the beauty in our backyard

This past summer friends arrived from the rainy and windy Northeast to visit their first request was to white sandy beaches and of all things they wanted to go snorkeling.  Well, snorkeling we did and all the while we looked around we could have been on a boat anywhere in the Caribbean. We were looking for a place to relax, enjoy a day at the beach, collect shells, and snorkel amongst the fish and manatees.  


This was found in my backyard, Fort Desoto and Egmont Key.

The trip from Fort Desoto to Egmont Key aboard Hubbard Marines Ferry is a trip for young and old.  The beauty of the shoreline, the dolphins, and the many, many pelicans everywhere was so very relaxing. If you did not know better you will think you are on vacation in the Caribbean. Once the Ferry docked onshore at Egmont Key you are free to roam the island, walk along the white sandy beaches and splash in the crystal clear water or just relax and enjoy the breeze. Head inland and step back in time among the 19th century ruins of the dilapidated buildings from the Spanish-American War that have succumbed to years of abandonment and the fury of Mother Nature. Buildings that were once yards inland but now merely hang onto any portion of beach they can, some even serving as artificial reefs.

Egmont Key is Approximately 400 acres, 1.6 miles long, and less than 1/2 mile wide.

Sea grass beds on the east beach nurture marine life. The southern end of the island a bird sanctuary and the
site for twice-yearly Audubon migratory bird count.  Parts of the interior are designated as a wildlife refuge where you will find a prolific population of the gopher tortoise.  As you walk among the ruins remember, the island served as a camp for captured Seminoles at the end of the Third Seminole War and was later occupied by the Union Navy during the Civil War. In 1898, as the Spanish - American War threatened, Fort Dade was built on the island and remained active until 1923.

For more information, visit http://www.egmontkey.org/

Please remember to bring plenty of water and sunscreen on your visit to the historical island of Egmont Key truly a day for relaxing and enjoying the beauty in our backyard. 

http://www.hubbardsmarina.com/um/egmont.html

http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_DeSoto.htm

http://www.pinellascounty.org/virtual_tours/fort_desoto_gulf_pier.htm

http://www.floridastateparks.org/