Now onto part three of my Florida island hopping adventure.
The day began almost seven hours earlier at the Cape Haze Marina where I departed with my friends from the Freedom Boat Club on a quick voyage to Useppa Island (read the first blog here). Then, we trekked to Boca Grande for lunch before being “castaway” on Little Gasparilla Island (read the second blog here).
Now, we finish out the day exploring the canals, streets, and sands of Palm Island.
Upon departing Little Gasparilla, we enjoyed a brief boat ride before docking at our final destination.
Once there, Michael Saunders & Company agent Kevin Mackin picked us up (via car this time) for an easy excursion.
I learned that Palm Island is actually comprised of three interconnected pieces of land including Don Pedro and Knight Island. Together, they stretch seven miles long and 700 yards wide. There are no street lights and only one paved road. Most people get around by golf cart but cars do arrive via ferry.
“The barge is only an illusion of inconvenience,” explained Kevin. “It’s an easy 3-minute ride from the mainland but it still provides the feeling like people are going somewhere else.”
Once you’ve arrived, it’s clear this picturesque beach community fosters close-knit family life. You won’t find shopping centers or high rises here; daily distractions involve fishing, roaming the island, and reading a good book on the sand.
The comment Kevin gets from island visitors most often is that they can’t believe someplace like Palm Island exists anywhere in the continental United States.
He went on to explain that if you look at a map, Palm Island (and Englewood for that matter) jut out away from mainland Florida. Tourists tend to travel up and down US 41/Tamiami Trail leaving this area largely overlooked by the typical passerby. The residents here cherish their geographic secrecy.
Still, its ease-of-access and modern conveniences make Palm Island very attractive to what Kevin calls “sand in your shoes professionals,” those who can work on their computer from their beach home. Vacant waterfront and beachfront lots are more affordable here; you can find waterfront starting at $150,000 and beachfront starting at $400,000.
This Palm Island home for sale reflects the island-style architecture of the area.
Check out the decorative touches on the sign post!
Kevin’s wife, Charlene Mackin, also an agent with Michael Saunders & Company, is part of a select few islanders permitted for gopher tortoise relocation. Essentially, when a lot is purchased and the buyer intends to build, these specialists will work to excavate the underground gopher tortoise burrows. They then choose a relocation spot (usually it’s the lot next door) for minimal impact on the tortoise. The process is very carefully executed, resulting in a healthy and happy tortoise.
The beaches are beautiful here!
Our guide – the very affable, Kevin Mackin.
Mother nature and island development seem to make a handshake everywhere you look.
Back to the Mainland
As part of our tour, we actually took the ferry back to the mainland. Just as Kevin said, it was a quick and easy experience.
Returning to the Cape Haze Marina only eight hours after we’d left, I felt like I’d visited all the Disney World Theme Parks in under one day. We had gotten a taste of each destination but just enough to wonder about everything we didn’t have time to experience.
Overall, I was very taken with how each island (though only minutes away from the next) has its own beauty, history, and character. By their nature, these islands are very secluded, enabling each community to form uniquely unto itself.
Useppa Island
Boca Grande
Little Gasparilla Island
What each destination did have in common though was its step into a bygone era – an approach to daily life that is focused on family, connecting with nature, and making memories.
And as I drove back to Sarasota, among vast stretches of concrete and development (somehow much more evident now), I spent the entire hour thinking about mine.
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Our trip’s photographer, Steve Lineberry with Premier Photographics Events
Jim Cull and Captain Marti feeling at home among the fish inside the Collier Inn on Useppa Island.
Our arrival through the canals of Boca Grande.
The Tube Dude knows where it’s at on Little Gapsarilla Island.
And finally, the obligatory selfie! (seriously, there’s no faking that smile 🙂 )
Explore Palm Island homes for sale at the Michael Saunders & Company website.
Are you familiar with any of these islands? What do you love about them? Let us know in the comments.