Palm Island

I thought I’d share a few pictures we took on a trip to the island on the Saturday after Thanksgiving: Charlotte County‘s main barrier island (a small part of Manasota Key with some of Englewood Beach and Stump Pass State Park is in Charlotte County).  The island goes by three names: Palm Is. (the north end); Don Pedro Is (the middle which is also a state park); and Little Gasparilla Is. (the south part). I think sometime in last century or so they were possibly three separate islands with narrow “passes” separating them until the Gulf closed off the passes, joining the three. That happens a lot with barrier islands. They come and go as the Gulf may dictate and there’s not much anyone can do about it. I’ve also seen “Knight Island,” possibly referring to Palm Island. Whatever. Most of us know the island as I’ve described it in its three parts.

There are no roads in Don Pedro State Park. This pretty effectively separates the three parts, almost as well as if there were passes in between.

There are no bridges to the island. The only access is by boat. Helicopter, maybe. There is a water taxi that leaves from the Leverock Resort in Placida which makes the ten or fifteen minute run to the Rum Bay Resort on Palm Island about every half hour starting at noon. Costs $5 per person round trip. It might not operate after dark, so be sure to ask about the return if you go.

North tip of Palm Island

Off on the horizon is the Stump Pass Sate Park on the southernmost tip of Manasota Key. The park is a good place to look for fossil sharks’ teeth. There are some on Palm Island, too, but not as many. The Palm Island beach is about 350 yards from the Rum Bay resort.

Palm Island beach at low tide

As you can see, not many people at all. We ran into more people in the restaurant than we saw on the beach in three hours.

Royal terns in flight...keep your hat on....

Royal terns on Palm Island