Hello! This is one of my favorite place to bring friends whom i am introducing to open water kayaking/island camping and to show them how amazing this area is with wild life over all. I have been camping on the island as well as the sand bars – my question would be – are you allowed to walk the beach along the water around the bird preservation area(west end)? Say to “hike” to the north end(public area) from the south end(public area).
As I understand it, you can walk from the south to the north end as long as you are in the water the entire time that you are adjacent to the Bird Protection Area . I think it’s discouraged to do so – but I *believe* it’s technically legal as long as you are at least shin-deep in the water the whole time. Years ago, people used to skirt the no-alcohol rule by drinking their beers while ankle deep in the water – making it technically legal by the public use areas. However, the rule was changed, and law enforcement began citing people for drinking anywhere in the preserve waters. I do not think that this new rule relates to merely hiking along the waters of the BPA, but that’s the only official reference that I can point to.
Im going this weekend with my boat, it would be the first time going. We are going mainly because we want to snorkel. Which is the best part for snorkel? Also is this place better for snorkel compared to Egmont?
Thanks
Snorkeling at Shell Key is a lot like snorkeling at the beach. Lots of sandy bottom with an occasional sea critter passing by. The water at Egmont Key will likely be more clear with better visibility than Shell Key because it’s further away from the mainland. And Egmont Key has old Spanish ruins in the water which acts as artificial reefs. If you go to Shell Key, I would suggest either the south end (bunces Pass) – or the west side along the gulf.
If Hubbards Ferry takes you to the south shore on Bunces Pass, it’s a short walk to the west side of the island. Just follow the shore to the west, then around the corner to walk north along the west shore.
Which is the best route of entry for a boat that cannot enter less than 10 feet of water? Perhaps I have not read far enough for the answer but this is my father-in-law’s first time taking his boat out and this is the only place I want to visit in FL and he is weary of entry. We will be driving 3 hours to go tomorrow.
With a 10ft draft, the only place that I would approach the island is from Bunces Pass. The south shore of the island has the deepest water close to shore. You can come in from the Gulf in the west – or the Skyway side in the east. I would think that coming through the channels from the east would be the safest as they are well marked channels. And there are some shallow hazards on the west/Gulf entrance. Any other side of the island will be much more shallow than the south end at Bunces Pass. With a new boat that big, your father-in-law is right to be careful. Keep an eye on the charts and the tides and your depth finder. Take nothing for granted.
Hi Jack,
Thanks for all of your answers on here its very helpful! I’ll be visiting for 1 over night camping trip in a few weeks and will anchor the boat on the south side in the public use area of bunces pass as indicated in the instructions for camping. We’re bringing our own paddle boards and my question is where is the area that the tours take the clear bottom kayaks through and is there any other best spots to paddle board in along with how far you think the walk is to get there as i’ll be carrying the paddle boards. If its a long way i’ll know to purchase a wheeled cart for help. Also well be coming from sarasota and was wondering how far shell key is from the skyway bride. Thanks!
I’ve never gone on the clear bottom kayak tours take through the preserve, but they are almost certainly on the east side of the island – in the preserve waters between Shell Key and the Pinellas Bayway. This is a calm estuary with small mangrove islands and virtually no boat traffic. If you look at the map of the aquatic areas of Shell Key Preserve, you will see a “No internal Combustion Engines” area in the middle – with Summer Resort Key and several other small mangrove islands. I would think that this area would be better for paddle boarding compared to the busier and wavier areas to the north, south and west of the island. The mangrove islands themselves are rather swampy and don’t offer much actual land to stand on. The large area to the east of the no engine zone (Seagrass caution area) is also quite shallow and will have minimal boat traffic as well. Regarding the trek from your campsite on the south end to a paddle board launch point, you could conceivable carry them to the north shore of the south public use area – which is only about 400 to 800 feet from bunces pass depending on where you are camping (watch out for sandspurs). You could also paddle east along the bunces pass shoreline and go around the southeast tip of the island to get to the inside of the island (there is some limited boat traffic around that bend).
Can I camp on Gods Island? And if so do you know if the Shell Point Marina has overnight parking?
Can I camp on Sister Key and how far (miles) is the south public area from the Fort De Soto boat ramp?
God’s Island and Sister Key are not part of the camping area in Shell Key preserve. Since they fall within the aquatic preserve boundaries, it is not legal to camp on them. These islands consist mostly of mangrove swamps and are not the best place to find a camping spot anyway. The only camping allowed in the Shell Key Preserve is within the South Public Use Area of the main island (Shell Key). The south public use area is about a mile and a half from the Ft. Desoto Boat ramps. I don’t have any info about overnight parking at Shell Point Marina in Ruskin.
As I understand it, the restricted public use area in the northwest corner of the island allows you to walk along the shoreline, collect shells, etc. However, you must not go into the bird preservation areas higher up on the beach.
Winter is a great time for finding shells as they are usually more plentiful this time of year. On Shell Key, the best shelling is on the west (gulf) side of the island – since that shore is directly exposed to the gulf. The north and south ends of the island are ok for shelling but they have more people traffic and the shells are more likely to be broken. The east side of the island is least likely to have good shells since it is a shallow estuary which does not have a lot of circulation with the gulf.
Hi Jesse,
Swimming far out in the local passes or in the gulf can be hazardous due to boat traffic. If you are looking to swim a longer distance I might recommend staying within the “no combustion engine” areas within the preserve waters. (see map for boundaries)
Hi! If we rented the kayaks at Fort DeSoto about how long do you think it would take to get to Shell Key? Just wondering if the kids would be able to handle it. (We have our own kayaks and frequently float 7 plus miles of river but a large body of water without being able to follow the flow may be a different story for them:)) Thanks
Hi Amy,
It’s a relatively short distance across the channel. Depending on your speed, it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to cross the channel. At a good pace, it can be done in under 10 minutes.
Hope this helps!
So the green public areas are the areas reserved for camping? And after purchasing permit is it fair game any where you wanna set up or is there a assigned area?
Lived in this town most of my life and after watching what has been done to Egmont, Ft Desoto and shell key I’m just glad the almighty (gov’t) has deemed us worthy to use a sliver of the island still to recreate. Please let me know when you finally designate the island off limits to all except birds and government environmentalists (and their cronies). I say let’s create even more county enviro jobs with full benefits by deeming the downtown shorelines off limits so you can monitor the numerous sea bird activities I see going on down there! There’s no Australian pines downtown that you can cut down like you do everywhere else, but theres an arboretum full of exotic non native vegetation that surely should be chemically treated and removed?
Hello, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your blog in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that,
fantastic blog!
Hey Jack…..I have been camping on shell island for over twenty years and know the waters good. The sandbar outside of bunces pass keeps growing and is not included in the maps of the area. Is this considered part of the park? I will be camping on this sandbar and am not sure if it is subject to park rules. Also, is sister key off limits to camping?
Sister Key is definitely off limits for camping – but the sandbar west of the preserve boundary outside Bunces Pass is fair game as far as I know. Since it is not within the preserve boundaries, it should not be subject to the rules in the Shell Key Management Plan. I have seen plenty of folks on that sandbar with dogs and booze. Of course, I can’t guarantee that Law enforcement will leave you alone. I would carry a printout of the preserve boundary map with me just in case. That sandbar is technically owned by the State of Florida – and not Pinellas County. So you would only be subject to the laws which govern unincorporated land in our state. I’m sure I don’t need to mention that a “leave-no-trace” ethic is always appreciated in any natural area.
Water clarity in our area varies greatly, but in general, they are not as clear as some other areas like the Florida keys. Even on a good day, your visibility near shore is not usually better than about 10 feet. As you head out into the gulf, the water clarity improves. I have seen a variety of conditions while scuba diving many miles out in the gulf – ranging from over 30 feet to almost no visibility at all. Sand, in particular, is not a cause of poor visibility because it sinks to the bottom quickly. The major cause of murky water in this area would be algae and plankton. As a result, the water clarity is usually best in the winter time when algae growth is at a minimum.
We are planning a cleanup later this summer and appreciate any and all help. We will post the event here and on our facebook page. You could also contact Tampa Baywatch to see if they have any events planned. As always, you are encouraged to pick up any trash from the island and post your efforts on social media to share 🙂
Thanks for a great website. Can we get to the bird preservation area/idle wake speed ? From the map it isn’t very clear since the north area is restricted so trying to understand how we get on the inner side from north / pass a grille ? Thanks again
You are not allowed to access the bird preservation area at all. The best way to get to the inside of the island is from the south end by boat – or from the east by kayak.
Coming down the Intercoastal water way from the north what is the best way to get to north beach without running a ground this will be our first trip to shell key
You will be coming in through Pass-a-grille and there should be well marked channels all the way to the island. If you stay inside pass-a-grill, you can pretty much drive your boat right up to the island. If you go out of the pass into the gulf, there are sandbars to avoid. Here is a navigation page with maps and images to help. If you need any help navigating the intercoastal waterways to the north, please let me know. Have fun!
Hello! This is one of my favorite place to bring friends whom i am introducing to open water kayaking/island camping and to show them how amazing this area is with wild life over all. I have been camping on the island as well as the sand bars – my question would be – are you allowed to walk the beach along the water around the bird preservation area(west end)? Say to “hike” to the north end(public area) from the south end(public area).
Hi Susanne,
As I understand it, you can walk from the south to the north end as long as you are in the water the entire time that you are adjacent to the Bird Protection Area . I think it’s discouraged to do so – but I *believe* it’s technically legal as long as you are at least shin-deep in the water the whole time. Years ago, people used to skirt the no-alcohol rule by drinking their beers while ankle deep in the water – making it technically legal by the public use areas. However, the rule was changed, and law enforcement began citing people for drinking anywhere in the preserve waters. I do not think that this new rule relates to merely hiking along the waters of the BPA, but that’s the only official reference that I can point to.
Hope this helps!
Thank you very much for a fast reply! planning a random camping trip for new years 48 hours before, ha! happy holidays !
Im going this weekend with my boat, it would be the first time going. We are going mainly because we want to snorkel. Which is the best part for snorkel? Also is this place better for snorkel compared to Egmont?
Thanks
Hi Charlie,
Snorkeling at Shell Key is a lot like snorkeling at the beach. Lots of sandy bottom with an occasional sea critter passing by. The water at Egmont Key will likely be more clear with better visibility than Shell Key because it’s further away from the mainland. And Egmont Key has old Spanish ruins in the water which acts as artificial reefs. If you go to Shell Key, I would suggest either the south end (bunces Pass) – or the west side along the gulf.
Hope this helps!
Hello! We will be coming in on Hubbards Ferry. What is the quickest way to the west side to shell away from the largest traffic areas? Thanks!
Hi Emily,
If Hubbards Ferry takes you to the south shore on Bunces Pass, it’s a short walk to the west side of the island. Just follow the shore to the west, then around the corner to walk north along the west shore.
Hope this helps!
Which is the best route of entry for a boat that cannot enter less than 10 feet of water? Perhaps I have not read far enough for the answer but this is my father-in-law’s first time taking his boat out and this is the only place I want to visit in FL and he is weary of entry. We will be driving 3 hours to go tomorrow.
Hi Briana,
With a 10ft draft, the only place that I would approach the island is from Bunces Pass. The south shore of the island has the deepest water close to shore. You can come in from the Gulf in the west – or the Skyway side in the east. I would think that coming through the channels from the east would be the safest as they are well marked channels. And there are some shallow hazards on the west/Gulf entrance. Any other side of the island will be much more shallow than the south end at Bunces Pass. With a new boat that big, your father-in-law is right to be careful. Keep an eye on the charts and the tides and your depth finder. Take nothing for granted.
Hope this helps!
Hi Jack,
Thanks for all of your answers on here its very helpful! I’ll be visiting for 1 over night camping trip in a few weeks and will anchor the boat on the south side in the public use area of bunces pass as indicated in the instructions for camping. We’re bringing our own paddle boards and my question is where is the area that the tours take the clear bottom kayaks through and is there any other best spots to paddle board in along with how far you think the walk is to get there as i’ll be carrying the paddle boards. If its a long way i’ll know to purchase a wheeled cart for help. Also well be coming from sarasota and was wondering how far shell key is from the skyway bride. Thanks!
Hi Keith,
I’ve never gone on the clear bottom kayak tours take through the preserve, but they are almost certainly on the east side of the island – in the preserve waters between Shell Key and the Pinellas Bayway. This is a calm estuary with small mangrove islands and virtually no boat traffic. If you look at the map of the aquatic areas of Shell Key Preserve, you will see a “No internal Combustion Engines” area in the middle – with Summer Resort Key and several other small mangrove islands. I would think that this area would be better for paddle boarding compared to the busier and wavier areas to the north, south and west of the island. The mangrove islands themselves are rather swampy and don’t offer much actual land to stand on. The large area to the east of the no engine zone (Seagrass caution area) is also quite shallow and will have minimal boat traffic as well. Regarding the trek from your campsite on the south end to a paddle board launch point, you could conceivable carry them to the north shore of the south public use area – which is only about 400 to 800 feet from bunces pass depending on where you are camping (watch out for sandspurs). You could also paddle east along the bunces pass shoreline and go around the southeast tip of the island to get to the inside of the island (there is some limited boat traffic around that bend).
Hope this helps!
Can I camp on Gods Island? And if so do you know if the Shell Point Marina has overnight parking?
Can I camp on Sister Key and how far (miles) is the south public area from the Fort De Soto boat ramp?
Hi Colson,
God’s Island and Sister Key are not part of the camping area in Shell Key preserve. Since they fall within the aquatic preserve boundaries, it is not legal to camp on them. These islands consist mostly of mangrove swamps and are not the best place to find a camping spot anyway. The only camping allowed in the Shell Key Preserve is within the South Public Use Area of the main island (Shell Key). The south public use area is about a mile and a half from the Ft. Desoto Boat ramps. I don’t have any info about overnight parking at Shell Point Marina in Ruskin.
Hope this helps!
Can you please better explain the restricted public use area in the top left thanks
Hi Paulie,
As I understand it, the restricted public use area in the northwest corner of the island allows you to walk along the shoreline, collect shells, etc. However, you must not go into the bird preservation areas higher up on the beach.
Hope this helps!
We will be in the area from Christmas to New Year’s. My main interest is shelling. What is the best area? Thank you!
Hi Justina,
Winter is a great time for finding shells as they are usually more plentiful this time of year. On Shell Key, the best shelling is on the west (gulf) side of the island – since that shore is directly exposed to the gulf. The north and south ends of the island are ok for shelling but they have more people traffic and the shells are more likely to be broken. The east side of the island is least likely to have good shells since it is a shallow estuary which does not have a lot of circulation with the gulf.
Hope this helps!
What, if any, are the options for open water swimming in and around shell key?
Hi Jesse,
Swimming far out in the local passes or in the gulf can be hazardous due to boat traffic. If you are looking to swim a longer distance I might recommend staying within the “no combustion engine” areas within the preserve waters. (see map for boundaries)
Hi, I would like to go and do kayak. Are there locations that rent kayaks? I’m planning to go on August. Thanks
Hi Doris,
There are kayak rentals at Ft. Desoto park – and also on Pass-a-Grille beach. Here is a link to some local map results …
Have fun!
Hi! If we rented the kayaks at Fort DeSoto about how long do you think it would take to get to Shell Key? Just wondering if the kids would be able to handle it. (We have our own kayaks and frequently float 7 plus miles of river but a large body of water without being able to follow the flow may be a different story for them:)) Thanks
Hi Amy,
It’s a relatively short distance across the channel. Depending on your speed, it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to cross the channel. At a good pace, it can be done in under 10 minutes.
Hope this helps!
So the green public areas are the areas reserved for camping? And after purchasing permit is it fair game any where you wanna set up or is there a assigned area?
Hi Trevor,
Camping is only allowed in the SOUTH public use area. There are no assigned campsites on the island so any spot on the south end is indeed fair game.
Hope this helps!
Lived in this town most of my life and after watching what has been done to Egmont, Ft Desoto and shell key I’m just glad the almighty (gov’t) has deemed us worthy to use a sliver of the island still to recreate. Please let me know when you finally designate the island off limits to all except birds and government environmentalists (and their cronies). I say let’s create even more county enviro jobs with full benefits by deeming the downtown shorelines off limits so you can monitor the numerous sea bird activities I see going on down there! There’s no Australian pines downtown that you can cut down like you do everywhere else, but theres an arboretum full of exotic non native vegetation that surely should be chemically treated and removed?
Hello, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your blog in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that,
fantastic blog!
Hi! Thanks for the heads-up about the browser issue. It seems OK on my version of IE, but I will keep an eye on it. Thanks again and have a great day!
Hey Jack…..I have been camping on shell island for over twenty years and know the waters good. The sandbar outside of bunces pass keeps growing and is not included in the maps of the area. Is this considered part of the park? I will be camping on this sandbar and am not sure if it is subject to park rules. Also, is sister key off limits to camping?
Thanks,
Hi Brian,
Sister Key is definitely off limits for camping – but the sandbar west of the preserve boundary outside Bunces Pass is fair game as far as I know. Since it is not within the preserve boundaries, it should not be subject to the rules in the Shell Key Management Plan. I have seen plenty of folks on that sandbar with dogs and booze. Of course, I can’t guarantee that Law enforcement will leave you alone. I would carry a printout of the preserve boundary map with me just in case. That sandbar is technically owned by the State of Florida – and not Pinellas County. So you would only be subject to the laws which govern unincorporated land in our state. I’m sure I don’t need to mention that a “leave-no-trace” ethic is always appreciated in any natural area.
Hope this helps.
Hi! How clear is the water there? Is there much sand?
Hi Tracy,
Water clarity in our area varies greatly, but in general, they are not as clear as some other areas like the Florida keys. Even on a good day, your visibility near shore is not usually better than about 10 feet. As you head out into the gulf, the water clarity improves. I have seen a variety of conditions while scuba diving many miles out in the gulf – ranging from over 30 feet to almost no visibility at all. Sand, in particular, is not a cause of poor visibility because it sinks to the bottom quickly. The major cause of murky water in this area would be algae and plankton. As a result, the water clarity is usually best in the winter time when algae growth is at a minimum.
Hope this helps!
Are there any volunteer opportunities available on the island?
Hi Lauren,
We are planning a cleanup later this summer and appreciate any and all help. We will post the event here and on our facebook page. You could also contact Tampa Baywatch to see if they have any events planned. As always, you are encouraged to pick up any trash from the island and post your efforts on social media to share 🙂
if you Kayak to shell key and want to walk around or snorkel, Can the kayaks be secured somewhere?
I suppose you could try to lock your kayak on to some mangroves, but I have never heard of anyone swiping a boat on Shell Key 🙂
Thanks for a great website. Can we get to the bird preservation area/idle wake speed ? From the map it isn’t very clear since the north area is restricted so trying to understand how we get on the inner side from north / pass a grille ? Thanks again
Hi Ashish,
You are not allowed to access the bird preservation area at all. The best way to get to the inside of the island is from the south end by boat – or from the east by kayak.
Coming down the Intercoastal water way from the north what is the best way to get to north beach without running a ground this will be our first trip to shell key
Hi Pat,
You will be coming in through Pass-a-grille and there should be well marked channels all the way to the island. If you stay inside pass-a-grill, you can pretty much drive your boat right up to the island. If you go out of the pass into the gulf, there are sandbars to avoid. Here is a navigation page with maps and images to help. If you need any help navigating the intercoastal waterways to the north, please let me know. Have fun!
Where is the snorkeling areas and charter trips that may be
Hi Mike,
Here is a reply to an earlier post about snorkeling locations …
http://shellkey.org/camping/comment-page-1/#comment-2245
You might try one of the shuttle services (Shell Key Shuttle, Island Ferry, etc) to see if they offer any guided snorkeling trips.