Shayna Anderson
Strandutövare
In 2022 beach was wonderfully peaceful and relaxing! We were slightly north of the designated Boca Grande Pass area (around the entrance on 5th street), but I wanted to share my review of the beach since I noticed some people mentioning that it might not be suitable for kids 😁
The beach is narrow but lovely. The sand has some shells, but it's manageable to walk barefoot. The current is quite mild, and the waves approach at an angle. I have an almost 3-year-old, and he was thrilled that he could walk out about 30 feet from the shore and still stand on his own (the water is knee to hip deep around 50 feet out, I estimate). The waves were not too rough, and he did remarkably well on his first trip to the ocean! There is a slight drop (maybe a foot or less) right at the beginning, and the shell-covered sand ends at the line where the sea kelp is visible (you can see it in the photos). On the other side, there is pure soft sand. I even had the joy of spotting a manatee, which made me extremely happy 😁😁
In 2023 this beach has experienced significant erosion, resulting in a narrower shoreline. The drop-off at the front is not as steep anymore, but the water level is slightly deeper compared to last year. My son will be turning 4 in August, and the water was a bit deeper for him. Nonetheless, the beach is still pleasant, and I had the opportunity to spot a manatee again this year, which was very exciting!
Aria
Oerfaren strandbesökare
Denna strand är inte idealisk för familjer med små barn. Det finns en betydande drop-off, massor av trasiga snäckor och den dag vi besökte var havet oroligt. Trots att vi bara gick en bit lyckades vi ändå se några fiskar. Dock var vattnet inte lika klart som vi hade förväntat oss baserat på områdets rykte. (Vi besökte i mitten av oktober) Vi stötte inte på några manater eller annat vilt. Kyrkan var stängd, men fyrhusmuseet var öppet. Vi gick inte in eftersom vi alla var i badkläder. Vi lyckades hitta 2 hajtänder utan mycket grävande, och mina söner samlade på sig några större intakta snäckor. Det fanns en inträdesavgift och en liten parkeringsavgift. Under denna tid på året var stranden mestadels upptagen av äldre personer, förutom vår grupp. Trots att det fanns många människor som fiskade från stranden, bevittnade vi inte att någon faktiskt fångade något.