Island hopping

Whether you are looking for the perfect fishing spot or a quiet place for a picnic, you can find it at one of the area's barrier islands.

[Times photo: Maurice Rivenbark (1995)]

Shell Key is one of Pinellas County’s most popular boating destinations. Barrier islands such as this are constantly changing. Boaters should use caution when navigating these waters.

ABOVE: Butch Ellsworth, left, and Terry Tomalin take a morning ride in a new Donzi 38ZR. The “go fast” boat can hit 96 mph. [Times photo: Bill Serne] [Times art: Michael Guillen]

EGMONT KEY - It's a good thing Butch Ellsworth didn't run a credit check before I took his 38-foot Donzi for a test ride.

"How much does this boat cost?" I asked as we screamed across the Gulf of Mexico at 60 mph.

"Three hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars," he said. "But I'll make you a deal."

I did the math in my head ... house, cars, dogs, wife's jewelry ... no, better keep the jewelry ... I'd still be a couple of hundred thousand short.

Well, it is fun to pretend. And any day on the water is better than a day in the office.

So we headed toward the grass flats on the lee side of the barrier island and planned our course of attack.

In a go-fast, as these long, slender speed machines are sometimes called, we could easily hit all of the island hot spots in less than eight hours.

"It runs in next to nothing," Ellsworth said as he cut across a sandbar. "And talk about a ride ... "

When you are boating, getting there is usually half the fun. It doesn't matter if you are heading to a five-star hotel or a campsite on a deserted island, the journey is what counts.

We talked about heading ashore to do a little exploration. Of the barrier islands stretching from Cape Sable in the south to Anclote Key in the north, none has a history as rich as Egmont Key.

During the third Seminole War, the Army held Seminole prisoners there. It also served as a Union naval base during the Civil War. Years later, during the Spanish-American War, huge guns were positioned there to guard the mouth of Tampa Bay. But in 2003, Egmont Key is better known for its natural history.

Since 1974, Egmont Key has been a national wildlife sanctuary. The island serves as a critical nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles and numerous threatened and endangered migratory shore birds.

Even though there is no public transportation to the 400-acre island, thousands of people visit Egmont Key every year. It is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations for recreational anglers and boaters on Florida's west coast.

Barrier islands such as Egmont Key are rare, occurring in less than 10 percent of the world's coastal waters. They also are particularly vulnerable to tides and storms, continually changing shape.

The old gun batteries and the bird nesting areas are in danger of being washed into the sea. We decide not to head ashore and instead headed north to the soft sand of nearby Shell Key.

SHELL KEY: Like the other islands in the chain, Shell Key has been shaped by hurricanes, waves and changing tides. It is one of the few undeveloped pieces of real estate left on the Pinellas Coast, and as a result it has one of the densest nesting shore bird populations in the nation.

For years, Shell Key has been a popular destination for boaters and anglers. The state managed the island for years, but the county took over in 2000.

The management plan strikes a delicate balance between protecting the fragile ecosystem and accommodating the thousands of humans who visit Shell Key each year.

About half of the 180-acre island is designated a bird sanctuary. This area extends into the shallow water in some parts of the preserve. Thousands of protected migrating shore birds - including the American oystercatcher, least tern, snowy plover and black skimmer - stop on Shell Key each winter.

If you visit this oasis, remember that all plants and animals are protected. Dogs are only allowed on the north and south ends and must be on a leash or under voice command at all times. No open containers of alcohol are allowed.

Boaters may camp on the north or south ends, and camp fires are permitted. There are no facilities.

Circumnavigating Shell Key can be tricky. Boaters will encounter shallow water cautions and no-wake and idle-speed zones. Some areas are off limits to internal combustion engines. To see a map of the area, go to www.co.pinellas.fl.us and search for Shell Key. For information, call 727 943-4000.

CALADESI ISLAND: It is a long run up the coast, but the trip to Caladesi Island State Park is worth it.

The beach consistently is ranked among the world's top 10 by Florida International University coastal geologist Stephen Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.

Leatherman considers 50 criteria when making his picks, including current, sand quality and water clarity. Caladesi scores high in all areas, but the lack of a crowd makes it especially appealing.

For years the island was accessible only by boat. Since Hurricane Elena filled Dunedin Pass with sand in 1985, adventurous souls have been able to make the long walk from Clearwater Beach.

Boaters will find Caladesi Island particularly accommodating because of a new 108-slip marina on the east side. Overnight docking with electricity and water hook-ups is available, but boaters must register before sundown.

To get there from the Intracoastal Waterway, start at channel marker 14, west of the Dunedin Causeway, and take a 212-degree heading for about a mile. Then follow the channel markers into the marina.

Sea kayakers also will find Caladesi a challenge. A new wilderness kayak trail winds through about three miles of mangroves and sheltered bays.

The state park, which has picnic pavilions, bathrooms and a concession stand, also can be accessed by a passenger ferry, which departs nearby Honeymoon Island at 10 a.m. daily, weather permitting.

HONEYMOON ISLAND: The Tocobaga Indians were enjoying this paradise long before the Spanish explorers charted its coast. In the years that followed, pirates, traders and commercial fishermen used what was once called Sand Island as a base of operation.

By the late 1800s, hogs were the hot commodity and the island's name was changed to Hog Island. A hurricane in 1921 split the island, forming Hurricane Pass and Caladesi Island.

Entrepreneurs tried but failed to establish the pristine island as a honeymoon getaway. The palm-thatched cottages are long gone but the name stuck.

Fishermen long have known Honeymoon Island as a great snook spot, but sand from renourishment projects have filled in some of the best holes and increased the size of Three Rooker Bar to the north.

The beach at Honeymoon has gotten a bum rap in recent years because of its rocky shoreline. But boaters will find the north end ideal for a picnic.

The island is one of Florida's top birding spots, especially in winter, and has one of the few remaining virgin stands of Florida slash pine on the Northern Loop Trail. These magnificent trees serve as important nesting sites for ospreys.

ANCLOTE KEY: The lighthouse on this northernmost barrier island has been a beacon for boaters for almost 100 years.

Preservationists recently gave the light, which the Greek sponge divers from nearby Tarpon Springs once called "The Angel of Mercy," a $1-million face lift. A new boardwalk and dock also will make the island more accessible to visitors.

Most people approach Anclote from the north because the deeper water there is a better place to anchor big boats.

The state has built pavilions in the middle of the island on the gulf side and one at the north end at the designated primitive campground.

The picnic areas have composting toilet facilities, and tables and grills are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no electricity or running water, and visitors must dispose of their own garbage.

Anclote has always been a mecca for anglers. The sea grass beds on the leeward side offer some of the best trout and red drum fishing on the Suncoast, and the gulf beaches provide great snook fishing during summer tides.

OTHER ISLANDS: Three Rooker Bar south of Anclote and the newly formed North Anclote Bar also are popular with boaters, and those spots get crowded on weekends and holidays. Anchoring around these islands is the nautical equivalent of tailgating.

For more information on Egmont, Caladesi, Honeymoon or Anclote, contact the Florida Park Service at 727 469-5942 or go to www.floridastateparks.org