Fort Myers Offshore Going Extra Casual At Cayo Costa

Fort Myers Offshore events are by nature casual. The Southwest Florida nonprofit scholarship-raising powerboat club’s lunch runs have about as much drama as a family picnic, maybe less as lunch is served rather than brought.

Fort Myers Offshore events don’t get any more casual than the annual Cayo Costa Raft-Up.

But the tomorrow’s annual Cayo Costa Raft-Up takes laidback to another level. There is no set departure time or group start. Most club members plan to arrive between 11 a.m. and noon. It’s a “bring you own grub” affair, and to that end several members bring grills they share with other members.

And though most folks leave between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., there’s no hard-stop time for heading home.

“Since this is a beach raft-up, we don’t do an organized start or registration,” said Tim Hill, the president of Fort Myers Offshore, who has a prior commitment and won’t be there. “I would say there will be 35 to 40 boats on the beach tomorrow.”

The Cayo Costa Raft-Up is the second to last event of the 2024/2025 season Fort Myers Offshore season. The season-ending Tiki Run to Riviera Bar and Grill in Punta Gorda is set for Saturday, April 19.