On the west coast of Florida just outside of Tampa you will find one of central Florida’s premiere beaches, Clearwater Beach. This popular destination on the Gulf of Mexico is lined with restaurants and hotels, and you can enjoy a nightly sunset celebration on Pier 60 with music and entertainment. Best yet, the Clearwater area has wide beaches with sugar-white sand and calm, clear water for a wealth of snorkeling opportunities. You can plunge right in off the sand or take any one of a number of snorkeling trips to the nearby keys or even to the submerged ruins of a Spanish American War-era fort.
Clearwater and Sand Key
You are sure to see plenty of stingray while snorkeling along the shallow sandy bottom off Clearwater Beach since these bottom-feeding fish prefer warm, shallow water. Decent snorkeling opportunities also occur next to Clearwater Beach at Sand Key Beach; the jetty area abounds with schooling minnows, subtropic tang fish and soft coral; in addition, manatee occasionally wander into the area. A third of the jetty is designated for swimming, but beyond that, you need a dive flag. Sand Key Park is accessible by the beach trolley that runs from Clearwater Beach south all the way to Pass-a-Grille by St. Pete Beach.
Underwater Ruins
Just south of Clearwater Beach at the mouth of Tampa Bay is Egmont Key, home to Fort Dade, a long-abandoned Spanish American War-era fort that once protected the bay. Much of the fort is intact, but parts of it have fallen prey to erosion and are now underwater. These shallow underwater ruins abound with tropical fish such as tarpon, sheepshead and giant groupers along with ocean denizens like starfish, seahorses and even octopi. The underwater ruins aren’t accessible from the beach, but the ferry from nearby Fort DeSoto at the end of State Road 479 will take snorkelers to the ruins upon request. Island Boat Adventures offers a half-day voyage to snorkel the ruins and explore the fort.
Shell Key
Shell Key, a 2 1/2-mile long barrier island, is between Fort DeSoto and Pass-a-Grille where the beach trolley ends. It’s only accessible by private boat or by way of a 10-minute ferry boat ride from Merry Pier at Pass-a-Grille. Since snorkeling is a popular activity on this primitive desert island, the ferry provides snorkeling equipment and beach umbrellas. In the water on the bay side of the island, you may see stingrays, clouds of tropical fish and even manatee as you are snorkeling. No services are available on the island, so you must bring everything you need, including food and water.
Things to Know
Since many of the snorkeling sites in the Clearwater area are beach entry, you may want to snorkel early when the sea life is most active, and the winds are light, resulting in clearer viewing conditions. Always do the “stingray shuffle” -- walking slowly while kicking up the sand and stirring up the water -- during beach entries to avoid painful stings. Ensure that your swimming skills are up to the task and know when you've had enough. Never snorkel alone, especially at a site like Shell Key. Be aware of your surroundings, especially at places like the Sand Key Jetty where boats can come seemingly out of nowhere.
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Photo Credits
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