Pine Island Sound: depth, boat ramps and water quality

Boat: 10 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Lavender's Landing / Bokeelia Public Boat Ramp, 2 lanes, concrete.

The estuary

Pine Island Sound covers 47,623 acres in Florida, across Lee County. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 42 feet (12.8 m). Our records hold 19 species for this water.

Marine shoreline of Cayo Costa Island (Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida, USA) (23771084953).jpg
James St. John · CC BY 2.0

Depth: down to 42 ft at the deepest measured point

Deepest measured point: 42 ft (12.8 m). We hold 2 depth contours for this water, drawn from 51,670 soundings.

Captiva Pass & North Captiva Island (view from Cayo Costa Island, Florida, USA) 2 (23769694284).jpg
James St. John · CC BY 2.0

10 ramps and launches on this water

On this water we hold 6 trailer ramps, 4 hand launches and 3 fishing piers.

Marine shoreline of Cayo Costa Island (Pine Island Sound, Florida, USA) 1 (24301579326).jpg
James St. John · CC BY 2.0
  • Lavender's Landing / Bokeelia Public Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 22 trailers (paved), paid, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Bokeelia, Lee County. 7290 Barrancas Avenue, Bokeelia 33922 · website leegov.com/parks/boat%20Ramps/lavenderslanding
  • Pine Island Commercial Marina (Weekends and Holidays Only) — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 30 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Bokeelia, Lee County. 6001 Maria Drive, Bokeelia 33922 · website leegov.com/parks/boat%20Ramps/pineislandmarina
  • Safe Harbor Pineland Marina, Boat Ramp, Kayak Launch and Ships Store — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 30 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Bokeelia. 13921 Waterfront Drive, Bokeelia 33922 · website pinelandmarina.com/home
  • Monroe Canal Marina — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 12 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, portable restrooms, dock, needs repair. Saint James City. 3105 Stringfellow Rd, Saint James City 33956 · website monroecanalmarina.com
  • Bocilla Island Seaport and Fishing Pier — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 24 trailers (soft unpaved), paid, dock. Bokeelia. 8421 Main Street, Bokeelia 33922 · website bokeeliafishingpier.com
  • Castaways Marina — 1 lane, restrooms. Sanibel. 6460 Sanibel Captiva Rd 33957 · hours: 6:00:00 AM-8:00:00 PM

Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer

  • Galt Nature Preserve Kayak Launch — hand launch, concrete, parking for 4 trailers (paved), no fee. Saint James City, Lee County. 3661 Stringfellow Road, Saint James City 33956 · website leegov.com/parks/preserves/galt
  • Pineland Monument Park Paddlecraft Launch — hand launch, sand, parking for 5 cars, no fee, daylight hours. Bokeelia, Lee County. 13643 Waterfront Drive, Bokeelia 33922 · website leegov.com/parks/parks/pinelandmonument
  • Stringfellow Road Right-of-Way Jug Creek Kayak Access — hand launch, sand, parking for 4 cars, no fee, daylight hours. Bokeelia, Florida Department of Transportation. Stringfellow Road - State Road 767, Bokeelia 33922
  • J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge - Wildlife Drive Kayak Site West — hand launch, sand, parking for 10 cars, paid, daylight hours. Sanibel, United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel 33957 · website fws.gov/refuge/JN_Ding_Darling/visit/plan_your_visit.html

Fishing piers

  • Galt Preserve — no fee, open 8am–6pm. Saint James City, Lee County. 3661 Stringfellow Rd., Saint James City 33956
  • Pineland Monument Park — no fee, daylight hours. Pineland, Lee County. Waterfront Dr., Pineland 33945
  • Seaport Bocilla Island — paid, open 7am–7pm, lit for night fishing, fish-cleaning table, wheelchair access. Bokeelia, Private. 8421 Main St, Bokeelia 33922

9 of the 13 places listed have both a fee and opening hours on file: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.

Water and conditions

Water clarity runs 3–7.9 feet on our readings, averaging 5.2 feet, from 449 readings. Water temperature averages 79°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 54°F and the warmest is 94°F; the warmest monthly average is 87°F. pH averages 8.1. These readings span 2016–2026.

Monthly average water temperature: Jan 65°F · Feb 70°F · Mar 72°F · Apr 76°F · May 81°F · Jun 86°F · Jul 87°F · Aug 87°F · Sep 86°F · Oct 80°F · Nov 75°F · Dec 70°F

What is hard here

Wind is the limit, not the fish: 47,623 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Summer water sits at 87°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.

Where this data comes from

  • NOAA Digital Coast — NOAA Digital Coast bathymetric lidar: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • USACE eHydro — USACE eHydro channel surveys: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA BlueTopo: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA National Bathymetric Source (S-102 ed3.0.0) — NOAA S-102 bathymetric surfaces: contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.