on boats and on motor liveaboards, but I do not really know how to sail.
I make a living in Oil Field work and that allows me to live anywhere in the country I want, I have no ties or obligations to any location. 
I want to buy a small boat preferably the smallest that I can live on for two weeks at a time like a 22ft-34ft range were my thoughts, I have traveled the world and USA in RV's, Motorcycles, and Backpacks for years now so small living is a non-issue.
I have read lots that say the best is to sail local and not to buy anything or at least not to big till you know that is what you want.
My issue is that I have NO local so I first though to find a lake in the USA maybe in AZ, NV, or CA so that i could sail year round and would be safer on a lake while I learn. it has occurred to me that on a lake or an ocean whats the difference when all it takes is 1in of water to drowned, and I could do something dumb and capsize or whatever in both.
So really I'm looking for an easier place in the country to learn to sail and that has a sailing community.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

I would recommend LIS to Cape Cod as general sailing region but based in Narraganset Bay - Newport, RI.


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## RidingTheUnknown (Aug 28, 2020)

SanderO said:


> I would recommend LIS to Cape Cod as general sailing region but based in Narraganset Bay - Newport, RI.


So a green horn wouldn't have to much trouble sailing in that area?


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

San Diego hands down. Year round nice sailing/live-aboard weather. Other locations to consider Oceanside, Long Beach, Oxnard, Ventura. The other places I mentioned outside San Diego are the "blue collar" beach communities along the coat. Finding a liveaboard marina is hard in the bigger cities and the minimum tends to be 30 or 32 feet maybe bigger.


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

San Diego Bay would be a good place to learn to sail. It is protected, the wind is seldom over 15 knots, very few places to run aground.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

RidingTheUnknown said:


> So a green horn wouldn't have to much trouble sailing in that area?


Excellent sailing programs. Excellent destinations to sail to... nice anchorages and moorings available. It is a temperate climate so, unlike San Diego is has a sailing season or 6 or 7 months. Lots of history and interesting shore side activities.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

SanderO said:


> I would recommend LIS to Cape Cod as general sailing region but based in Narraganset Bay - Newport, RI.


I may be biased, but I fully agree. Sailing in Narragansett Bay is very protected, but big enough you won't bore of transiting the same lake shore. At the least, you can always find a place that is. Every sailing resource available. There are numerous anchorages and little towns to make short destinations too. As you begin to want to dip your toe into Coastal passages, there are harbors dotted along the entire coast, not to mention the satisfaction of sailing out to any of the New England islands.


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

As much as I enjoy sailing here, the OP wants to sail year round. We don't do that except for the frostbite races which are fun if you like to be cold and wet. To be honest, our good weather starts in June and goes thru October. You can sail in April/May if you don't mind cold water and drizzle. I'd go west if I was the OP, SoCAL someplace that worked for my situation. Best of luck!


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

The obvious places. 

Florida, California, Texas, North Carolina.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

capecodda said:


> As much as I enjoy sailing here, the OP wants to sail year round. We don't do that except for the frostbite races which are fun if you like to be cold and wet. To be honest, our good weather starts in June and goes thru October. You can sail in April/May if you don't mind cold water and drizzle. I'd go west if I was the OP, SoCAL someplace that worked for my situation. Best of luck!





Arcb said:


> The obvious places.
> 
> Florida, California, Texas, North Carolina.


Florida has lousy cruising... certainly on the Atlantic coast... 
Being along the coast does not make for interesting sailing as in cruising. Perhaps day sailing?

Both the Pacific NW and the US NE has interesting sailing / scenery etc. I'd rather have 6-7 months of great sailing than 12 months with no where to sail to!


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

SanderO said:


> Florida has lousy cruising... certainly on the Atlantic coast...
> Being along the coast does not make for interesting sailing as in cruising. Perhaps day sailing?


What lol? You kidding? You think the Keys and 10000 islands are lousy cruising?


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Arcb said:


> What lol? You kidding? You think the Keys and 10000 islands are lousy cruising?


Keys are excellent... But why have one location only. If you have to select one location and draw a 50 mile radius to include optimal sailing, anchorages, destinations, services, scenery, history, shore size activities.... would it be the Keys or San Diego or Newport?

You don't have to answer.... because it's a rhetorical question.


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

Well, it wouldn't be Rhode Island.

San Diego I haven't been to since I was a kid, so can't comment.

The entire gulf coast of Florida is interesting. You should check it out one day. Recomend shallow draft so you don't need to motor everywhere in your dinghy.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Arcb said:


> Well, it wouldn't be Rhode Island.
> 
> San Diego I haven't been to since I was a kid, so can't comment.
> 
> The entire gulf coast of Florida is interesting. You should check it out one day. Recomend shallow draft so you don't need to motor everywhere in your dinghy.


I have only stayed in Naples and don't know the coast. Most online web sites mention Newport as #1. I am familiar with a lot of the coast from NYC to ME and it's great sailing... Islands.. Block, MV, Nantucket, a hundred Islands in ME...

Of course there are ports all along the coast of the entire USA... Sailing wise nothing beats the NE and NW.


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

Just to clarify my answer I suggest San Diego just for the weather. There are plenty of negatives of living in Socal but the weather makes up for a lot of it. 

San Diego is great for sailing and living aboard not so much for cruising. There are only so many places to visit in the bay, it will get boring after a while. Oceanside the nearest harbor is a good day's sail away. Catalina is 15 or more hours away. If you were to be in Long Beach you can visit Catalina with a 5 hour sail then two days of sailing with a stop in Santa Barbara Island gets you to the Northern Channel Islands. Oxnard or Ventura puts you within a days sailing of the Channel Islands. Except for Catalina these islands are deserted, nor restaurants or historic other than wild west islands but almost empty anchorages with good weather and diving, kayaking and exploring.

I agree with Sander in that the East Coast might have better cultural and historic sights and a cruising culture. If you are willing to accept a colder climate for live aboard, I would add Seattle, or Vancouver to my list of great cruising grounds with a more interesting culture.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I didn‘t read the OP required year round sailing, rather just gave examples where they could. I don’t want to argue some suggestions, but I think they are limited. Too exposed, too shallow, or very few places to cruise to, as examples. I suppose it depends just how much the OP is looking to learn too. 

You would not find me living with my investment in my boat in any hurricane belt year round. FL is out. Gulf coast is out. For me.

Interestingly, the few I know with boats in FL do not use them very much. I think the unexpected dynamic is when you think you can go any day, it’s easy to put it off for tomorrow. When the season is limited, one may make it more of a focus. We do. 

I’d love a longer season, or to relocate in the winter. However, there is no where I would trade for permanently. Even the Chessie is extraordinarily uncomfortable in the summer. I know of three former Chessie sailors in our marina, that commute up here. Mid Atlantic is crazy hot and humid and the further south one gets, the more hurricanes play a role. If not routinely to your sailing, certainly to your insurance.


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

Had my doubts based on the 50 mile Radius comment. The Keys alone are 125 miles long with 2 coasts. 

When you were in Naples did you check out some of the local cruising within 50 miles? Pine Island, Cayo Costa, Captiva, Sanibel, Marco, 10 000 Islands, Cape Romano, Everglades National Park? You didn't find any of those places interesting?


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## RidingTheUnknown (Aug 28, 2020)

Arcb said:


> Well, it wouldn't be Rhode Island.
> 
> San Diego I haven't been to since I was a kid, so can't comment.
> 
> The entire gulf coast of Florida is interesting. You should check it out one day. Recommend shallow draft so you don't need to motor everywhere in your dinghy.


when you say "shallow" how shallow are you meaning?


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## RidingTheUnknown (Aug 28, 2020)

Minnewaska said:


> I didn't read the OP required year round sailing, rather just gave examples where they could. I don't want to argue some suggestions, but I think they are limited. Too exposed, too shallow, or very few places to cruise to, as examples. I suppose it depends just how much the OP is looking to learn too.
> 
> You would not find me living with my investment in my boat in any hurricane belt year round. FL is out. Gulf coast is out. For me.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your insight, 
My focus is only to learn to sail, I have two weeks a month of full vacation, so i would plan to live on it, practice with it, and more then likely try my hand at fixing things/make things nicer on it. As for things to see and things to do in the area is really of no concern for me. I do not plan for this starter boat or its location to be a forever home maybe a year or so till i have the skill to set sail for a longer duration. That is why I wouldn't even be turned off of a lake, its the wanting to experience the most sailing conditions but in a safer manner at first. 
Would the idea of being up in NE in early spring to purchase a boat and practice all summer, then maybe move it south to warmer areas, be too much of a romanticized dream of sailing?


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

RidingTheUnknown said:


> when you say "shallow" how shallow are you meaning?


A multi hull or swing keel would open up the most places to you, but if you stick to marked channels most small to medium sized coastal cruisers should be fine. 5 feet or so. I just wouldn't want a deep draft ocean cruiser there.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

RidingTheUnknown said:


> Thank you for your insight,
> My focus is only to learn to sail, I have two weeks a month of full vacation, so i would plan to live on it, practice with it, and more then likely try my hand at fixing things/make things nicer on it. As for things to see and things to do in the area is really of no concern for me. I do not plan for this starter boat or its location to be a forever home maybe a year or so till i have the skill to set sail for a longer duration. That is why I wouldn't even be turned off of a lake, its the wanting to experience the most sailing conditions but in a safer manner at first.
> Would the idea of being up in NE in early spring to purchase a boat and practice all summer, then maybe move it south to warmer areas, be too much of a romanticized dream of sailing?


You seem to have a very optimistic expectation... Buying a boat means you need to know what your are buying and therefore need to ALREADY be a sailor.

Seems like you should move to a place like Newport for the summer... enroll in a sailing school where you can use their boats... You can start looking for a boat and maybe close on it. But sailing it south for the winter is not something a new sailor should undertake without experienced crew. You'll want to organize in advance where you will slip or moor your new boat. Or maybe remain in Newport...look for a boat and then sail the region with your new boat 2022???


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

I'd base in the st Pete tampa area
Take classes there
Probably buy there...more boats in fl than anywhere
Tampa and Orlando are your airports to rig bases


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

RidingTheUnknown said:


> As for things to see and things to do in the area is really of no concern for me. I do not plan for this starter boat or its location to be a forever home maybe a year or so till i have the skill to set sail for a longer duration. That is why I wouldn't even be turned off of a lake, its the wanting to experience the most sailing conditions but in a safer manner at first.


Got it. However, you're not likely to experience "the most sailing conditions" in a confined lake, in order to build the skills necessary for an offshore or coastal lifestyle. Nothing wrong with starting there, however.



> Would the idea of being up in NE in early spring to purchase a boat and practice all summer, then maybe move it south to warmer areas, be too much of a romanticized dream of sailing?


This is done all the time (in non-Covid times that is). There is a venerable ant trail for boats moving south in the Fall and north in the Spring. If ones lifestyle allows, it's the bets way to sail year round, IMO.


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## RidingTheUnknown (Aug 28, 2020)

Minnewaska said:


> Got it. However, you're not likely to experience "the most sailing conditions" in a confined lake, in order to build the skills necessary for an offshore or coastal lifestyle. Nothing wrong with starting there, however.
> 
> This is done all the time (in non-Covid times that is). There is a venerable ant trail for boats moving south in the Fall and north in the Spring. If ones lifestyle allows, it's the bets way to sail year round, IMO.


Thank you for the advice. Yes obviously not something that I'm expecting to just jump into and master in a summer. I have an odd lifestyle that allows for maximum time and touring, as long as i plan enough to get to an airport. Too many people think in Point A to Point B, or Start to Finish, where as I'm expecting a long drawn plan with staying in MY comfortable zone while learning..

Which in your opinion would learning to sail be best on the Atlantic, Keys, or Gulf side? Again more with the idea of Sailing and not what to see or sail too in mind.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Sailing means all weather conditions. Learn to sail with conditions are varied. It's not FL. Sure you can learn to sail there.


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

RidingTheUnknown said:


> Which in your opinion would learning to sail be best on the Atlantic, Keys, or Gulf side? Again more with the idea of Sailing and not what to see or sail too in mind.


I would pic the Gulf Coast. Personally, I like Pine Island. It would be a good match for your job. There is no need for you to live in an expensive population centre for your job.

You get really varied conditions there. You have the protected waters of the sound to play on, lots of destinations. If you want to experience more challenging offshore type conditions you can head out into the Gulf of Mexico. You get some protection from hurricanes there too, due to the barrier islands.

if you want to do some big trips there are nice options crossing the gulf to places like New Orleans or wherever.

Atlantic coast is it's a lot of North South travel.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

I'll weigh in on this, but first, give you my perspective; I have taught sailing in Boston Harbor (MA), Casco Bay (ME), Narragansett Bay (RI), Martha's Vineyard (MA), Fort Myers Beach and Captiva Island (FL). I have a 35 foot (33 year old) sailboat that I currently keep in Narragansett Bay. I am planning (once again) to bring my boat to Fort Myers for the winter, and then to return to RI next spring.

I would suggest that virtually anywhere you can buy a boat is a great place to learn to sail. For example, from June to October, Narragansett Bay is great 90% of the time. The temperatures usually range from 60ºF to 90ºF, the winds are out of the south west, and there are lots of places to explore. If the wind is howling and water churned up like a washing machine in Block Island Sound, you can have great sailing in Narragansett Bay. If you want some adventure, and conditions are right, head out of the bay and over to one of the islands (Block, Cuttyhunk, Vineyard, etc). Once you become familiar with the area, you know where you can sail, and where you can't, and these spots do not change (never go between Conimicut Light and Conimicut Point, or R N "2" south west of Hog Island, and Southwest Point on Hog Island, The Cow Pasture in Greenwich Bay, etc.). I could say the same about Boston Harbor, and Casco Bay (although fog can be an issue in Maine).

From November to April, I could say the same about sailing around Fort Myers and Pine Island Sound. The biggest concern in Fort Myers/Captiva is that there are shoals and spoil areas (shallow areas - less than 4 feet of water) everywhere, and *they move* from one season/storm to the next.


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## OldMan-theSea (May 20, 2019)

RidingTheUnknown said:


> My focus is only to learn to sail, I have two weeks a month of full vacation, so i would plan to live on it, practice with it, and more then likely try my hand at fixing things/make things nicer on it.


I wasn't going to say anything until you posted this. Pensacola has a deep bay with immediate access and consistent winds, great sailing. We do occasionally get a few cold days, the coldest 40 degrees you'll ever experience are damp 25 kt NW winds on the bay, but mostly have year round sailing. (American Magic finds it worthwhile for winter practice.) Tides and currents are minimal. Bottom is sand, or mud in deeper areas, so little damage to your keel when you do hit it. Rare fog and what little we have is mostly limited to mid-December through January. Enough cruising places to entertain you for a year or two, not so much for really long term. Great downtown area for a little urbanish life, not a lot but some. Beach style life on the islands, about 7 miles across the bay. Cost of living (and boat slips) are low. We do get hurricanes, most are so-so, this is my 73rd summer in the area and have only been in two really bad ones and about a dozen moderate ones, most are just great times to watch the rain and wind on the bay.

Having said that, we don't want too many people moving here but another sailor is always welcome.


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## RidingTheUnknown (Aug 28, 2020)

Arcb said:


> I would pic the Gulf Coast. Personally, I like Pine Island. It would be a good match for your job. There is no need for you to live in an expensive population centre for your job.
> 
> You get really varied conditions there. You have the protected waters of the sound to play on, lots of destinations. If you want to experience more challenging offshore type conditions you can head out into the Gulf of Mexico. You get some protection from hurricanes there too, due to the barrier islands.
> 
> ...


Interesting insight thank you!


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## RidingTheUnknown (Aug 28, 2020)

OldMan-theSea said:


> I wasn't going to say anything until you posted this. Pensacola has a deep bay with immediate access and consistent winds, great sailing. We do occasionally get a few cold days, the coldest 40 degrees you'll ever experience are damp 25 kt NW winds on the bay, but mostly have year round sailing. (American Magic finds it worthwhile for winter practice.) Tides and currents are minimal. Bottom is sand, or mud in deeper areas, so little damage to your keel when you do hit it. Rare fog and what little we have is mostly limited to mid-December through January. Enough cruising places to entertain you for a year or two, not so much for really long term. Great downtown area for a little urbanish life, not a lot but some. Beach style life on the islands, about 7 miles across the bay. Cost of living (and boat slips) are low. We do get hurricanes, most are so-so, this is my 73rd summer in the area and have only been in two really bad ones and about a dozen moderate ones, most are just great times to watch the rain and wind on the bay.
> 
> Having said that, we don't want too many people moving here but another sailor is always welcome.


Might have sold me.


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## OldMan-theSea (May 20, 2019)

RidingTheUnknown said:


> Might have sold me.


I do have to warn you that our afternoon summer thunderstorms, mostly 2 - 5 pm, are occasionally severe. I got caught in one about 30 years ago with my daughter and thought we were going to die. But, if you haven't considered your mortality you haven't sailed much!

We also have 25 miles of gulf islands national seashore that will never be developed.


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## Jacobs60 (Aug 31, 2020)

You can sail in April/May if you don't mind cold water and drizzle.


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## OldMan-theSea (May 20, 2019)

Well, after hurricane Sally, I'd say like a friend's dad said: "It's a nice place when there isn't a hurricane"

Seriously, this one was surprising and even caught the Coast Guard off guard. We were expecting tropical storm winds and then, with only few hours notice, a Cat 2 storm and a slow and wet one at that. It turned out to be a good starter hurricane for a newcomer to the Gulf coast.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

I don't believe there is any better place on this planet to learn to sail than San Francisco Bay. It is said that if one can sail the Bay, one can sail anywhere on the planet.
Having been raised there and learning to sail there, I have since sailed much of this planet and found myself well prepared for most situations I encountered. It is year round sailing and in any single day one can go from a flat calm to 40 knots of wind (hurricane gulch) in just a few hundred yards or so of sailing., and into a more tranquil 15 to 25 on the other side. I have experienced currents under the Golden Gate Bridge that took a 65 foot schooner under full sail in a good breeze and turned her 180 degrees, backing every sail and nearly putting her spreaders in the water. Never mind the fog. That experience goes from terror to a great sense of pride of having mastered that fear upon completing your sail. Like you can do anything but continue until you are out of it, anyway!
I'm not saying that the Bay area is affordable or that marina slips are available, as I haven't been there on a boat in a very long time, only that it is an amazing and interesting place to sail. There are also a few places within a day's sail one can go outside the gate, to get a taste of sailing in the ocean and a couple of pretty interesting rivers to explore.


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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

San Diego or Florida for year round sailing. East coat and PNW has some great spots but defiantly not year round sailing. most number of good sailing days would be San Diego. you can count on the weather reports being accurate day after day. lakes are not any safer for beginners and have the trickiest winds to sail. anyone that puts their mind to it can learn to sail a boat and get from a to b in a week but then the learning about boating begins.


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## emcentar (Apr 28, 2009)

Since you can live anywhere, why stick to one spot?

Lots of people on the east coast move their boat up north for summer and then head for the islands in the winter.


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## emcentar (Apr 28, 2009)

Also, learn to sail before you buy a boat! It's not like buying a car (or a motor boat). Most small cruisers you'll be looking at (a) will be 20-40 year old boats with potential big problems you need to spot before plunking down $800 on a survey, and (b) can't all be handled by one person easily. You'll need to know what you are doing before you buy. If you get a boat that you need extra hands to sail or a ton or work to get off the dock you'll not get far.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

overbored said:


> San Diego or Florida for year round sailing. East coat and PNW has some great spots but defiantly not year round sailing. most number of good sailing days would be San Diego. you can count on the weather reports being accurate day after day. lakes are not any safer for beginners and have the trickiest winds to sail. anyone that puts their mind to it can learn to sail a boat and get from a to b in a week but then the learning about boating begins.


Personally, I found Fla to be a terrible place for a sailboat, unless you own a lot of stock in Rolaids. The Keys are shallow near shore and reef strewn. Offshore there is the mighty Gulfstream, and it runs east, directly *into* the prevailing easterlies. The Gulf side is extremely shallow as far as 60 miles offshore and the summer squalls can be downright deadly, if not just terrifying. Florida Bay is interesting, but a bug (mosquito) haven, making a night there, especially a windless one, pretty damn uncomfortable.
The east coast isn't much better, with many places a long run to an inlet and then just open water with nothing to see and little to do but tack back and forth for the day. Around the ICW there are few spots shallow enough near a nice clean beach to anchor for a few hours and on weekends the traffic can be pretty horrendous.
But, to each his/her own.


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