Slow Boating!

With over 400 miles of canals, along with rivers and other waterways, Cape Coral offers plenty of places to head out for a relaxing excursion or a higher intensity workout with a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard.  Thanks to the City of Cape Coral, there are many great places to launch your boat in the water.

“Also, the great weather makes it possible to enjoy outdoor sports for much of the year,” explains Joe Petrella, Parks and Recreation Director.

Here are a few location options:

The BMX Boat Ramp is a paved ramp adjacent to the BMX track and ballfields that launches into the Shelburne Canal, which connects to a few freshwater canals and Alhambra Lake, Lake Kennedy, and Saratoga Lake.

The Burnt Store Boat Ramp winds its way into the saltwater Rosemary Canal, which connects with several canals and leads to Matlacha Pass.

There is a ramp at Rosen Park in the neighborhood. The ramp helps boaters  launch into the saltwater Chantry Canal, which later connects with the Caloosahatchee River north of the mid-point bridge.

Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve, the second-largest preserved green space in Cape Coral, offers a launch adjacent to the Kayak Shack and allows Kayakers to access the various creeks within the preserve and Four Mile Cove, located on the saltwater Caloosahatchee River just north of the mid-point bridge. (The Kayak Shack offers kayak rentals on weekends only from November through May.)

The Horton Park Boat Ramp launches into the saltwater Everest Canal, which later connects to  the Caloosahatchee River just south of the Midpoint Bridge.  The Gulf of America is accessible.

At Seahawk Airfield at Festival Park, non-motorized boaters are permitted to use the ramp located on the north side of freshwater Argosy Lake. The ramp provides access to a canal system that connects to Alhambra Lake, Lake Kennedy, and Saratoga Lake.

Lastly, at Sirenia Vista, boaters can use the ramp to launch their vessels and access the saltwater Caloosa Blueway.

There is no parking fee for those launching non-motorized boats from these options.

If you’re looking for other ramps in SW Florida, you’re in luck. Lee County Parks & Recreation offers boat ramps in great places that will take you where you want to go.

So, get out and get your boat in the water. You’ll likely spot turtles, wading birds, dolphins, osprey, and other wildlife while you paddle along.