Reviews: Pelican Bay

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Pelican Bay

Location: Pine Island Sound
Mile Marker: Mile 25 - GIWW
Lat / Lon: N 26° 40.930' / W 082° 14.430'
Depth: 4-9 Feet
Description: Take your dinghy and look for a very small but deep creek and venture in. The depth is more than adequate for dinghies. It opens into a small lake of about 200 yards in diameter. There is a small dock that was once used for loading supplies on the island. You can land your dinghy there and explore inland.

NOTE: Per Florida Statute 327.4109

The owner or operator of a vessel or floating structure may not anchor or moor such that the nearest approach of the anchored or moored vessel or floating structure is:
1. Within 150 feet of any marina, boat ramp, boatyard, or other vessel launching or loading facility;
2. Within 300 feet of a superyacht repair facility. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "superyacht repair facility" means a facility that services or repairs a yacht with a water line of 120 feet or more in length; or
3. Within 100 feet outward from the marked boundary of a public mooring field or a lesser distance if approved by the commission upon request of a local government within which the mooring field is located. The commission may adopt rules to implement this subparagraph.

4.65

(17)

4.65 out of 5 stars

Holding:

4.88

Good, Sand

Wind Protection:

4.29

Somewhat Exposed Northeast and Southeast

Current Flow:

4.25

Wake Protection:

4.35

Somewhat Exposed Northeast and Southeast

Scenic Beauty:

4.76

Ease of Shopping:

1.36

Shore Access:

4.12

Pet Friendly:

3.57

Cell Service:

3.47

WiFi:

1.00

Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Kevin Williams, m/v Blue Tortuga, on Feb 27, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.5'

Overall Rating:

4

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

5

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

4

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

2

Pet Friendly:

2

Cell Service:

2

WiFi:

1

I don't have a whole lot to add from other reviews other than to say they are still correct. You'll see some notifications that the anchorage is closed, but on this date that is not true. That closure is related to the park itself.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Kim Baxter, Kim's crossing, on Jan 5, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

4

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

5

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

3

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

4

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

2

WiFi:

1

we like to stop here to hike the trails however since hurricane Ian, the trails and shore access is closed. I called the park. they said they do not plan to reopen until December of 2024. however the beach access is open on the Gulf side and it looks like you can take your pup to the sand bar or the other island from the anchor spot.
it didn't seem that sholing changed much but do be careful of shallow spots if it is your first time visiting.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Capt Maria Langer, Do It Now, on Feb 2, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 2.5'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

3

Current Flow:

3

Wake Protection:

4

Scenic Beauty:

5

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

4

Cell Service:

2

This area appears in Waterway Guide as three different anchorages between Cayo Costa State Park (which is closed due to hurricane damage) and Punta Blanca Island. I didn't park near any of the anchor icons; instead, I dropped anchor in the cove just north of the one labeled Punta Blanca North Cove. I arrived a little after noon and there were already six boats anchored in that cove and at least another three of four in the other coves. There was plenty of room for all of us. I think that during the time I was there (two nights) up to 20 boats may have been anchored in the area.

Holding was good in a sand/shell/mud mix. I anchored in about 8 feet of water and had no problems at all with 50 feet of chain out. There was some swing with tidal current and some swing with wind (when I first arrived). In general, the current is mild and I may have just lucked out with the wind. The water was glassy smooth each morning and the entire bay is marked minimum or no wake for manatees (which I did not see) so wake is really not an issue. The area gets pretty dark at night, making it a good site for stargazing. There were also good sunrises and sunsets.

The two islands are covered with short scrubby trees and mangroves right up to the water in most place. There is, however a small sandy beach at the northwest corner of Punta Blanca Island which made an excellent close-in spot for taking my pups. There is a much larger beach across from that on Cayo Costa Island that may be part of the park; there were no signs. Both beaches were easily accessible by dinghy and most of the boats anchored there made use of their dinghies for visiting the beaches. Both beaches offered opportunities for collecting shells and observing sea life such as conchs, starfish, and even hermit crabs. There were plenty of sea birds, as well as dolphins, in the bay and on the beaches. The larger beach was visited by numerous small boats -- mostly center consoles and patio boats -- every day.

The State Park was closed during my stay. The docks had been destroyed by the hurricane. I did not see anyone working on them while I was there. (When the park was open you could dinghy over to its docks and take a tram that drove to the gulf side of the island.)

Cell service was so-so. I got one to two bars of LTE/4G/5G on Verizon and Google Fi. This was enough for Internet access, but I did have one call drop during my stay.

I liked this anchorage a lot and would definitely recommend it or stay there again.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Karen Johnson, Navigator , on Jan 10, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

3

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

4

Current Flow:

3

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

3

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

1

Pet Friendly:

1

Cell Service:

2

WiFi:

1

Hug north entrance as you enter from ICW. Go to 7' and drop anchor. Delta anchor grabbed instantly. Good all around protected poor cell service T Mobile. Shore closed from hurricane Ian. Navionics charts were good but in back was 3'.

Wasn't crowded dropped 5 to 1 slept great. Great staging area for a run straight to Franklin lock.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: David Fuller on Dec 9, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 43'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

4

Holding:

4

Wind Protection:

3

Current Flow:

3

Wake Protection:

3

Scenic Beauty:

4

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

1

Cell Service:

3

The entrance to Pelican Bay remains unchanged post hurricane Ian. Still target the manatee sign, then run about 100' from shore to thread the needle between shoals to both port and starboard. We carried about 6-7 foot of water near low tide.

The ferry dock is damaged with no boards available label to walk on. The post are still standing though.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: DeeDee H on Aug 28, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 34'
Draft: 3.0'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

4

Wake Protection:

4

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

4

Cell Service:

4

Beautiful anchorage with good holding. Easy dinghy ride to Cabbage Key. Room for many boats. Quiet and peaceful.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Bill Mcmahon on Jan 8, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.5'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

4

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

4

Scenic Beauty:

5

Shore Access:

4

Cell Service:

4

Great spot, scenic, plenty of room, great holding. We had 40 mph winds when we were there. Out ½" nylon snubber parted but the chain (5:1) and anchor held fine. None of the other 10 or so boats there dragged either. When the weather is nicer it is a very picturesque and peaceful spot. Nice state park, with a small store for ice and souvenirs.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: JEFF WHITNEY on May 8, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 48'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

4

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

3

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

2

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

1

Cell Service:

5

WiFi:

1

Great anchorage, entrance was a bit scary based on other reviews but staying close to shore (100’) we saw over 7’ everywhere. Just go from red marker 74 to the sign and hug the shore from there. It was well protected from everything except the fishing boats that ignore the no wake signs and blast through. The park is not dog friendly (and the rangers are barely people friendly, lol) with no dogs allowed on the beach. There is a spit of land that is to starboard during entry that is dog friendly, as well as a small beach on an island NW in the basin.
The park is $2/day/person. It does NOT accept boat trash, but they did offer us tram rides to the gulf side. Small store sells postcards, ice, water, t shirts, ice cream and a small amount of food/snacks.
Lots of birds, dolphins, schools of fish in the boat shadows, etc. I would imagine there are lots of redfish in the mangroves!
Little lake is easy to access, plenty of water in the narrow channel for a low draft boat. There is an osprey nesting and an interesting floating deck house with large blowup manikins inside. Weird but fun!
Good Verizon and ATT signals and swing room for dozens of boats. Averaged 15-30 at anchor while we were here.
Overall an A+ anchorage!

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Bill Sheridan, Let Time Go Lightly, on Apr 28, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

5

Current Flow:

2

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

4

Pet Friendly:

1

Cell Service:

3

WiFi:

1

One of the finest anchorages to be found on the Gulf Coast of Florida! Skinny water at the entrance but plenty of room to maneuver after that. You will find dozens of boats at all times with room for more. This has access to the Cayo Costa Parks via a short dinghy ride. Manatee breeding grounds nearby. Beaches, dolphins, fishing, and calm water are your reward.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Richard Davis on Apr 19, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 58'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

5

Current Flow:

4

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

2

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

5

This is a great anchorage. You must pay attention entering the anchorage and stay about 100 yards off of the park side bank for the deepest entrance. We noted 5.9 feet coming in and 6.2 feet leaving. This entire bay is a fairly active manatee area and therefore a no wake zone. We ran the dinghy all around the shore and 50 yards out we had 4 foot or better in most cases. The state park tram is currently limited to only people coming in on the ferry and it is a 1 mile hike across the island to the gulf. There is a little gift shop in the state park that sells drinks and standard convenience store items. We saw manatees while sitting on our boat. Water clarity was about 5 to 6 feet when snorkeling.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Allan Straughan on Apr 14, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 50'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

4

Current Flow:

4

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

3

WiFi:

1

This is one of Southwest Florida’s best anchorages! It is well protected and the holding is good. Water depth can be tricky, but Navionics charts are very good. Anchor here in the midst of a park for peace and quiet. The fishing all around is excellent. For those of you who take your dog ashore, there are hikes and beaches easily accessed. Cell service depends on your carrier. I use ATT and had no problem.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Ross Wiltse on Mar 4, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.0'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

4

Wind Protection:

4

Current Flow:

4

Wake Protection:

4

Scenic Beauty:

5

Shore Access:

4

Cell Service:

5

Well protected anchorage, if you can tuck farther into the bight, the better. Holding is very good. Great place to explore with dinghy. There is a lake within Cay Costa Key. You have to go South approximately 2nm, west of Cabbage Key in the bay of Cayo Costa and look for the entrance. May have to get out and pull your dinghy through, but worth the exploring trip. Great place.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: SV Mitutu on Feb 11, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 38'
Draft: 3.5'

Overall Rating:

4

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

5

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

4

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

3

Cell Service:

2

WiFi:

1

Very nice anchorage. Lots of boats but plenty of room for twice as many! Bugs are out during sunrise and sunset.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Michael Praizner on Feb 4, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 34'
Draft: 4.6'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

4

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

5

WiFi:

1

This is the best anchorage in SW Florida. It is well protected and has excellent holding. I have anchored here dozens of times in all kinds of weather without problem. I have seen more than 60 boats in this area with room to swing. The north end of Cayo Costa is a State park with dock, bathroom facilities and a small store for ice, bait and snacks. There is a tram to take you to the gulf side and beaches. There are also miles of walking paths.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: Michael Praizner on Feb 4, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 34'
Draft: 4.6'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

4

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

5

WiFi:

1

This is the best anchorage in SW Florida. It is well protected and has excellent holding. I have anchored here dozens of times in all kinds of weather without problem. I have seen more than 60 boats in this area with room to swing. The north end of Cayo Costa is a State park with dock, bathroom facilities and a small store for ice, bait and snacks. There is a tram to take you to the gulf side and beaches. There are also miles of walking paths.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: David Hipschman on Feb 20, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 38'
Draft: 3.5'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

5

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

3

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

4

Fantastic anchorage! State park has store with very basic stuff but has ice cream and ice. Beaches are among the best. Watch your depths entering ... stay further to starboard that you'll believe coming in.

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Review for Pelican Bay

Reviewed by: brian mcmahon, Windchaser, on Jul 8, 2016
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 31'
Draft: 5.0'

Overall Rating:

5

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

5

Current Flow:

5

Wake Protection:

5

Scenic Beauty:

5

Ease of Shopping:

2

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

4

Cell Service:

3

Best spot we have ever anchored in. Anchor holding is excellent. Good wind/wave protection. Adjacent State park is wonderful. Ice and some sundries for sale there. Seasonal Manatee population is awesome. Many places to explore in the dinghy. Ferry service to mainland is great; they will transport some parts and equipment for a small gratuity.

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