Shell Island

What's not to like about SI? Is there another spot that is over crowded that I've been luck enough to miss? We go to the spot that the guy at the rental booth tells us and there's never anyone else there....


Can you tell me a little more about Indian Pass? We drove out to Appalachicola a few years ago and ate dinner at a little place on the water that had tons off flying biting bugs. I ended up having to leave and sit in the car while my husband and the kids ate, I got bit so bad. We didn't really find too much to do there. Did we miss something, maybe?

Could it have been Dog Flies?!!!

I have no idea what kind of bug. They were small like gnats.

In a previous thread we had a heated discussion concerning the existance of nuisance flies, and how the state had gotten rid of the Dog Fly Spraying Program and plane. There are those who do not believe we need to spray. We have been in a drought condition for a couple of years so it hasn't been as bad. Don't know what folks will do when it rains as normal again.

This spot here is actually a lot thinner than the picture shows, it's a little bit further down the island, but it is secluded and quiet. It's also one of the thinnest spots. You can spot it by looking for the only two houses on the "island".

>>Clicky<<

Little fact, it's not an island anymore there was a small pass on the Eastern end and they have let it close back up. The tides were washing the bay water out and it would get really nasty looking on the Gulf side.

P.S. It's not really a locals secret if you have google maps.

bump

This year we're thinking of taking this ferry over from the park. http://www.shellislandshuttle.com/
We love renting the pontoon boat, but we're doing the vacation on a shoestring, and trying to really cut costs. Does this let you off at a quiet spot? I've never noticed anyone else, or a shuttle boat for that matter.

Does "bumb" mean bring a question back to the podium?

We rented a pontoon boat at Scotty's having taken the dolphin cruise and the pirate cruise couple of years back, and this time we took out leisure, got where we wanted to go, had no probs, found shells, some interesting wildlife, ate a nice packed lunch and we had a ball. We would definitely do it again. Have a go.

I meant "bump" above, but can't seem to edit it now.

Does "bump" mean bring a question back to the podium?

Bumping is just moving it back to the top of the forum for more discussion or just to be noticed.

what about all the little small docks that are on the island. some of the have boardwalks going over the dunes.

are those ok to use?

Shell Island does have private property on it, you can always try, but just be aware that they are in fact private.

I didn't realize that. I saw one small house(shack) on it near the link you referenced above. Is that the private property? or are you referring to the other docks?

thanks.

Half of the island is private property. Due to the lack of utilities and environmental restrictions no one has been able to build, and most likely it won't happen. At any rate the docks are on private property, but I've never heard of it being enforced as such.

Thanks... never knew that part of the island was private property.

Most people don't, but you can still use it and enjoy the day.

When you rent a pontoon boat be sure and ask if you can take it into the Gulf. Most companies do not allow this. You can park the on the bay side and walk over to the gulf. Have funn, it is a beautiful spot.

We did the Shell Island tour last August. It was hotter than all hell-I'm from Texas and used to the heat but it was just killer reflecting off the sand and hiking up and down the island looking for shells. The waves were so rough that we could barely get in and out of the water and the island wasn't appropriately named in our experience!

We took the first tour boat over from the state park and walked way down the beach so it was like having the beach to yourself but it was so blazing hot and such a hike that we really didn't enjoy it much. Maybe in March it would be a better plan.

Also on the way back, walking across the island back to the bay side were you meet the boat as I was sweating and wanting to faint from the heat and from the weight of my belongings I managed to somehow kick a buried piece of wood decking and broke my right pinky toe. I must apologize to any families with young kids that were within a 5 mile radius because they heard words that weren't fit for their ears but that sent me over the edge of reason and pain.

Looking back now maybe ours was just a trip from hell and yours will be great but think it over before you take the trip!!

So what does one do for "bathroom" use on the island?


I mean a few folks peeing or crapping in the dunes is not a terrible thing... but lots of people visit this island.

having several thousand people "crapping in the dunes" can't be good. That and I've seen in other places where people don't "bury their stuff" very well either.....

So what does one do for "bathroom" use on the island?


I mean a few folks peeing or crapping in the dunes is not a terrible thing... but lots of people visit this island.

having several thousand people "crapping in the dunes" can't be good. That and I've seen in other places where people don't "bury their stuff" very well either.....

Peeing isn't really a big issue, but the #2 on the list (yes I intended that pun) is a little different. First off if you do please bury it deep, don't just kick some sand over it. Also you can't just take any old TP try http://www.basegear.com/toiletpaper.html. Of course most people don't spend the entire day and you should be able to hold it.

So from what I've now gathered, it is a doable walk from the shuttle to a remote spot on the beach, where that shack-type house thingy is, just watch out for poop and wood chunks.

The pontoon boat was a lot of fun the first few times, but I realize now that it is some very expensive fun for the amt. of time we really spend on the water/pontoon. We only used the pontoon to get to Shell Island, spend all our time on the island looking for shells and eating lunch, then only use the pontoon to get back again. Depending on if you take 1/2 or a whole day, that's a $200 -$280 expense. Maybe we should have used the pontoon more and just didn't know where else to go or what to do with it, but after a day on the beach we are usually too anxious to get back and relax after all that sun on the beach.

Man, who poops on a beach? I have never ever even thought about doing that. :shock:

We are counting down the days until we are there! Can't wait. We stay in Gulf Trace and the beach there looks like Shell Island. What is the fascination with it? We are looking for things to do while visiting the area. Renting a pontoon sounds like fun. We plan to go to the pier in Destin one evening, because our kids have never seen one. Do people fish from it at night?

We are counting down the days until we are there! Can't wait. We stay in Gulf Trace and the beach there looks like Shell Island. What is the fascination with it? We are looking for things to do while visiting the area. Renting a pontoon sounds like fun. We plan to go to the pier in Destin one evening, because our kids have never seen one. Do people fish from it at night?

uhmmm.... There is no pier in Destin.

Not sure if any of the Panama city piers are open or not. I think all were destroyed or being rebuilt. maybe the one in St Andrews is still there...

there's one over in Ft Walton and you can fish from it. It's open at night.. you can rent fishing gear from it if you need to.

We were told the pier was on the bay side, Okaloosa Island I think. I forgot that is farther down. How long of a drive is that from the Grayton area?

uhmmm.... There is no pier in Destin.

Not sure if any of the Panama city piers are open or not. I think all were destroyed or being rebuilt. maybe the one in St Andrews is still there...

there's one over in Ft Walton and you can fish from it. It's open at night.. you can rent fishing gear from it if you need to.

Correct, PCB is currently Pierless unless you count the park. They are working to rebuild them, but it'll probably be late 2009 before they are done.

We were told the pier was on the bay side, Okaloosa Island I think. I forgot that is farther down. How long of a drive is that from the Grayton area?

Okaloosa Island = Ft Walton Beach. The pier is on the left right past the aquarium a mile or less after you come into town from Destin.

Correct, PCB is currently Pierless unless you count the park. They are working to rebuild them, but it'll probably be late 2009 before they are done.

They were driving new pilings in May at that pier at Pier Park. Noisey as hell.

Yep, they're already pouring the concrete deck on the top of it.