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Franny

Beach Fanatic
Mar 27, 2005
4,026
411
Pt. Washington
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.
 

BeachbumAggie

Beach Fanatic
Jun 6, 2008
799
66
Arlington, TX
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!!
 

mike_s

Beach Comber
Jul 10, 2008
7
0
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.....
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,861
9,665
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.
 

nodilberthere

Beach Fanatic
Aug 10, 2007
287
46
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. :D

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:
 

rblessed1031

Beach Lover
Jul 14, 2008
155
130
Dune Allen
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?
 

mike_s

Beach Comber
Jul 10, 2008
7
0
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.
 

rblessed1031

Beach Lover
Jul 14, 2008
155
130
Dune Allen
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?
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,861
9,665
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.
 

mike_s

Beach Comber
Jul 10, 2008
7
0
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.
 
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