February 17-19 – Edison Festival of Lights
Cruise Leaders: Rose Ann Hoffman & Paul Steinman
Dock space is limited so many of us will arrive on Friday, at the Ft Myers Legacy Harbor Marina. The club will coordinate reservations for the marina, so make your reservations with our cruise leader. Everyone coming by boat is encouraged to “light-up” their boats in celebration of Mr. Edison. Festivities begin Friday evening with cocktails, appetizers, and pizza. Saturday, our Oyster Fest at noon, and a Potluck at 5 pm. The parade starts around 6 pm, and is a short walk from the marina. Sunday morning everyone will do their own thing as they head home. Cruises who cannot get their boats up the river, or don’t have the desire to, are welcome to come by “Land Yacht” and join us to socialize and participate in all the events.
March 9-11 – Pelican Bay
Cruise Leaders: Tom, Linda & Maggie Koenig
Anchoring in Pelican Bay puts us just offshore of Cayo Costa State Park. This is a great area to take a dinghy trip to Cayo Costa, have lunch on the beach and look for shells. Dinner can on the boat, the sand spit, or nearby Cabbage Key.
March 29 – April 1 – Cape Haze
Cruise Leaders: Gerry & Kathy Wellens
This cruise begins on Thursday, with proposed anchorage off Useppa Island. You can plan to dine aboard or dinghy over to Cabbage Key for dinner. On Friday, the group will continue north on the ICAW to the beautiful and protected anchorage at Cape Haze, or continue another mile to Palm Island Marina. The marina has a fabulous pool, large BBQ and tables for our planned cookout, free car service for groceries and a water taxi to Rum Bay Restaurant. We also plan a dinghy ride to Don Pedro State Park beach for sun and lunch. CMCS’ers will head home on Sunday or Monday.
April 13-15 – San T’weenie Cruise & Race
Cruise Leaders: Steve Romain & Cindy Carlino
This is a short cruise that allows working members a chance to join fellow cruisers for a weekend of fun and sun. This cruise has been very popular in the past years to get racers and cruisers together. T’ween Waters Resort on beautiful Captiva Island is the destination for our group. Dock fees include full access to all Resort facilities including the huge swimming pool and hot tub, poolside tiki bar, tennis courts and on-site restaurants. And let’s not forget the gorgeous sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico. CMCS activities usually include cocktail hours, grilling, perhaps a game for those so inclined to participate, and a lot of free time to enjoy this beautiful area. On Sunday, cruisers can either join in on the race home on the Gulf, motor or sail down the ICW or if the winds are favorable, sail down the outside of the islands back to San Carlos Pass off Ft Myers Beach and then home.
April 27 – May 6 – Heading North
Cruise Leaders: TBA
The schedule and destinations for this cruise will be determined by the Cruise Leaders, but you can be sure it will a very enjoyable trip, with probable stops in Venice, Sarasota, Longboat Key (Moore’s Stone Crab) and wherever. For first time cruisers, this is a great way to get local knowledge on cruising north. This cruise features great marinas, anchorages, and towns to explore. It also serves to position those racers who wish to participate in the DIYC, Davis Island Yacht Club, race from Tampa Bay to Fort Myers.
May 25-28 – Danger Island
Cruise Leaders: Russell & Kathleen Vance
This is a very popular cruise and it is a great way to spend Memorial Day Weekend. Under the direction of the “Governor of Danger Island”, this cruise will include many fun events, which include, eating, drinking (only if you care to), and game participation. It’s in your best interest to participate due to the numerous valuable prizes presented to the winners. This cruise begins on Friday late afternoon. Saturday is a full day of competition, followed by the infamous CMCS Chowder Cook-off at dinner time and the always massive bonfire party on the sand spit. On Sunday, after cleanup on the island, cruisers set sail for another nearby destination and find lunch. The location of “Danger Island” is sometime a mystery to be revealed by the illustrious “Governor”.
June 2-10 – Florida Keys
Cruise Leaders: Ben & Carolyn Preston
The cruise leader will determine the route and destinations on this cruise. One thing is for sure, if you’ve not sailed to the Florida Keys, this is a fantastic way to expand your horizons with a some excellent assistance.
June 13-17 – Fisherman’s Village
Cruise Leaders: Bob & Bev Duff
Back by popular demand, this will be our fourth mid-summer Charlotte Harbor cruise. Wednesday cruisers meet at Useppa Island for the evening. Thursday morning they head up into Charlotte Harbor for a few days at Fishermen’s Village where there is LOTS to do with great marina amenities. You’ll enjoy the restaurants, pool, and sleep in air-conditioned comfort! Saturday cruisers head back to Useppa or Pelican Bay. Then home on Sunday.
June30 July 4 – Franklin Locks
Cruise Leaders: Don & Joan Perkett
Plan on sailing up the Caloosahatchee River on Friday, headed for the Franklin Locks. There are slips and a campground for those of you who come with your RVs. We expect our normal contingent of sailboats, just as many RVs, and carloads of members arriving over the weekend to join us at the covered picnic area for our massive “gang cookouts” (picnic tables and huge grill provided). In addition to our annual board game tournaments, we will have our “heart stopping” dinghy ride to explore the famous Hickey Creek. First one to spot a camel wins a prize!
August 3-6 – T’ween Waters
Cruise Leaders: Gary & Jean Blessing
The T’ween Waters Marina on beautiful Captiva Island is a club favorite for summer cruising where a/c availability is critical. The T’ween Waters Marina is located at the T’ween Waters Resort. With dock fees comes full access to all Resort facilities including the huge swimming pool and hot tub, poolside tiki bar, tennis courts and on-site restaurants. And let’s not forget the gorgeous sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico. There will be cocktail hours, open grill night(s) (cannot use grills on boats), and a potluck. So bring your own entrée and your favorite dish to pass. There are several restaurants on-site to choose from if you do not wish to cook for yourself. In addition, for a small fee, T’ween Waters Shuttle will take you to other locations on the island.
September 1-3 – Marker 101 Where the Wind Blows
Cruise Leaders: Glen & Paula Vetter
Not knowing where you’re going can sometimes be fun. Last year was a big success, even though we weren’t sure where we were headed until we reached Marker 101 in the ICW at 10:00 am on Saturday. With only a 5 knot puff out of the southeast, Pelican Bay became our destination. The activities of this entire cruise is at the discretion of the cruise leader and the cruisers. So, wherever the wind blows, we shall go…maybe.
September 14-16 – South Seas Cruise/Kayusa Cup
Cruise Leaders: Russell & Kathleen Vance
Here’s another short cruise that allows our working cruisers a chance to get out on the water with fellow cruisers. On Friday, we have options to get to the resort, motor north on the ICW, sail up or even race up on the outside of the islands. Once at South Seas Resort, we will join the racers of the club in a post race party. Dock fees give you full access to all the amenities of this beautiful resort. On Sunday, we will return home.
October 5-7 – Summerset
Cruise Leaders: Joan Perkett
The Summerset Sailing Regatta and Cruise will be held off Ft Myers Beach for the second year in a row. This is our biggest CMCS-sponsored “on-the-water” event of the year. After 2010’s very successful Summerset Celebration, the club has booked the Pink Shell Resort on Ft Myers Beach for the post-race activities. Since details for this year’s event have not been worked out, more information will follow during the year regarding the cruiser’s participation and activities during the regatta. This event is a fund-raiser to help support youth sailing in this area. Also for the cruisers, it’s a good chance to party with the racers of the club.
October 26-28 – Halloween
Cruise Leaders: Charles & Judy Tomlin
This one is not for the “faint of heart”!! Start working on your costume now, because the competition is fierce. Some CMCS’ers will drop anchor Friday off Danger Island to secure the island for the weekend of frolic and festivities. Friday evening finds most early birds enjoying cocktails and a potluck on the beach. Saturday afternoon is the Third Annual CMCS Halloween Golf Tournament with lots of valuable (?) prizes. Afterward, a little time to relax and ready yourself for the Cocktail and Beach BBQ in the early evening. Bring your meat and favorite dish to pass (and a grill if you have one). After dinner, it’s time for the big Halloween Costume Contest by the Big Beach Bonfire. Prizes will be awarded for the scariest and best costumes. After surviving Saturday night, please join us Sunday morning to clean up Danger Island so that we leave “no footprint”. Next, pull anchor and head to St. James City for lunch at a location yet to be determine. Possibly dinghy through some of the canals, stay another night or head home.
November 2-4 – Matanzas Pass/Festival of the Islands
Cruise Leaders: TBA
This cruise is in conjunction with the CMCS Festival of the Islands Race, so cruisers and racers can get together one more time. Cruisers should plan to pick up a mooring ball at Matanzas Pass Friday afternoon, in time for Happy. Saturday morning, plan on heading over to the beach to watch CMCS’s Festival of the Islands race off Fort Myers Beach. For lunch, we can head over to Nervous Nellie’s – which is just West of the city’s dinghy dock. You can even bring your boat over to their dock if you’d prefer.
November 16-18 – Sanibel Bight/Macomber
Cruise Leaders: TBA
This cruise begins Friday, anchoring at Sanibel Bight for the evening. Saturday morning we’ll weigh anchor and head to York Island to anchor and dinghy up the Monroe Canal to Woody’s Waterside Pub to participate in the Bob Macomber Annual Book Bash Celebration, which starts at noon.
November 22-25 – Thanksgiving
Cruise Leaders: TBA
Every year CMCS has a Thanksgiving Cruise. In the past, this cruise has found it’s way to faraway places such as 10,000 Island, Everglades City, Goodland, and Cabbage Key Area. The destination of the 2011 Thanksgiving Cruise was Cabbage Key. In any case, wherever the destination, it will be a good time.
December 27 – 31 – CMCS Holiday
Cruise Leaders: Carolyn Wilson & Dan Green
In the past this cruise has made several destinations during the week; including Hurricane Hole, Matlacha, Cape Haze. Fisherman’s Village at Punta Gorda was the final destination for our 2010 New Year’s Eve Celebration. This year’s Cruise Leader will be planning the details for this week of relentless fun!
