There are more than 400 miles of canals in Cape Coral, more than any other city in the world.
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To those who own them the canals are theirs. The canals act as an extension of the property and can add almost a third to the size of a backyard depending on circumstance.
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Vacation homes are most commonly found as close as possible to the Gulf of Mexico or the Caloosahatchee River.
But it is important to be careful, not every canal leads to the gulf and many lead to dead ends.
Rules
The canals are can be considered as a road system in Cape Coral and so they have rules and regulations.
- Keep boat motors in good repair to prevent fuel leakage.
- Never empty bilges into canals, only empty holding tanks at designated pump-out stations
- Do not spill or overfill the fuel tank. If boating in seagrass areas, go slowly, or pole along with the motor raised.
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All canals are idle speed, no-wake zones whether they are salt or fresh water. The lakes have a different speed limit. Idle speed is the slowest speed you can run and still have control of your boat. Look back, if you see a wake or water turning up bubbles, you are going too fast and you can receive a citation from the marine patrols.
Boat Ramps
A boat ramp or slip way is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water.
Marines and Gas Stations
The marines provide an area for boats to be parked if the owner does not have adequate space or availability to dock their boat.
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The gas stations are placed along the waterfront to allow easy access for the boat owners.
Boat Rental
Most residents in Cape coral own their own personal boat however visitors and others may need to rent a vehicle which is part of the reason there is only one rental company in the area.
Low Bridges
Almost every intersection of water and road has a bridge to access the surrounding area. However, some of the bridges are particularly low when considering the size of the sail boats that are seen in the area. The low bridges can range from a clearance height of 7 - 11ft.
