Florida’s Western Coast Pilot Notes
Coastal Summary 172
Egmont Key to Cape St. George 180
Key West to Moser Channel 173
Clearwater 185
Vaca Key to Channel Five Bridge 173
Tarpon Springs 185
Carrabelle 185
Channel Five Bridge to Cape Romano 174
Apalachicola 189
Cape Romano to Egmont Key 174
Cape St. George to Perdido Pass 189
Naples 174
Panama City 189
Fort Myers Beach 176
Destin 192
Punta Gorda / Port Charlotte 176
Pensacola: 192
Venice 176
Sarasota 180
Tampa/St. Petersburg 180
Coastal Summary
From Key West to Cape Romano, take an
The waters off the W coast of Florida vary offshore route N to the Charlotte Harbor
in nature from the extremely shallow coral region. Or follows inland waterways from
and rock strewn areas of the Keys, Ever- the Keys through Florida Bay before turning
glades swamps and broad shoals of the Big offshore S of the Everglades and shallowest
Bend to the sandy beaches of the Panhandle areas of the Bay.
where the 10-fathom curve lies much closer Cape Romano to Egmont Key is the busiest
to shore. Outside of Florida Bay, natural ob- area of the west coast. There are numerous
structions to navigation are only found near safe havens, extensive traffic and commer-
the shoreline. cial traffic into Tampa Bay. Several signifi-
Despite prevailing E winds, fierce NW cant inlets S of Tampa Bay have completely
winds accompany Canadian and Artic fron- shoaled over and are no longer navigable.
tal passages from winter to spring. During The Okeechobee Waterway connecting to the
warmer months, the flow of moist air off the East Coast of Florida exits at the Caloosa-
Atlantic over the hot land yields regular vi- hatchee River at Fort Myers.
cious afternoon thunderstorms. Tampa Bay From Tampa Bay the coastline becomes
is known as the “Lightning Capital of the more remote, particularly up into the Big
World.” Also, strong lines of thunderstorms Bend region. Coastal waters are very shallow
with winds to 80kts may roll off the moun- throughout the region. Note that certain
tains of Cuba, reaching far up the Florida charted inlets and passes are not navigable
peninsula. by other than small craft.
Planning
Customs Ports of Entry
Panama City • St. Petersburg • Clearwater • Pensacola
NOAA Planning Charts
411 Gulf of Mexico
11408 Crystal River To Horseshoe Point
11006 Key West to the Mississippi River
11409 Anclote Keys To Crystal River
NOAA Coastal Charts 1:80,000 scale
11412 Tampa Bay And St. Joseph Sound
11382 Pensacola Bay And Approaches
11424 Lemon Bay To Passage Key Inlet
11388 Choctawhatchee Bay And Approaches
11426 Estero Bay To Lemon Bay Incl.Charlotte Hbr N
11389 St. Joseph And St. Andrew Bays
11428 Okeechobee Waterway St Lucie Inlet
11401 Apalachicola Bay to Cape San Blas
11429 Chatham River To Clam Pass
11405 Apalachee Bay
11431 East Cape To Mormon Key
11407 Horseshoe Point To Rock Islands
11439 Sand Key To Rebecca Shoal Gulf Coast
172