Boca Grande Things to Do

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The white sandy beaches, some areas heavy with broken shells, are busy with boaters and beach lovers. Landfall meant contending figuring out where to anchor the boat, but also how to walk past the spiny vegetation part of the ecosystem there. The Boca Grande has rip currents and can be difficult for boaters and swimmers, but we found mostly a beautifully calm day.

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Charlotte Harbor, the second largest in Florida, empties the Peace River and other tributary springs that flow from the harbors at Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, and numerous island wetland areas north and south of these places. My host's boat was launched at the Port Charlotte Beach Park, and so we were quickly sailing into the center of the main harbor. At this point Charlotte Bay is very wide, such that only a thin line of forest and waterfront condos appears on either side. Seagulls dive for fish, and dolphin play near the boat as we approached the Boca Grande, a 45 minute trip across only slightly choppy waters. Part way across the color of the water changes from a tannin rich deep blue to the shallow sandy bottom almost turquoise blue. The photos here show this transition from the first to fourth shot.

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This lighthouse is located at the bottom of Gasparilla Island and was activated on December 31, 1890 due to the phosphate that was discovered several miles up the Peace River around the early 1880's. Phosphate was being ship at such a fast rate congress decided to contruct a lighthouse at the opening between Gasparilla and Lacosta Islands. The lighthouse was automated in 1956 and in 1966 the lighthouse was abandoned by the Coast Guard. It was replaced by a 58-foot tall steel skeleton tower inland. Now it is a museum and visitors center for all to enjoy and also the oldest building on Gasparilla Island.

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We visited the lighthouse on our way from Fort Myers to St. Petersburg. It is down on the end of a peninsula and we had a little trouble finding it, although you can't really get lost. This is one lighthouse that I am able to climb because it is only a one-story dwelling with a square tower in the center of the hipped roof. I didn't go up in the tower, which had a circular lantern room protecting a third-and-a-half-order Fresnel lens. We also saw the Rear Range Light (photo 4)

In the 17th century, phosphate was discovered several miles up the Peace River, and the mining and transport of this material through the port resulted in Congress appropriating $35,000 for the construction of a lighthouse at the southern tip of Gasparilla Island in 1888. The lighthouse was activated on December 31, 1890 by keeper Francis McNulty. In 1907, a rail line was built from the mines to Boca Grande. This made it more economical to ship the phosphate. It was not until 1958 that a bridge and road was built so people could drive to the island. In 1966, the lighthouse was abandoned by the Coast Guard, and the 58-foot tall steel skeleton Rear Range Light tower was established further inland.

By 1970, erosion was threatening the old lighthouse. In 1971, a 265-foot granite jetty was built near the lighthouse to protect the island. Florida Power and Light, which had storage facilities at Port Boca Grande, then pumped 100,000 cubic yards of fill into the area, much of it around the lighthouse itself.

The lighthouse has been restored and is in the Gasparilla Island State Park. According to the Florida State Parks page, it is open to the public 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily from November through April. From May through July and September it is open Wednesday through Sunday. The lighthouse will be closed during the month of August.

Sea Grape is one of the best native plants in South Florida. It is very easy to grow, requires little water as it grows naturally in the wild, provides food and shelter for wildlife, and is very attractive with lush foilage. It is native and grows naturally along the beaches on coastal dunes .

Built in 1888 this is the islands best landmark . The lighthouse, dwelling, and surrounding acreage were transferred to the State of Florida in 1988 and became Gasparilla Island State Park. Today it houses a museum and tells the stoty of the island and the people who have lived here.

The original construction date of the Boca Grande Rear Range Light was 1881. It was rebuilt and offically lit in 1932. The tower stands 105 feet tall, and originally housed a fourth-roder Fresnel lens.

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Sand Spur beaches has been rated on of the top ten beaches in Florida by the Travel Channel and it lives up to it! The beaches is very clean, wide, white sand, no real waves so it's great if you take the kids here, no worry about them getting knocked over by a wave here! We also found some nice shells here too.