g at Don Pedro Island
Written by Nicole Meirs, Owner of SUP Englewood
E
nglewood offers diverse paddling locations along
the barrier islands and our Gulf coast. I consider it
my job to find the best paddling locations and to
bring people out to them. One of the most amazing
places to paddle is Don Pedro Island State Park. Many
have been to Don Pedro Island by boat. Most people
just visit the beach, but they have no idea that there
are hidden treasures that are concealed within the
island. Launching from the land base on Placida Road
provides the quickest paddling route to the island.
Located a short paddle away, directly across from the
land base, is a very small passage into the mangroves.
This natural mangrove tunnel leads to a hidden
lagoon inside Don Pedro Island. A unique estuary can
be found here, with sea stars and live, soft coral. This
is the only paddle boarding location in Englewood
where I have seen a colony
of sea stars. Other marine
life can be found throughout
the tunnel: blue crabs, fish,
live shells, and sponges.
The trip through the tunnel
is fascinating every time I go.
The Don Pedro Island
mangrove tunnel is different
from other locations. There’s
more marine life, and other
elements to explore. Sitting
on my paddle board through
the tunnel is required. There
are a few low-hanging
branches, which make this
location a bit adventurous.
Standing on the paddle
board provides better visibility into the water. I love
to stop and spot the sea stars and live shells that I’m
paddling over. The seagrass throughout the tunnel is
very healthy, allowing for small marine life to thrive in
its nursery. Dwarf seahorses can be found on occasion
in the seagrass here. One thing to keep in mind is
that the dwarf seahorses mate for life, and they only
THE SAND DOLLAR | 22