A bright sunny day with not a cloud in the sky! What a perfect day to paddle out to this hidden gem beach, but before you get to the crown jewel, make sure you take time to wind your way through mangrove tunnels. Let's get out and get wild!
So for my journey to Shell Key, I paddled on by SUP out to the island. A drop-in point is located at the address of 2800 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL. There is no clear parking lot. You will need to drive over the sidewalk and park on the grass. Tours often set off from here, so you will see cars already there. No facilities are at the drop-in site, so if you need anything, there is a gas station and shopping plaza about 2 miles back.
When getting into the water, the swamp like sand will feel squishy between your toes. The marshy sand will also sink a slightly as you step. If this feeling might gross you out, I suggest wearing some water shoes. You will only need to walk out a few feet, but then you can jump on your board and start paddling.
For any paddlers, you will want to stay on the inlet side away from the Gulf, where the current and wind are calmer. I got on the water at about 10 a.m. the current was pushing me along the inlet towards the islands. The current here was pretty mild, in my opinion. I paddled up the coast and around Sawyer Key, then cut to Summer Resort Key, where the mangrove tunnels are. When I rounded the corner of Sawyer Key, I did experience stronger wind and had to cut across the current. I saw a tour of paddlers disappear into the island. I knew that is where a mangrove tunnel had to be.
Some of the openings to the mangrove tunnels are more covered than others. The first tunnel I entered was quite hidden, but you could see through the branches to see an opening. After you emerge from the first mangrove tunnel on Summer Resort Key, you can easily see the other mangrove tunnel openings.
After the jungle exploration, I began paddling toward the secluded island of Shell Key. The closer you get to the island, the water becomes clearer. You will start to see large shells beneath you, hence where the island gets its name.
You can clearly see the sandy beach on which paddlers and a few boats have parked. Now, if you don't want to paddle, there are boat ferry services that can take you to Shell Key. For those wanting to take the ferry to visit the island there is the Shell Key Shuttle and Island Ferry Tours. If you want to take advantage of a kayak tour, there are several companies that offer that tour.
A thouroughfare of water splits the island into two beaches and leads out to the Gulf. I don't suggest paddling this because of the churning waters of the ocean.
It was such a treat to enjoy this beach with only a few people on it. The water is lovely! It is calmer on the inlet side, but if you want some waves and action, check out the Gulf side. A multitude of trees are decorated with shells. Since shells get washed up on the shore, you can do a bit of shell hunting. Most get broken by the strong waves and undertow and become part of the sand. So between the broken shells and the sandburs, you will want to step mindfully or wear shoes.
In true Floridian fashion, I sat in the water enjoying my pub sub and the serenity of it all. After my lunch, I swam to check out the single tree standing tall in the water on the inlet side. It was a light swim out to the tree, propped up on a sand shelf. From here you can get a nice panoramic of the island.
Then I swam back to enjoy some more beach time and see all the beautifully decorated trees!
While walking on the beach, I spotted two dolphins! It was the closest I have ever seen dolphins to a beach. You could easily see them because the water is so clear. I watched them for a while but eventually, they made their way further away towards the other side of the island. So I decided to hop on my paddle board and start heading back. But then the dolphins came back around! They swam right next to my paddle board several times! It was such an amazing gift from mother nature!
Recovering from my dolphin encounter, I began to make my way back to the drop-in point. As I am paddling, a cormorant lands right next to me and starts swimming along. For those who don't know, the Florida cormorant can fly and swim underwater to catch fish food. While I am paddling, the bird starts swimming underneath my board, popping back up, and looking at me. This began a 20-minute game of peek-a-boo. If I didn't say peek-a-boo or acknowledge Mr. Cormorant, he would squawk at me. Soon two more joined me and started doing the same thing! Swimming underneath my board and popping back up like synchronized swimmers. This lasted all the way until I began to round the last island. Two amazing nature encounters in one day!
I began heading back between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The current I had experienced in the morning, when I paddled up the inlet coast, was almost nonexistent. It was easy to find the drop in points again. I could see better from the water that there are three clear drop-in points from that makeshift parking lot. Getting in and out takes some mindful stepping because it is quite a marshy feeling between the toes.
I couldn't have asked for a more perfect or magical day! Visiting Shell Key has been on my list for about a year, and it surpassed all my expectations.
