Thursday, January 31, 2008

The area around Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach is a paradise for boaters. Whether you enjoy sailing, powerboats, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, or just cruising, you will find the perfect boating experience in this area.

Fort Myers, dubbed the "City of Palms," is in southwestern Florida on the Caloosahatchee River. Fort Myers Beach is on Estero Island and is home to beautiful white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, as well as back bays and estuaries, perfect for boaters.

If you are a seasoned boater, rent a sailboat or powerboat and enjoy the beautiful water, quiet islands and amazing views. The sunsets on the Gulf Coast are legendary and especially beautiful out on the water. There are plenty of boat rental companies in the area. Some of the companies will even offer sailing classes for novice sailors.

Rent a kayak or canoe and explore the fabled bays, rivers, backwaters and shorelines of Southwest Florida. The Great Calusa Blueway paddling trail, inspired by the Calusa Native Americans who were the first residents of the area, winds its way along Fort Myers Beach. Outfitters offer guided trips to view dolphins frolicking or watch manatees on their slow glide through back bays and estuaries. They can also provide a guided archaeology or history tour of the area. Kayaking and canoeing are the perfect way to enjoy the mangrove forests, otters, turtles, and alligators, or to revel in great bird-watching.

For relaxing, nothing beats taking a cruise along the Caloosahatchee River or on the Gulf of Mexico. The Marina at Fort Myers Beach, the Yacht Basin in downtown Fort Myers, and the Port Sanibel Marina all offer cruises. You can choose from a yacht cruise, a catamaran, or the quintessential paddle-wheel. Most cruises offer beverages and food, and some feature music and dancing. An evening cruise is the perfect way to enjoy the spectacular Gulf of Mexico sunsets.

If your idea of paradise is a day of fishing, you won't find a better place. The Fort Myers area is known as a fishing paradise. In fact, several world-record fish were caught in this area. Saltwater fly fishing and light tackle fishing are popular here. The Gulf Coast has an array of artificial reefs, which provide ecosystems ideal for deep-water fishing for grouper, snapper, amberjack, permit and shark. The backcountry areas include bays, creeks and mangrove swamps which are ideal for shrimp, crabs and small fish, and therefore, for many gaming fish such as snook and redfish. This area is also known for some of the best grouper in Florida and the water is teeming with shark, bonito, barracuda, permit, black fin tuna, cobia and Spanish and king mackerel.

Of course, the big excitement in this area for anglers is one of the world's largest tarpon migrations, which happens every spring. People come from all over to the "Tarpon Capital of the World" to fish the famous Boca Grande Pass. During this time of year there are lots of sponsored tournaments, some with large cash prizes. Most that fish the pass are recreational anglers, so many hire a fishing guide that can furnish the boat, equipment, bait, knowledge and fishing license to pursue the much-prized tarpon.

If you are headed to Fort Myers to enjoy this boating paradise, CRSHotels.com has the perfect hotel for you. Choose the DiamondHead Beach Resort Ft. Myers, a gulf-front resort located directly on Fort Myers Beach, the GullWing Beach Resort, tucked away on the quiet south end of Estero Island on Fort Myers Beach, or the beachfront Pointe Estero Beach Resort, and enjoy beautiful swimming pools, a large beach for walks along the Gulf of Mexico, fishing, shelling, water sports or simply sunbathing on the white sand of Fort Myers Beach.

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