Digital subscriptions provided by the City of Gulfport THE GABBER.COM No. 2839
November 16, 2023- November 22, 2023
Shell Key Adventure By Cameron Healy
CAMERON HEALY
Follow along on a Tierra Verde kayak tour through mangrove tunnels to reach Irma’s Pass on Shell Key Preserve.
You don’t have to travel to places like the Everglades for a nature-oriented Florida experience. Take a look at all the opportunities south Pinellas offers. One opportunity in particular can be a guided kayak trip through mangroves to Shell Key Preserve. Tierra Verde has a public drop-in
entrance for kayak groups and individuals (2800 Pinellas Bayway South), right before the Fort De Soto toll. My group dragged our kayaks into the water and we began paddling toward our first mangrove tunnel. This tunnel goes directly through Sawyer Key, a barrier island comprised of mangroves.
FRESH FLORIDA STONE CRABS ARE HERE! DINE IN • CARRY OUT PRIVATE PARTY ROOM AVAILABLE 7490 GULF BLVD • ST PETE BEACH • 727-367-3309 • PJSOYSTERBAR.COM
Mangroves at Sawyer Key Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that thrive in a salty environment, according to Florida Department of Environmental Protection. You can see mangroves along Tierra Verde’s shorelines as natural Shell Key continued on page 6