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Coordinates: 26°46′33″N 82°08′31″W / 26.77583°N 82.14194°W / 26.77583; -82.14194
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{{Short description|Large bay on the southwest coast of Florida}}


[[File:Charlotte Harbor satellite.jpg|thumb|Charlotte Harbor and SW Florida in a NASA satellite image]]
[[File:Charlotte Harbor satellite.jpg|thumb|Charlotte Harbor and SW Florida in a NASA satellite image]]
'''Charlotte Harbor Estuary''', the second largest bay in [[Florida]], is located on the [[Gulf of Mexico]] coast of west [[Florida]], mostly (2/3) in [[Charlotte County, Florida]] with the remaining 1/3 in [[Lee County, Florida|Lee County]]. The harbor's mouth is located behind [[Gasparilla Island]], one of the many coastal barrier islands on the southwest coast of Florida, with access from the Gulf of Mexico through the Boca Grande Pass between Gasparilla Island on the north and [[La Costa Island|Lacosta Island]] on the south. Charlotte Harbor covers about 270&nbsp;sq mi (700&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
'''Charlotte Harbor Estuary''', the second largest bay in [[Florida]], is located on the [[Gulf of Mexico]] coast of west [[Florida]] with two thirds lying in [[Charlotte County, Florida]] and one in [[Lee County, Florida|Lee County]]. The harbor's mouth is located behind [[Gasparilla Island]], one of the many coastal barrier islands on the southwest coast of Florida, with access from the Gulf of Mexico through the Boca Grande Pass between Gasparilla Island on the north and [[La Costa Island|Lacosta Island]] on the south. Charlotte Harbor covers about 270&nbsp;sq mi (700&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)


Charlotte Harbor Estuary is a natural [[estuary]] spanning the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|west coast of Florida]] from [[Venice, Florida|Venice]] to [[Bonita Springs, Florida|Bonita Springs]] on the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and is one of the most productive [[wetlands]] in [[Florida]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.floridastateparks.org/charlotteharbor/
Charlotte Harbor Estuary is a natural [[estuary]] spanning the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|west coast of Florida]] from [[Venice, Florida|Venice]] to [[Bonita Springs, Florida|Bonita Springs]] on the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and is one of the most productive [[wetlands]] in [[Florida]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.floridastateparks.org/charlotteharbor/
|title=Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park
|title=Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park
|publisher=floridastateparks.org
|publisher=floridastateparks.org
|accessdate=2007-01-19
|accessdate=2007-01-19
|archive-date=2013-02-05
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205002308/http://www.floridastateparks.org/charlotteharbor/
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> The estuary has a large [[Drainage basin|watershed]], and includes [[Charlotte Harbor (southwest Florida bay)|Charlotte Harbor]] itself as well as the [[Peace River (Florida)|Peace River]], [[Caloosahatchee River]] (via [[Pine Island Sound]]) and [[Myakka River]] basins. It covers {{convert|12653|km2|sp=us}}, the second largest open water estuary in the state.
}}</ref> The estuary has a large [[Drainage basin|watershed]], and includes [[Charlotte Harbor (southwest Florida bay)|Charlotte Harbor]] itself as well as the [[Peace River (Florida)|Peace River]], [[Caloosahatchee River]] (via [[Pine Island Sound]]) and [[Myakka River]] basins. It covers {{convert|12653|km2|sp=us}}, the second largest open water estuary in the state.
<ref name="epa">{{cite web
<ref name="epa">{{cite web|url=http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/programs/ch.htm
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|work=National Estuary Program
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|url=http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/programs/ch.htm
⚫
|title=Charlotte Harbor
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|work=National Estuary Program
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|publisher=United States Environmental Protection Agency
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|title=Charlotte Harbor
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|accessdate=2007-01-19
⚫
|publisher=United States Environmental Protection Agency
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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061002063334/http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/programs/ch.htm
⚫
|accessdate=2007-01-19
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|archive-date=2006-10-02
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|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061002063334/http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/programs/ch.htm
|url-status=dead
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|deadurl=yes
|df=
}}{{Failed verification|date=July 2007}}</ref>


It is classified as a bar-built estuary, formed when sandbars build up along the coastline. The sand bars block the waters behind them from the sea. Such estuaries tend to be shallow with minimal tidal action.<ref>{{cite web
It is classified as a bar-built estuary, formed when sandbars build up along the coastline. The sand bars block the waters behind them from the sea. Such estuaries tend to be shallow with minimal tidal action.<ref>{{cite web
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|publisher=[[University of Rhode Island]]
|publisher=[[University of Rhode Island]]
|accessdate=2007-01-21
|accessdate=2007-01-21
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060911133539/http://omp.gso.uri.edu/doee/science/descript/barbuilt.htm
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060911133539/http://omp.gso.uri.edu/doee/science/descript/barbuilt.htm
|archivedate=2006-09-11
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|url-status=dead
|df=
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}}</ref>


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|url=http://www.chnep.org/
|url=http://www.chnep.org/
|title=Charlette Harbor National Estuary Program
|title=Charlette Harbor National Estuary Program
|publisher=
|accessdate=2007-01-21
|accessdate=2007-01-21
}}</ref> The Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves, established by the state of Florida in 1975, are five contiguous aquatic preserves within the greater Charlotte Harbor estuary. It includes [[salt marsh]]es, [[mangrove]]s, [[seagrass]], [[oyster]] and [[tidal flats]].<ref>{{cite web
}}</ref> The Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves, established by the state of Florida in 1975, are five contiguous aquatic preserves within the greater Charlotte Harbor estuary. It includes [[salt marsh]]es, [[mangrove]]s, [[seagrass]], [[oyster]] and [[tidal flats]].<ref>{{cite web
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|publisher=dep.state.fl.us
|publisher=dep.state.fl.us
|accessdate=2007-01-19
|accessdate=2007-01-19
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> It is the preserve of many species, including the [[Florida panther]], [[American alligator]], [[West Indian manatee]], [[bald eagle]], [[wood stork]], [[piping plover]], [[American crocodile]], [[Green turtle|green]] and [[loggerhead sea turtle]]s, [[Gulf sturgeon]], royal false pawpaw (''[[Deeringothamnus]] [[Deeringothamnus pulchellus|pulchellus]]''), Florida perforate cladonia (''[[Cladonia]] perforata'') and many more.<ref name="epa"/>
⚫
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206084414/http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/charlotte/info.htm
|archive-date=2007-02-06
}}</ref> It is the preserve of many species, including the [[American alligator]], [[West Indian manatee]], [[bald eagle]], [[wood stork]], [[piping plover]], [[Green turtle|green]] and [[loggerhead sea turtle]]s, smalltooth sawfish (''[[Pristis pectinata]]''),<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Poulakis|first1=Gregg R.|last2=Stevens|first2=Philip W.|last3=Timmers|first3=Amy A.|last4=Stafford|first4=Christopher J.|last5=Chapman|first5=Demian D.|last6=Feldheim|first6=Kevin A.|last7=Heupel|first7=Michelle R.|last8=Curtis|first8=Caitlin|title=Long-term site fidelity of endangered small-tooth sawfish (''Pristis pectinata'') from different mothers|journal=Fishery Bulletin|year=2016|volume=114|issue=4|pages=461–475|doi=10.7755/fb.114.4.8|doi-access=free}}</ref> royal false pawpaw (''[[Deeringothamnus pulchellus]]''), Florida perforate cladonia (''[[Cladonia perforata]]''), and many more.<ref name="epa"/>


[[Image:1901CharlotteHarborMap.jpg|thumb|right|Portion of a 1901 map of Charlotte Harbor by George F. Cram]]
[[Image:1901CharlotteHarborMap.jpg|thumb|right|Portion of a 1901 map of Charlotte Harbor by George F. Cram]]


The harbor is fed with fresh water from the [[Myakka River]] on its northwest corner and the [[Peace River (Florida)|Peace River]] on its northeastern corner. Charlotte Harbor is bordered by the communities of [[Boca Grande, Florida|Boca Grande]], Charlotte Beach, [[Port Charlotte, Florida|Port Charlotte]], [[Charlotte Harbor, Florida|Charlotte Harbor]], [[Punta Gorda, Florida|Punta Gorda]], Pirate Harbor, and [[Bokeelia, Florida|Bokeelia]]. Charlotte Harbor connects to [[San Carlos Bay (Florida)|San Carlos Bay]] to the south by way of the [[Pine Island Sound]] and the Matlacha Pass.
The harbor is fed with fresh water from the [[Myakka River]] on its northwest corner and the [[Peace River (Florida)|Peace River]] on its northeastern corner. Charlotte Harbor is bordered by the communities of [[Boca Grande, Florida|Boca Grande]], [[Port Charlotte, Florida|Port Charlotte]], [[Charlotte Harbor, Florida|Charlotte Harbor]], [[Punta Gorda, Florida|Punta Gorda]] and [[Bokeelia, Florida|Bokeelia]]. Charlotte Harbor connects to [[San Carlos Bay]] to the south by way of [[Pine Island Sound]] and Matlacha Pass.


== Etymology ==
== Etymology ==
The name of Charlotte Harbor is a corruption of the name Calusa into the Spanish name Carlos. The bay was first known as Bahia Carlos, or Carlos Bay, by the Spaniards. The English changed it from Carlos to Charlotte in honor of King George III's wife.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/107533/Charlotte-Harbor |title=Encyclopædia Britannica: Charlotte Harbor Inlet, Gulf of Mexico | accessdate=April 28, 2009}}</ref>
The name of Charlotte Harbor is a corruption of the name [[Calusa]] into the Spanish name Carlos. At the time of Spanish contact in the 1560s, the leader of the Calusa was known as [[Carlos (Calusa)|Carlos]]. The bay was first known as Bahia Carlos, or Carlos Bay, by the Spaniards. The British changed it from Carlos to Charlotte to honor King [[George III]]'s wife, [[Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/107533/Charlotte-Harbor |title=Encyclopædia Britannica: Charlotte Harbor Inlet, Gulf of Mexico | accessdate=April 28, 2009}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
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Prior to the first Europeans, Charlotte Harbor was home to settlements of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] who were part of the [[Calusa]] paramount chiefdom that occupied southwest Florida, extending from Tampa Bay in the north to the Ten Thousand Islands.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.keyshistory.org/histindians.html |title=Historic Florida Indians by Wilkinson, Jerry | accessdate=April 28, 2009}}</ref> The Calusa capital of Calos was located on [[Mound Key Archaeological State Park|Mound Key]], just south of Charlotte Harbor.
Prior to the first Europeans, Charlotte Harbor was home to settlements of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] who were part of the [[Calusa]] paramount chiefdom that occupied southwest Florida, extending from Tampa Bay in the north to the Ten Thousand Islands.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.keyshistory.org/histindians.html |title=Historic Florida Indians by Wilkinson, Jerry | accessdate=April 28, 2009}}</ref> The Calusa capital of Calos was located on [[Mound Key Archaeological State Park|Mound Key]], just south of Charlotte Harbor.


=== Early European Visits ===
=== Early European visits ===
[[Juan Ponce de León|Ponce de Leon]] was likely the first European who visited Charlotte Harbor in 1521. He and his soldiers encountered hostile Calusa, and de Leon is believed to have died from a poisoned arrow wound received there. The site of the conflict is now Ponce de Leon Historical Park in eastern Punta Gorda.<ref name="visitflorida.com">{{cite web| url=http://www.visitflorida.com/articles/charlotte-harbor-area| title=Visit Florida, Charlotte Harbor Area| accessdate=April 28, 2009}}</ref> Charlotte Harbor might have been next visited by Juan de Anasco, Comptroller to the King of Spain, in 1538, one year before [[Hernando de Soto]]'s exploration. In 1539, Hernando de Soto began his journey across the Southeast by landing on the west coast of the Florida peninsula, near the chiefdom of [[Uzita (Florida)|Uzita]], where he encountered Juan Ortiz, a survivor of the Narváez expedition who had been captured by the Tocobaga at Tampa Bay. Traditional reconstructions locate Uzita at the mouth of the Manatee River in Tampa Bay, now the site of the [[De Soto National Memorial]].<ref>{{Cite book|title = Hernando de Soto and the Indians of Florida|author1=Hudson, Charles |author2=Milanich, Jerald T.|publisher = University Press of Florida|year = 1993|isbn = |location = Gainesville, FL|pages = }}</ref> However, other historians believe de Soto may have entered via Charlotte Harbor as he began his exploration of North America.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://floridahistory.com/inset444.html | title=DeSoto's Florida Trails | accessdate =April 28, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Hernando de Soto, A Savage Quest for the Americas|last = Duncan, David Ewing|publisher = Crown Publishers, Inc.|year = 1995|isbn = |location = New York, NY|pages=255, 486–492}}</ref> Another suggested landing site for de Soto was directly below Charlotte Harbor up within the [[Caloosahatchee River]].<ref>{{Cite book|title = De Soto Didn't Land at Tampa Bay|last = Schell, Rolfe F.|publisher = Island Press|year = 1966|isbn = |location = Fort Meyers Beach, FL|pages = }}</ref> This is unlikely because Mound Key at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee is generally agreed to have been the location of the Calusa capital, not the Uzita chiefdom. In 1565 Pedro Menedez de Aviles, the founder of St. Augustine, established the San Antonio mission-fort at an unidentified location inside Charlotte Harbor. After 2 years of off-and-on fighting with the local natives, the mission was abandoned.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://genealogytrails.com/fla/charlotte/CharlotteCtyHistory.htm | title=Charlotte County History by Norita Shepherd Moss | accessdate =April 28, 2009}}</ref>
[[Juan Ponce de León|Ponce de Leon]] was likely the first European who visited Charlotte Harbor in 1513 and again in 1521. He and his soldiers encountered hostile Calusa, and de Leon is believed to have died from a [[poisoned arrow]] wound received there. The site of the conflict is now Ponce de Leon Historical Park in eastern Punta Gorda.<ref name="visitflorida.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.visitflorida.com/articles/charlotte-harbor-area |title=Visit Florida, Charlotte Harbor Area |accessdate=April 28, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331182117/http://www.visitflorida.com/articles/charlotte-harbor-area/ |archive-date=March 31, 2009 }}</ref> Charlotte Harbor might have been next visited by Juan de Anasco, Comptroller to the King of Spain, in 1538, one year before [[Hernando de Soto]]'s exploration. In 1539, Hernando de Soto began his journey across the Southeast by landing on the west coast of the Florida peninsula, near the chiefdom of [[Uzita (Florida)|Uzita]], where he encountered Juan Ortiz, a survivor of the Narváez expedition who had been captured by the Tocobaga at Tampa Bay. Traditional reconstructions locate Uzita at the mouth of the Manatee River in Tampa Bay, now the site of the [[De Soto National Memorial]].<ref>{{Cite book|title = Hernando de Soto and the Indians of Florida|author1=Hudson, Charles |author2=Milanich, Jerald T.|publisher = University Press of Florida|year = 1993|location = Gainesville, FL}}</ref> However, other historians believe de Soto may have entered via Charlotte Harbor as he began his exploration of North America.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://floridahistory.com/inset444.html | title=DeSoto's Florida Trails | accessdate =April 28, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Hernando de Soto, A Savage Quest for the Americas|last = Duncan, David Ewing|publisher = Crown Publishers, Inc.|year = 1995|location = New York, NY|pages=255, 486–492}}</ref> Another suggested landing site for de Soto was directly below Charlotte Harbor up within the [[Caloosahatchee River]].<ref>{{Cite book|title = De Soto Didn't Land at Tampa Bay|last = Schell, Rolfe F.|publisher = Island Press|year = 1966|location = Fort Myers Beach, FL}}</ref> This is unlikely because [[Mound Key Archaeological State Park|Mound Key]] in [[Estero Bay (Florida)|Estero Bay]] south of the Caloosahatchee is generally agreed to have been the location of the Calusa capital, not the Uzita chiefdom.

As the Florida continued to be explored, some fisherman from Cuba and other Spanish settlements began to set up fishing camps, or "ranchos" along the Gulf Coast, including around Charlotte Harbor.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hammond |first1=E.A. |title=The Spanish Fisheries of Charlotte Harbor |journal=The Florida Historical Quarterly |date=April 1973 |volume=51 |issue=4 |url=http://palmm.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/ucf%3A25419 |access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref>


===The pirates and shipwrecks of Charlotte Harbor===
===The pirates and shipwrecks of Charlotte Harbor===
The mythical [[José Gaspar]] (also known an "Gasparilla") was said to have his secret base (sometimes exaggeratedly referred to as a "pirate kingdom") in Charlotte Harbor in the late 1700s until his death in 1821. Though no evidence of Gaspar's existence has ever been found, he is a popular figure in Florida folklore, and the tale of the dashing pirate and his lost treasure has been used to promote tourism in the Charlotte Harbor for many years. The practice began in 1900, when the [[Plant system|Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad Company]] published the first account of Jose Gaspar in a promotional brochure.<ref name="mangrove">{{cite book | title=The Mangrove Coast | publisher=Coward McCann, Inc. | author=Bickel, Karl A. | year=1942}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated5>{{cite journal
The mythical pirate [[José Gaspar]] (also known as "Gasparilla") was said to have roamed from the Gulf of Mexico to the [[Spanish Main]] from his secret base (sometimes referred to as his "pirate kingdom") in Charlotte Harbor from the late 1700s until his death in battle with the US Navy in 1821. Though no archival or physical evidence of Gaspar's existence has ever been found, he is a popular figure in Florida folklore, and the tale of the dashing pirate and his lost treasure has been used to promote tourism in Charlotte Harbor and along Florida's Gulf coast for many years, most notably in [[Tampa]]'s [[Gasparilla Pirate Festival]]. The practice began in 1900, when the [[Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway]] published the first written account of Jose Gaspar in a promotional brochure for its Boca Grande Hotel on Gasparilla Island.<ref name="mangrove">{{cite book | title=The Mangrove Coast | publisher=Coward McCann, Inc. | author=Bickel, Karl A. | year=1942}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated5>{{cite journal
| last =dAns
| last =dAns
| first =André-Marcel
| first =André-Marcel
⚫
| title =The Legend of Gasparilla: Myth and History on Florida's West Coast
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
⚫
| title =The Legend of Gasparilla: Myth and History on Florida’s West Coast
| journal =Tampa Bay History
| journal =Tampa Bay History
| volume =
| issue =Fall/Winter 1980
| issue =Fall/Winter 1980
| pages =
| publisher =
| location =Tampa, Florida
| location =Tampa, Florida
| year =1980
| year =1980
| language =
| url =http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3512&context=flstud_pub
| url =http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3512&context=flstud_pub
⚫
| accessdate =May 20, 2012
| jstor =
| archive-date =March 4, 2016
| issn =
| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102825/http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3512&context=flstud_pub
| doi =
| id =
| url-status =dead
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| mr =
| zbl =
| jfm =
⚫
| accessdate =May 20, 2012}}</ref>


Charlotte Harbor may have been the refuge of Brewster Baker (AKA Brew or Bru Baker).<ref name="Pirates of Southwest Florida">{{Cite journal | last =Kaserman| first =James F. & Sarah Jane| publication-date = | date = | year =2007 | title='''Pirates of Southwest Florida, Fact and Legend'''| edition = | volume = | series = | publication-place =| place = | publisher =iUniverse, Inc.| pages =16–27 | id = | isbn =| doi = | oclc = | url = | accessdate = | postscript =<!--None-->}}</ref>{{dubious|date=November 2016}}
Charlotte Harbor is also said to have been the refuge of the pirate Brewster Baker and the site of several shipwrecks of vessels containing untold millions of Spanish gold.<ref name="Pirates of Southwest Florida">{{Cite book | last1 =Kaserman| first1 =James F.|last2=Kaserman|first2=Sarah Jane| year =2007 | title=Pirates of Southwest Florida, Fact and Legend| publisher =iUniverse, Inc.| pages =16–27|isbn=978-0595471522}}</ref> However, despite many professional and amateur searches over the years, no treasure or evidence of a historical pirate stronghold has ever been found in the area.<ref name="chasinggaspar">{{cite news | url=https://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/how-jose-gaspar-stole-his-way-into-the-history-books/2162643/ | title=Chasing Gaspar | work=The Tampa Bay Times | date=24 January 2014 | access-date=15 September 2016 | author=Montgomery, Ben}}</ref><ref name="real">{{cite news |last1=Spata |first1=Christopher |title=Is Gasparilla's treasure real? We went with these friends to find it. |url=https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/is-gasparillas-treasure-real-we-went-with-these-friends-to-find-it-20190117/ |accessdate=18 January 2019 |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=17 January 2019}}</ref>

There have been several notable shipwrecks in Charlotte Harbor, some reportedly carrying treasure.

*1563: An unnamed galleon of the Veracruz fleet sank with unknown treasure aboard.<ref name="Pirates of Southwest Florida"/>{{dubious|date=November 2016}}
*1821: Gasparilla's Ship the ''Florida Blanca'' was sunk by the US Navy reportedly with $9Million in treasure.<ref name="Pirates of Southwest Florida" />{{dubious|date=November 2016}}
*1821: An unnamed American frigate sank at the entrance to Big Gasparilla Pass with $1Million in coins.<ref name="Pirates of Southwest Florida"/>{{dubious|date=November 2016}}


=== Modern day ===
=== Modern day ===
[[File:Gilchrist Park Punta Gorda FL 01.jpg|thumb|right|Charlotte Harbor as seen from Gilchrist Park in Punta Gorda]]
The Charlotte Harbor of the present day is a harbor mainly for privately owned pleasure craft and fishing boats. The area thrives partly due to tourism for those seeking beautiful beaches and an escape from winter's bite. There are also numerous retirement communities in the Charlotte Harbor area.
The Charlotte Harbor of the present day is a harbor mainly for privately owned pleasure craft and fishing boats.{{fact|date=September 2023}} The area thrives partly due to tourism. There are also numerous retirement communities in the Charlotte Harbor area.

==Tropical cyclones==
==Hurricanes==
[[Image:Charley Landfall.gif|thumb|245px|right|Charley making [[Landfall (meteorology)|landfall]] on August 13, 2004]]
[[Image:Charley Landfall.gif|thumb|245px|right|Charley making [[Landfall (meteorology)|landfall]] on August 13, 2004]]
Charlotte Harbor has been hit by hurricanes since records began to be kept in 1851. Listed below are the hurricanes whose paths have crossed Charlotte Harbor.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wunderground.com/tropical | title=Weather Underground, Tropical Weather, Hurricane Archive: All Atlantic Storms (1851-2009) | accessdate=April 28, 2009}}</ref>
Charlotte Harbor has been hit by several tropical cyclones since records began to be kept in 1851. Listed below are the tropical cyclones whose paths have crossed Charlotte Harbor.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wunderground.com/tropical | title=Weather Underground, Tropical Weather, Hurricane Archive: All Atlantic Storms (1851–2009) | accessdate=April 28, 2009}}</ref>


* [[1894 Atlantic hurricane season#Hurricane Four|1894 Hurricane No. 4]]
*1894 Hurricane No. 4, (09/18 - 10/01) Category 2 total number of deaths (over its entire path) = 200
* [[1910 Cuba hurricane|1910 Hurricane No. 5]]
*1910 Hurricane No. 5, (10/09 - 10/23) Category 2 total number of deaths (over its entire path) = 101
* [[1925 Florida tropical storm|1925 Tropical Storm No. 4]]
*1925 Hurricane No. 2, (11/29 - 12/04) Category 1, total number of deaths (over its entire path) = 60
* [[1944 Cuba–Florida hurricane|1944 Hurricane No. 13]]
*1944 Hurricane No. 11, (10/12 - 10/23) Category 1 (Near-miss on the eastern side) total number of deaths (over its entire path) = 318
* [[Hurricane Charley|2004 Hurricane Charley]]
*2004 Hurricane Charley (08/09 - 08/15) Category 4, total number of deaths (over its entire path) = 15
* [[Hurricane Ian|2022 Hurricane Ian]]


[[Hurricane Charley]] made landfall just south of Charlotte Harbor on Friday, August 13, 2004 at 3:54 P.M. EDT.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/Charley06.pdf |title=NOAA Service Assessment, Hurricane Charley August 9–15, 2004| format=PDF}}</ref> Charley had reached a maximum sustained wind speed of {{convert|150|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/hurricane/HurricaneCharley2004.shtml |title=NASA's Hurricane Portal, Hurricane Charley}}</ref> By the time Charley reached Orlando, its winds had dropped to {{convert|95|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, with gusts as high as {{convert|111|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. Due to the rapid forward movement of Charley the amount of measured rainfall was between 4 and 6&nbsp;inches.
[[Hurricane Charley]] made landfall just south of Charlotte Harbor on Friday, August 13, 2004 at 3:54 PM EDT.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/Charley06.pdf |title=NOAA Service Assessment, Hurricane Charley August 9–15, 2004}}</ref> Charley had reached a maximum sustained wind speed of {{convert|150|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/hurricane/HurricaneCharley2004.shtml |title=NASA's Hurricane Portal, Hurricane Charley |access-date=2016-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004132934/http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/hurricane/HurricaneCharley2004.shtml |archive-date=2006-10-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> By the time Charley reached Orlando, its winds had dropped to {{convert|95|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, with gusts as high as {{convert|111|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. Due to the rapid forward movement of Charley the amount of measured rainfall was between {{convert|4 and 6|inch}}.<ref name="nhc.noaa.gov">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/tws/MIATWSAT_aug.shtml? |title=NWS, National Hurricane Center, Tropical Weather Summary}}</ref>


On September 28, 2022, [[Hurricane Ian]] made landfall just south of [[Punta Gorda, Florida|Punta Gorda]] at Pirate Harbor.<ref name="National Hurricane Center">{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT4+shtml/281901.shtml |title=NWS, National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Update}}</ref>
Damages for Hurricane Charley were as follows:
*Deaths in Florida = 29 (9 direct & 20 indirect)
*Insured Losses in Florida = $6.755 billion (2004 USD)<ref name="nhc.noaa.gov">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/tws/MIATWSAT_aug.shtml? |title=NWS, National Hurricane Center, Tropical Weather Summary}}</ref>
*Overall estimated damages estimated between $13–15 billion USD<ref name="nhc.noaa.gov" />


{{clear}}
{{Clear}}
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Floridian seagrass bed.jpg|Florida seagrass
Image:Floridian seagrass bed.jpg|Florida seagrass
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*[[Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park]]
*[[Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park]]


==Notes==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>


==External links==
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070115113543/http://omp.gso.uri.edu:80/doee/science/descript/esttype1.htm Estuaries Classified by Geologic Features]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070115113543/http://omp.gso.uri.edu/doee/science/descript/esttype1.htm Estuaries Classified by Geologic Features]
*[http://www.checflorida.org/ Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center]
*[http://www.checflorida.org/ Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090608195046/http://www.protectingourwater.org:80/watersheds/map/charlotte_harbor/ Charlotte Harbor Watershed - Florida DEP]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090608195046/http://www.protectingourwater.org/watersheds/map/charlotte_harbor/ Charlotte Harbor Watershed – Florida DEP]
*[http://www.floridastateparks.org/charlotteharbor Charlotte Harbor State Park ]
*[http://www.floridastateparks.org/charlotteharbor Charlotte Harbor State Park ]
*[http://www.chnep.org Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program ]
*[http://www.chnep.org Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program ]
*[http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/charlotte/info.htm Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve ]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070206084414/http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/charlotte/info.htm Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve ]
*[http://www.floridadisaster.org/eoc/eoc_activations/charley04/Pictures/Charlotte/index.htm Florida Disaster.org, Hurricane Charley August 13, 2004 - Charlotte County Damage Photos]
*[http://www.floridadisaster.org/eoc/eoc_activations/charley04/Pictures/Charlotte/index.htm Florida Disaster.org, Hurricane Charley August 13, 2004 – Charlotte County Damage Photos]
*[http://www.chnep.wateratlas.usf.edu/ Charlotte Harbor Water Atlas]
*[http://www.chnep.wateratlas.usf.edu/ Charlotte Harbor Water Atlas]


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{{Coord|26|46|33|N|82|08|31|W|display=title}}


{{Charlotte County, Florida}}
{{Charlotte County, Florida}}
{{Lee County, Florida}}
{{Lee County, Florida}}
{{Florida}}
{{Florida}}
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[[Category:Landforms of Charlotte County, Florida]]
[[Category:Bodies of water of Charlotte County, Florida]]
[[Category:Estuaries of Florida]]
[[Category:Estuaries of Florida]]
[[Category:Gulf of Mexico]]
[[Category:Gulf of Mexico]]
[[Category:Landforms of Lee County, Florida]]
[[Category:Bodies of water of Lee County, Florida]]

Latest revision as of 19:37, 11 July 2024

Charlotte Harbor and SW Florida in a NASA satellite image

Charlotte Harbor Estuary, the second largest bay in Florida, is located on the Gulf of Mexico coast of west Florida with two thirds lying in Charlotte County, Florida and one in Lee County. The harbor's mouth is located behind Gasparilla Island, one of the many coastal barrier islands on the southwest coast of Florida, with access from the Gulf of Mexico through the Boca Grande Pass between Gasparilla Island on the north and Lacosta Island on the south. Charlotte Harbor covers about 270 sq mi (700 km2)

Charlotte Harbor Estuary is a natural estuary spanning the west coast of Florida from Venice to Bonita Springs on the Gulf of Mexico and is one of the most productive wetlands in Florida.[1] The estuary has a large watershed, and includes Charlotte Harbor itself as well as the Peace River, Caloosahatchee River (via Pine Island Sound) and Myakka River basins. It covers 12,653 square kilometers (4,885 sq mi), the second largest open water estuary in the state. [2]

It is classified as a bar-built estuary, formed when sandbars build up along the coastline. The sand bars block the waters behind them from the sea. Such estuaries tend to be shallow with minimal tidal action.[3]

This is a threatened ecosystem because of the rapid increase of growth and development, poor land-use policies, and the overuse of natural resources.[4] The Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves, established by the state of Florida in 1975, are five contiguous aquatic preserves within the greater Charlotte Harbor estuary. It includes salt marshes, mangroves, seagrass, oyster and tidal flats.[5] It is the preserve of many species, including the American alligator, West Indian manatee, bald eagle, wood stork, piping plover, green and loggerhead sea turtles, smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata),[6] royal false pawpaw (Deeringothamnus pulchellus), Florida perforate cladonia (Cladonia perforata), and many more.[2]

Portion of a 1901 map of Charlotte Harbor by George F. Cram

The harbor is fed with fresh water from the Myakka River on its northwest corner and the Peace River on its northeastern corner. Charlotte Harbor is bordered by the communities of Boca Grande, Port Charlotte, Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda and Bokeelia. Charlotte Harbor connects to San Carlos Bay to the south by way of Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass.

Etymology

[edit]

The name of Charlotte Harbor is a corruption of the name Calusa into the Spanish name Carlos. At the time of Spanish contact in the 1560s, the leader of the Calusa was known as Carlos. The bay was first known as Bahia Carlos, or Carlos Bay, by the Spaniards. The British changed it from Carlos to Charlotte to honor King George III's wife, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.[7]

History

[edit]
1774 Map of Charlotte Harbor by Bernard Roman

Prior to the first Europeans, Charlotte Harbor was home to settlements of Native Americans who were part of the Calusa paramount chiefdom that occupied southwest Florida, extending from Tampa Bay in the north to the Ten Thousand Islands.[8] The Calusa capital of Calos was located on Mound Key, just south of Charlotte Harbor.

Early European visits

[edit]

Ponce de Leon was likely the first European who visited Charlotte Harbor in 1513 and again in 1521. He and his soldiers encountered hostile Calusa, and de Leon is believed to have died from a poisoned arrow wound received there. The site of the conflict is now Ponce de Leon Historical Park in eastern Punta Gorda.[9] Charlotte Harbor might have been next visited by Juan de Anasco, Comptroller to the King of Spain, in 1538, one year before Hernando de Soto's exploration. In 1539, Hernando de Soto began his journey across the Southeast by landing on the west coast of the Florida peninsula, near the chiefdom of Uzita, where he encountered Juan Ortiz, a survivor of the Narváez expedition who had been captured by the Tocobaga at Tampa Bay. Traditional reconstructions locate Uzita at the mouth of the Manatee River in Tampa Bay, now the site of the De Soto National Memorial.[10] However, other historians believe de Soto may have entered via Charlotte Harbor as he began his exploration of North America.[11][12] Another suggested landing site for de Soto was directly below Charlotte Harbor up within the Caloosahatchee River.[13] This is unlikely because Mound Key in Estero Bay south of the Caloosahatchee is generally agreed to have been the location of the Calusa capital, not the Uzita chiefdom.

As the Florida continued to be explored, some fisherman from Cuba and other Spanish settlements began to set up fishing camps, or "ranchos" along the Gulf Coast, including around Charlotte Harbor.[14]

The pirates and shipwrecks of Charlotte Harbor

[edit]

The mythical pirate José Gaspar (also known as "Gasparilla") was said to have roamed from the Gulf of Mexico to the Spanish Main from his secret base (sometimes referred to as his "pirate kingdom") in Charlotte Harbor from the late 1700s until his death in battle with the US Navy in 1821. Though no archival or physical evidence of Gaspar's existence has ever been found, he is a popular figure in Florida folklore, and the tale of the dashing pirate and his lost treasure has been used to promote tourism in Charlotte Harbor and along Florida's Gulf coast for many years, most notably in Tampa's Gasparilla Pirate Festival. The practice began in 1900, when the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway published the first written account of Jose Gaspar in a promotional brochure for its Boca Grande Hotel on Gasparilla Island.[15][16]

Charlotte Harbor is also said to have been the refuge of the pirate Brewster Baker and the site of several shipwrecks of vessels containing untold millions of Spanish gold.[17] However, despite many professional and amateur searches over the years, no treasure or evidence of a historical pirate stronghold has ever been found in the area.[18][19]

Modern day

[edit]
Charlotte Harbor as seen from Gilchrist Park in Punta Gorda

The Charlotte Harbor of the present day is a harbor mainly for privately owned pleasure craft and fishing boats.[citation needed] The area thrives partly due to tourism. There are also numerous retirement communities in the Charlotte Harbor area.

Tropical cyclones

[edit]
Charley making landfall on August 13, 2004

Charlotte Harbor has been hit by several tropical cyclones since records began to be kept in 1851. Listed below are the tropical cyclones whose paths have crossed Charlotte Harbor.[20]

Hurricane Charley made landfall just south of Charlotte Harbor on Friday, August 13, 2004 at 3:54 PM EDT.[21] Charley had reached a maximum sustained wind speed of 150 mph (240 km/h)[22] By the time Charley reached Orlando, its winds had dropped to 95 mph (153 km/h), with gusts as high as 111 mph (179 km/h). Due to the rapid forward movement of Charley the amount of measured rainfall was between 4 and 6 inches (100 and 150 mm).[23]

On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda at Pirate Harbor.[24]

  • Florida seagrass
    Florida seagrass
  • Loggerhead turtle (closeup)
    Loggerhead turtle (closeup)
  • Coastal mangroves
    Coastal mangroves
  • Florida seagrass bed
    Florida seagrass bed

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park". floridastateparks.org. Archived from the original on 2013-02-05. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
  2. ^ a b "Charlotte Harbor". National Estuary Program. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on 2006-10-02. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
  3. ^ "Bar-Built Estuary". Office of Marine Programs. University of Rhode Island. Archived from the original on 2006-09-11. Retrieved 2007-01-21.
  4. ^ "Charlette Harbor National Estuary Program". Retrieved 2007-01-21.
  5. ^ "The Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves". dep.state.fl.us. Archived from the original on 2007-02-06. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
  6. ^ Poulakis, Gregg R.; Stevens, Philip W.; Timmers, Amy A.; Stafford, Christopher J.; Chapman, Demian D.; Feldheim, Kevin A.; Heupel, Michelle R.; Curtis, Caitlin (2016). "Long-term site fidelity of endangered small-tooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) from different mothers". Fishery Bulletin. 114 (4): 461–475. doi:10.7755/fb.114.4.8.
  7. ^ "Encyclopædia Britannica: Charlotte Harbor Inlet, Gulf of Mexico". Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  8. ^ "Historic Florida Indians by Wilkinson, Jerry". Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  9. ^ "Visit Florida, Charlotte Harbor Area". Archived from the original on March 31, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  10. ^ Hudson, Charles; Milanich, Jerald T. (1993). Hernando de Soto and the Indians of Florida. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida.
  11. ^ "DeSoto's Florida Trails". Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  12. ^ Duncan, David Ewing (1995). Hernando de Soto, A Savage Quest for the Americas. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, Inc. pp. 255, 486–492.
  13. ^ Schell, Rolfe F. (1966). De Soto Didn't Land at Tampa Bay. Fort Myers Beach, FL: Island Press.
  14. ^ Hammond, E.A. (April 1973). "The Spanish Fisheries of Charlotte Harbor". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 51 (4). Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  15. ^ Bickel, Karl A. (1942). The Mangrove Coast. Coward McCann, Inc.
  16. ^ dAns, André-Marcel (1980). "The Legend of Gasparilla: Myth and History on Florida's West Coast". Tampa Bay History (Fall/Winter 1980). Tampa, Florida. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  17. ^ Kaserman, James F.; Kaserman, Sarah Jane (2007). Pirates of Southwest Florida, Fact and Legend. iUniverse, Inc. pp. 16–27. ISBN 978-0595471522.
  18. ^ Montgomery, Ben (24 January 2014). "Chasing Gaspar". The Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  19. ^ Spata, Christopher (17 January 2019). "Is Gasparilla's treasure real? We went with these friends to find it". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  20. ^ "Weather Underground, Tropical Weather, Hurricane Archive: All Atlantic Storms (1851–2009)". Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  21. ^ "NOAA Service Assessment, Hurricane Charley August 9–15, 2004" (PDF).
  22. ^ "NASA's Hurricane Portal, Hurricane Charley". Archived from the original on 2006-10-04. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  23. ^ "NWS, National Hurricane Center, Tropical Weather Summary".
  24. ^ "NWS, National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Update".
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26°46′33″N 82°08′31″W / 26.77583°N 82.14194°W / 26.77583; -82.14194

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