Magazine Profile on South Seas Island Resort's Harbourmaster

Dockside Delight
South Seas Island Resort’s Marina is a Waterfront Wonder
(or)
Natural Berth
South Seas Island Resort’s Marina a Yachtsman’s Paradise

It should come as no surprise that one of the centerpieces of a tropical island resort would be it’s magnificent marina facility. And the marina at South Seas Island Resort, idyllically situated at the tip of Captiva Island and nestled between the shimmering Gulf of Mexico and the fish-filled backwaters of Pine Island Sound, is certainly no exception.

Actually, there is more than one marina facility at the Resort, where pleasure boaters, fishermen and sightseers can find any type of aquatic activities to suit their needs. The main marina, known as North Point at Yacht Harbour, is located near the central hub of the Resort, and boasts 2,400 feet of dockside berths to accommodate boats up to 120’ in length.

“We get every type of boat in here, from a small center console to some really beautiful yachts,” says Charles Martz, the Resort’s Harbourmaster, who has worked at the marina since 2006. “Folks will stop in on their way from Sarasota to Naples or the Keys to use our amenities, grab some lunch and refuel – it’s super convenient, and we provide everything they need to get back out on their cruise quickly and easily.”

Yacht Harbour offers full electric hook-ups, cable television and freshwater connectivity, ethanol-free gasoline and diesel fuel, showers and laundry facilities, and a host of other services designed to make your day on the water a success. “Captains can radio in on VHF Channel 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and pre-order lunch to be delivered to their boat when they dock, or visit one of our restaurants to enjoy a waterside lunch,” notes Mr. Martz.

The Resort is also home to Bayside Marina, home to a boat launch ramp, and where you’ll find the fishing and sightseeing charters that are available to guests. The ramp is open to the public, (with assistance provide by Resort Staff with advance notice), and can accommodate boats up to 30 feet. You can also rent your own boat if you feel like exploring area waters on your own, or make arrangements to charter a fishing expedition or pleasure cruise with the many experienced fishing guides based at the Bayside facility. Anglers are provided everything they’ll need for their trip, from a professionally licensed guide, poles and tackle, fishing license (for guests 16-years old or more), ice and live bait, which is available at the Ship’s Store and through the Harbourmaster’s office.

But as Mr. Martz points out, the larger Yacht Harbour marina is where most of the action happens. “We’ll get local boaters, families from maybe Cape Coral or South Fort Myers, who just stop in for some gas or some beer and ice, all the way up to some awesome yachts with sports figures or celebrities on board,” he says. But, Mr. Martz knows that ‘loose lips sink ships’, and never divulges the names of some of the rich and famous who float into Yacht Harbour.

Mr. Martz began his career at the Resort’s marina as a deckhand after relocating here from Pittsburgh, PA. He now holds a Captain’s License, and finds much more fulfillment here than in his previous career in retail management. “What I enjoy the most is the variety of different things I get to do everyday, and the many different people I get to meet in my job,” he says. “We may get a family from Switzerland who wants to rent a boat to go to Cabbage Key for lunch, or an overnight guest who wants a safe harbor on their way up or down the Gulf Coast – I really enjoy being able to get them whatever they may need.”

Mr. Martz’ voice is the one you’ll hear on the Resort’s VHF channel, guiding boats in and out of Yacht Harbour with the precision of a finely-tuned machine. He’ll provide up-to-the-minute reports on the weather, tell you what fish are biting and where to find them, hook you up to fresh water and help you with personal fuel and provisions from one of the Resort’s many restaurants or the Ship’s Store.

The affable young Harbourmaster thinks he has one of most enviable jobs in the world. “My office is an elevated structure set the tip of D Dock, and I can see a 360-degree view of the whole marina, and out to Pine Island Sound,” says Mr. Martz. “I have a degree in Broadcasting Communications, and I minored in American and British Literature at The University of Pittsburgh, so I never really thought I’d find myself as the Harbourmaster at a beautiful island marina,” Mr. Martz notes.

Yet now, he can’t imagine himself anywhere else.