I’m not one to throw shade, but truthfully, when it comes right down to it, other places in the country just don’t compare to Florida when it comes to boating. Come on you fair weather Floridians, you definitely know why! Florida’s weather is absolutely gorgeous, enabling us to boat throughout the year. That’s one heck of a way to get the most out of your boat!

And there is the fact that the Florida coast caters to boaters and you can choose from a host of amazing stops and destinations. Take Pensacola and Destin, with some of the best ports on Florida’s Gulf Coast; Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, with 300 miles of inland waterways; Jacksonville and St. Augustine, with their first-class marinas and ports; Tampa and St. Pete, home to the state’s largest estuary; or the Florida Keys, offering a string of delightful islands, each with their own, distinct personalities.

Then, of course, there is the St. Johns River. At 310 miles long, stretching half the length of this state, the St. Johns River is Florida’s longest river and one of the most beautiful for sightseeing. Plus, because water in the St. Johns River is constantly moving as a result of seasonal rainfall, it stimulates feeding and yields an incredible amount of fish. Year after year, the St. Johns coughs up tons of one to five pounders, not to mention the large numbers of trophy bass netted here. 

Speaking of fish, there are 7,700 lakes, 10,550 miles of rivers and 2,276 miles of tidal shoreline in Florida. That’s amazing for boating and home to a heck of a lot of fish! Aside from bass, Florida fishermen enjoy catching tarpon, grouper, snapper, sailfish, sea trout, redfish, snook, king mackerel and pan fish…and that’s just the top ten!

Boating makes absolute perfect sense in Florida and even more sense in New Smyrna Beach! New Smyrna Beach is virtually surrounded by water, making it a boater’s dream. Straddling the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River, New Smyrna Beach offers boating at its best.     

What’s not to love about owning a boat in Florida? So get on board with the whole boat ownership thing and stop by Gerry’s Marina to check out our inventory. Gerry’s Marina is conveniently located on the North Causeway in New Smyrna Beach and has been expertly meeting the needs of Central Florida boaters for over 23 years.