Boating from Isles of Capri and Naples

Both Isles of Capri homes have private docks with no-bridges access to the Gulf and the Ten Thousand Islands. 119 Tahiti Street has a 50-foot dock with a jet ski lift, and 107 Tahiti Street has a 30-foot dock. If you trailer a boat down, launch at a public ramp and then keep it at the house for your whole stay.

No boat? Rentals and charters operate on Isles of Capri, Marco Island and Naples Bay. Guests at I102 at Naples Bay Resort can rent boats, kayaks and paddleboards right at the Naples Bay Resort marina, which has direct access to the Gulf via Naples Bay.

Collier County runs several boat launch parks. Ones that work well for our guests include:

• Collier Boulevard Boating Park, on Collier Boulevard just north of the Marco Island bridge and minutes from Capri. It's one of the county's most popular ramps.
• Caxambas Park on the south end of Marco Island, near the Ten Thousand Islands.
• Goodland Boating Park, with direct access to the Ten Thousand Islands and the Gulf.
• Bayview Park on Naples Bay, the closest ramp to downtown Naples and Naples Bay Resort.
• Isles of Capri Paddlecraft Park, for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards only.

Launch fees and permits apply at county ramps, and they can fill up early on winter weekends. See Boat Ramp Permits for current rates.

• Keewaydin Island: an undeveloped barrier island between Naples and Marco, reachable only by boat. Anchor off the beach for a swim, a picnic and shelling. It has no facilities.
• The Ten Thousand Islands: hundreds of mangrove islands south and east of Marco, much of it a national wildlife refuge. Expect great fishing and birding, and isolated beaches.
• Rookery Bay: protected estuary waters around Capri. Watch for manatee zones and posted no-wake areas.
• Naples Bay and the Gordon River: cruise past waterfront homes and tie up for lunch near downtown and Tin City.
• Goodland: a small fishing village known for seafood and live music. You can boat in for lunch.

Fuel docks, bait and ice are available at marinas on Isles of Capri, Marco Island and Naples Bay. Services and hours vary by season, so call a marina before you count on it, especially early in the morning or in summer. Grocery stores on Marco Island and in East Naples are an easy drive from Capri for stocking the cooler.

Inshore anglers target snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, sheepshead and tarpon in season around the mangroves and passes. Offshore trips go after grouper, snapper and more.

• Most anglers 16 and older need a Florida saltwater fishing license unless they're fishing on a licensed charter.
• Size limits, bag limits and seasons change, and some species are catch-and-release only. Check the current FWC saltwater regulations before you keep a fish.
• Hiring a local guide for your first day is the fastest way to learn the tides and the spots.

• Tides matter. Many backwater areas go very shallow at low tide. Use up-to-date charts and GPS, and keep an eye on the depth.
• Manatee and slow-speed zones are common and enforced. Watch for posted signs.
• Boater education: Florida requires a boating safety education ID card for operators born on or after January 1, 1988. See FWC boating safety.
• Weather: summer afternoons bring fast-building thunderstorms, so get out early and head in when the sky darkens. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.
• File a float plan with someone ashore, and carry required safety gear.