5 Places to Launch your Paddle Board on Pine Island

Paddle boarding is a great way to get to know the beauty of nature in the waters around Pine Island.  Here are 5 locations where it's easy to launch your board and enjoy quiet waters, largely without traffic from motor boats:

1) At the end of Portobello Street in Bokeelia, you'll find a small marina with a boat ramp for non-motorized boats.  For $5.00, you can park and launch your paddle board or kayak and explore the north end of Pine Island.  Most of the land surrounding you is conservation land (including Calusa Island).  There are some sandy beaches to come ashore and relax.  We've seen dolphin, sea turtles and lots of fish, not to mention many birds.  The water is pretty shallow so you won't encounter a lot of motorized boat traffic.  Round trip paddle around Calusa Island is about 4 miles.

2) Bocilla Island Seaport, Main Street, Bokeelia.  Just adjacent to Captain Con's

restaurant in Bokeelia, you'll find the Bocilla Island Seaport.  It opens on to a large bay that leads to the Back Bay in Bokeelia, a short cut out to Cayo Costa Island and the intra coastal waterway.  For $10.00, you can park all day and launch your motor boat, canoe or kayak.  There's plenty of parking.  Watch out for heavier boat traffic here.

3) In Pineland, a few hundred yards south of Pineland Marina at 13921 Waterfront Drive, you'll find
Batty's Landing, a Lee County owned launch for non-motorized boats (kayaks and paddle boards)  The water is quite shallow here, and there are oyster beds, so it is best to go out on a high tide.  From here you can head south into Pine Island sound and explore the undeveloped islands of Cat Key, Cove Key, Wood Key, Rat Key, Terrapin Key, Josslyn Island and Mesmer Key.  In Foster Bayou you may see a large flock of bright pink roseate spoonbill.  There is only parking (free) for about 6 vehicles so arrive early to get a spot.

 

4) In Matlacha, there is a County Park that has a ramp for motorized boats at 4577 Pine Island Road.  But follow through the park and on your right (east) side of the park is a floating ramp that is an ideal spot to launch a paddle board or kayak for free.  This is a great park that has picnic spots, a basketball court, and play ground.  There is lots of parking here.

 

5)  From the 4-way stop of Pine Island, head south about 4 miles and turn left on to Tropical Point Drive, on the left side (east) of Stringfellow Road.  Follow along in about a quarter mile you'll come to Tropical Point Park.  This is a nice spot to launch a non-motorized boat or fish from shore, with a nice sandy bottom.  There are picnic tables and grills, but parking only for about 6-8 vehicles.