The man’s companions had called 911 on a cell phone but they were guests aboard his vessel and could not accurately describe their location.  Eventually, a Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit was dispatched to the scene.   Unfortunately, the man’s injuries were extensive and the marine police unit was not equipped to treat or transport him.  A coast guard helicopter was finally dispatched to the scene and the man was airlifted to Palms of Pasadena Hospital for treatment.

Although accounts of the accident differ, everyone seemed to agree that it took forever to get this man to safety. The man was lucky to have survived his ordeal.

The tale of confusion was a wake up call for anyone who may be unprepared for medical emergencies while boating in Tampa Bay.  If you are on the water or on Shell Key, you should be ready for emergencies by being prepared for minor injuries – and knowing how to describe your location and what to ask for if your situation is life threatening.

In case of emergency: below are some recommendations for dealing with medical emergencies while boating in south Pinellas County.

Know your location!

Use your phone or GPS device to get your exact latitude and longitude.  If you can’t find your coordinates, here are some general coordinates for Shell Key Preserve …

• North Public Use Area (Pass-a-Grille):  Latitude: 27.674787 | Longitude: -82.740226
• South Public Use Area (Bunces Pass): Latitude: 27.652666 | Longitude: -82.742372

Call for help – or DIY?

Life or Death Emergency

• VHF Radio Channel 16 – If you have an absolute life or death situation, call out to the Coast Guard using the words “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is the vessel  [your boat’s name]  (or your name) — Then briefly describe your emergency  (fire/heart attack/sinking/man overboard etc…)  – followed by “Over“.    (never use ‘mayday’ unless you are in a dire situation.  You may receive fines or be prosecuted for misuse of this system)
• Call 911 – You can also contact the Coast Guard using the 911 emergency number.  All the normal rules apply for the use of 911. Make sure to ask for a Coast Guard air lift if your are in immediate and dire medical need. Have your GPS coordinates ready.

Non-Emergency

• Always make sure you have a well stocked first aid kit before you leave on your boat.
• Call the non emergency number for Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office: 727-582-6200

Find a hospital near Shell Key: 

• If you are able to drive your boat to get help, Palms of Pasadena Hospital is the best equipped and closest facility to Shell Key.  Kindred Bay Hospital may be a better choice if you are in Tampa Bay and need immediate help.

My motto?  Hope for the best but plan for the worst.  If you’re like me, you’ll have more fun knowing that you’re ready for what nature can throw at you.

Turtles and light pollution

Hatchling sea turtles are instinctively drawn toward the reflected moonlight and starlight that glitters on the nighttime ocean.  Artificial lights  can cause these turtles to become disoriented and crawl toward land instead.  Biologists have determined that the largest threat to nesting turtles comes from direct, artificial  “daylight” type bulbs.  As a result, many coastal communities now require hotels and beach resorts to use  “turtle friendly” amber lighting.  Some contributors to this blog have pointed out that campfires also give off an amber/red light. Nevertheless, keeping any forms of artificial light to a minimum during nesting season is certainly the right thing to do for our testudinal friends.  Friends of Shell Key encourages you to spread the word about the summer ban so that there can be no confusion about the rules …

Beware the slippery slope

Those of us who were present during the early years of the Shell Key management plan know all too well that a seasonal ban can, for no good reason, turn in to a year-round ban. Once upon a time, you could include your family dog in your camping and recreational activities in the public use areas of the island.  In 2000, a summertime ban was enacted to protect nesting seabirds from dogs. The seasonal ban was painful to dog owners and their pets – but it made sense – and it was an acceptable compromise that allowed our canine companions to enjoy the island during other times of year. Before long, however, the county decided that the poorly enforced, seasonal ban was too “confusing” and determined that a more draconian year-round ban was necessary. Why did this happen? 2 words:

Poor Communication …

At the time of the proposed year-round ban, we made the argument that the public was not being well informed about the seasonal pet ban. The “rules” signs on the island were, quite frankly, abominable. They violated every tenet of good advertising and clear communication. These signs were designed to repel – not attract – attention.  Rather than take action to improve communication with island visitors, officials took an easy way out and simply banned pets all year round. This cynical action neither educated the public nor reduced the number of dogs on the island during nesting season. It merely created an occasional source of revenue for the county from the citations randomly issued to pet owners.  Enforcement of the rules on Shell Key is expensive – and is limited to the occasional marine law enforcement presence – usually on the busiest holidays of the year.  And this really gets to the core of my concern…

Education works better than the threat of punishment

Let there be no ambiguity:  We support sensible efforts to protect nesting turtles and shorebirds.  And we believe that public outreach is the best tool at our disposal to protect these resources.  Good communication, public awareness and volunteer efforts will do FAR more for the cause of preservation than will excessive and draconian rules with sporadic enforcement.  Lets implore our county officials to think of creative ways to communicate the plight of nesting sea turtles and to help give visitors to Shell Key a sense of inclusion in the preservation of this resource.  This is our mission at shellkey.org and we are here to help.  If you have any comments about the seasonal campfire ban, please feel free to join the discussion below …

‘Sandspurs’ or ‘sandburs’ are a type of grass that produces many thorny and painful burs. On Shell Key, they are concentrated along the edge of the recently removed pine forest in the southern public use area. From a distance, it is hard to distinguish them from other native vegetation.

Ouch!

If you are exploring in this area, wear shoes and tread carefully. You may find yourself in a virtual minefield at any time. The burs stick easily into skin and are quite painful. To remove them, use a piece of cloth or leaf to gently grasp the bur and pull it off.   Look for a small spike that may be left behind after removal. You might need tweezers to get it. These can be very painful and get quite sore if not removed.

Population Explosion
Longtime visitors to shell key will recall a time with far fewer sandspurs.  The current population boom is most likely due to the 10 year eradication effort to remove the  ‘exotic’ Australian pine forest in the South Public Use area.  For decades, these trees dropped nutrient rich leaves and twigs onto the soil.  When they were cut, the richer soil was exposed to sunlight and the sandspurs had a field day (pun intended).  Sandspurs are one of those ‘pioneer’ species that will move in to an immature,  bare or newly disturbed environment – to restart the eventual progression to a forested area.  Once the trees that were planted to replace the pines have matured in a few decades, the sandspurs will eventually die back in numbers … out-competed by a balanced and mature ecosystem.

Sandspurs are summer annuals. They create their “fruit” (burs) over the summer. In fact, sandspurs are an edible grain that can be processed into porridge and flour.

Those that are not carried away by a passing flip-flop will fall to the ground and produce next year’s crop.  Like most annuals, sandspurs appear quickly in the spring.  They are already nasty by this time, but you can usually remove them without leaving splinters.  By late summer and autumn, the sandspurs become more brittle and are more likely to leave splinters. They are dry, sharp and ready to come off the stalk at the slightest bristle.

By winter, the majority of the burs will have lost most of their sharp points and the sandspurs will be a little less bothersome.

Eradication of sandspurs is reasonably straight forward in a controlled, home lawn situation. If they are mowed down, they will not be able to make next year’s crop.  Although I have seen them adapt by growing sideways and making burs close to the ground.  Otherwise, they can be dealt with in the spring – after the new plants have sprouted and before they make fruit (burs).  At that time of year, they should be pulled from the ground by hand – being careful not to leave behind burs for next year.

This approach, however, would not work in a wild area like Shell Key.  By removing sandspurs in this environment, we are really just resetting the clock to a less mature ecosystem.  Remember that these grasses thrive in bare sand.  Trying to eradicate sandspurs in a wild environment would be an exercise in futility.

The long-term control of sandspurs on Shell Key will rely on nurturing a mature ecosystem where a diverse and established community of plants and animals keep the sandspurs in check.

Before you go:

The north and south ends of the island are divided by several navigational barriers and shallow areas. Consider your boating route carefully, based on which side of the island you plan to visit. Examine the other navigational maps on this page to avoid shallow areas where you can run aground. Check the tide predictions for the date and time you intend to visit. Low tides can make some areas more difficult to access and can expose other navigational hazards. See the diagrams below for details. Getting to the North Public Use Area:

The north public use area of Shell Key is most easily accessed from the Pass-A-Grill channel just north of the island or from the Gulf.    There is also a narrow channel allowing passage to the inside of the north end. (As of 2015, the north pass is completely closed)If you are in a motorized boat, be careful when you are on the inside (east) of the island.  Most of this area is restricted to motor boats.

Getting From the North end to the South End:

Warning!! There are many ways to run aground while traveling from the north public use area to the south public use area. Essentially, you have 2 choices. Either travel out of Pass-a-grille Pass into the gulf and return into Bunces Pass on the South – or you can come from the Skyway Bridge Channel in Tampa Bay. Never try to travel south on the east side of Tierra Verde – these waters are not passable! Notice that both Pass-a-grille and Bunces Pass have sand bars flanking them along their channels. The bars extend extend well out into the gulf and are a major navigation hazard. when navigating in our out of the pass. See the green lines below for the best route. Always use a depth finder.

From Fort Desoto Boat Docks – or the Skyway Bridge Channel:

If you are coming from the Skyway in Tampa Bay, you will travel west until you pass under the Bridge that leads to Ft. Desoto beach – and then go right by the boat docks on your way toward Shell Key (see image above).This easiest way to get to the south end is to put in at Ft. Desoto – where you will find the best maintained boat ramps in the county. Then follow the channel markers west toward the mouth of Bunces Pass. Be aware that the green markers on the north side of bunces pass channel are very close to shallow waters.

Boating Guidelines

• Motor boats are restricted to idle speed in permitted areas only.
• Be observant of other vessels and always give way to large vessels which have limited maneuverability.
• All the rules of the County preserve apply to boaters within the preserve’s aquatic boundaries.  So you are not technically allowed to have alcohol or pets in your boat while you are within the preserve boundaries.

Anchoring at Shell Key

• Always be aware of the current tides when choosing an anchoring location. If you arrive at high tide, you may find your boat “high and dry” when you want to leave at low tide. Many boaters have been stranded overnight because they did not watch the tides.
• Do not anchor in channels or a fairway.
• Keep a safe distance from other boats that are already anchored. Allow for a margin of error that takes into account changing wind and tides.
• Double Anchoring: Larger boats should use a bow and a stern anchor to keep their boat in place near the beach. Here is a video showing one method for double anchoring. We recommend pointing the bow of the boat away from the island when double anchoring – to keep the waves from coming over the back of the boat.

Browse the area with google maps…

View Larger Map

Pinellas County’s website for Shell Key has been incorporated into the new Parks and Conservation Resources department’s website.  The camping permit page has also been updated.

Be aware that you need a camping permit to stay overnight on the Island.  And,  special rules apply to campers.

We like to go for over-nighters right after a good rain.  The days are mild with the sun traveling lower in the south – and night time temperatures are usually in the 60’s.  Yet, the water is still comfortable enough to swim.

At this time of year, the water is clear and the island is sprinkled with the colors of Autumn foliage.  However, the island sandspurs are particularly nasty because their dried burs tend to leave splinters in your skin.  If you camp on Shell Key, don’t forget your required (but free) camping permit and please help us by cleaning a little extra before you leave.

Water at Shell Key

One of the things I love about springtime on Shell Key is that gulf waters are still clear of the plankton blooms that will occur during summer.  Its a great time to explore the sea bottom with mask and snorkel – or just wading along the seashore.

While some of the newly planted trees have begun to grow new leaf canopies, the grasses, sea oats and the hated sandspurs have not fully awakened from their brief winter slumber.

This is also a time that boaters begin to visit the preserve in larger numbers.  If you would like to participate in one of our scheduled island maintenance missions, please check out our volunteer page.

In pursuit of this goal, we conduct regular volunteer island cleanups – and work proactively to promote environmental awareness about the plant and animal life in Shell Key Preserve. Our Island Guardian program sponsors dedicated volunteers who patrol the island on a monthly basis. This website and our proposed signage improvement project will help better communicate the need to tread lightly on this irreplaceable resource.

Environmental advocates face enormous odds in preserving our remaining undeveloped natural resources. They are fighting an uphill battle to preserve biodiversity on our planet and we are grateful for their herculean efforts. We believe that areas like Shell Key Preserve, that exist amid our thickest urban sprawls, are  an important tool for outreach and education.  By giving the public a sense of ownership and investment in this local resource we can build support for the larger goals of fostering biodiversity on our planet.

Our volunteers know that with privilege comes responsibility.   By taking responsibility for ourselves – and also for those few bad apples who might ruin it for the rest of us – we are working for a future where our grandchildren will still be able to enjoy the profound experience of spending the night under the stars in our own tropical paradise.

Camping permits remain available free of charge from the county.  Check back here for updates.