West Florida

if you bring a board down there for shoulder high onshore mushburgers you are going to be so pissed.

- former 3 year west florida local

 

I've lived in fort Myers for 4 months now for school and have caught some good fun waves at the right time. Biggest I've seen it is about chest high barreling. Hard to believe I know... Just have to be At the right spot like anywhere. If your going to be on captiva the best spot is blind pass beach, this is the inlet where sanibel and captiva meet. And the only other place I paddle out is Naples pier, I'll be there Friday. Generally from my experience when there's waves here it's choppy & windy, but I have seen it glass out really nice. I ride my 5'10" CI neckbeard always. All that said, it's been flat for like 2 weeks. The good swell comes in the winter or if a hurricane passes through, but there are wave in the forecast for this week! Hope you enjoy your visit! Maybe see you out in the line up.

 

And to get a board there's a surf shop in Naples called olde Naples surf shop that has rentals. Or if I'm paddling out at blind pass you can use this 6'0" epoxy fish I have.

 

It all depends on where the swell is going to hit and the wind direction. I grew up on the Gulf and have found that Venice Jetty is the best wave around for Gulf standards if the conditions are right. Captiva Island has it's days too, but Venice Jetty typically is a bit larger and a bit more clean than anywhere else you'll find within driving distance. I spend most my time on the East Coast these days but I've had several fun sessions down there already this year so I hope you score. If it's good enough, I may even drive down (only an hour from me)

 

Good stuff man, glad you found a solid wave down here, and it's not that hard to believe actually, it's just a matter of the right conditions just like anywhere else. The best part about Florida is you can typically drive to either coast so no matter what you are within driving distance to a decent wave. I know the Blind Pass Jetty you speak of and have caught some good waves there, if you haven't tried Venice Jetty yet, you should, it makes Blind Pass seem pretty average IMO. Also Anna Maria Island is a decent little wave too, not very far from there.

 

If you are in Captiva Island, it's a bit of a drive, but it's North of where you'll be staying and South of Siesta Key. Honestly not worth the drive unless it's over waist high

 

I was in naples for a few days last month and the day I got there it was waist to chest!!! I mean it was your wind blown type of surf but people were out surfing. I wish I had a board to use that day...

 

hahaha yes! he tells like it is. ihate hahahahaha JOHNNYTOOBAD

 

Check out YOLO in captiva. They rent boards. Typical epoxy type rentals but better than nothing. Surfed Captiva about a dozen times. I too have surfed blind pass on a thigh high perfect long board lefts a bunch of years ago. Most other times were chop suey.

 

I grew up surfing by clearwater beach. Lots of sand key and St. Pete beach. Venice by far is my favorite. The best I have scored was back During hurricane Wilma, 2005. Im 18 now, i was 11 years old and sense that day i still have not seen double over head walls ( for a 6 foot man ) roll through the west coast of Florida. By then I have already been to Costa Rica with my father and been to Cali and surfed with Jesse Timm and Kevin Connelly, my father has surf films with them, its the going with the flow series. So by then Ive had some Experience in heavier waves, So me coming back to the west coast surfing double over head here compared to cali and costa double over head, I never had more fun in my life. best experience on the west coast for me by far

 

so much name dropping, so little space.