Hi Leo,

A lot of people launch from Butler Hole on the side of the Bayway . (Your vehicle is probably more secure at the boat docks.)

Have fun!

What is the good choice for parking when boating from the side of the road on the Tierra Verde Bayway. Planning to use own kayak, camp on Shell key for day or two then come back.

Hi Robert,
The best place to launch a small boat to Shell Key would be Ft. Desoto Boat ramp. It’s less than a mile from the island and centrally located for exploring the entire preserve and Ft. Desoto park area. Have fun!

You can certainly use an inflatable boat to get to the island, but I would suggest avoiding busy channels. You can launch from the side of the road on the Tierra Verde Bayway and make it all the way to the island in safe shallow waters.

Hi Katie,

Kayaking is a very popular activity on Shell Key. Depending on your skill level, you can launch from a number of locations. In order to avoid the boat traffic in the Bunces Pass or Pass-a-Grille channels, a lot of people launch from the side of the road on the Tierra Verde Bayway. From there, the waters will be relatively calm, shallow and free of motorized traffic all the way to the island. Hope this helps 🙂

Hi Sarah,

Thankfully, the algae blooms caused by the runoff from Lake Okeechobee have not reached as far north as Shell Key. I have heard reports of murky water from people sailing south of Sarasota. However, we can expect an increase in algae just from the increased sunlight during summer. Most of this algae is harmless – although there may be occasional red-tide algae blooms. There is also a concern about the water quality on the inside of Shell Key due to the recent closure of the north pass. Hope this helps.