Beach

How Long Is The Boat Ride To Shell Island


It's a great way of enjoying a Shell Island day on the beach by renting a pontoonboat. A pontoonboat is stable, spacious and easy to manage and it's a great way for families or friends to have fun on the water. It's also a great way for Shell Island to be visited. Your private pleasure craft can take you on a cruise through the calm waters of St. Andrew Bay, and then play on the sandy beaches of Shell Island.

Time


Your Panama City Beach adventure catamaran sail is approximately 3 hours of fun in the sun! You’ll begin with a short sailing cruise across St. Andrews Bay to some of the best spots along Shell Island based on conditions and clarity for dolphin views and sea life. The “Island Time” is a wide, stable sailing cruise catamaran we’ll anchor in about 5 feet of water where you can snorkel around Shell Island, search for seashells or just relax in the calm water. Try our stand-up paddleboards or make a splash from our popular water slide.

Shuttle

Shuttle


Dolphins can be found in their natural habitat and are not kept in cages or in netted areas. To better view the wild dolphins, polarized sunglasses are highly recommended. It is very rare that we do not see dolphins.

Coral Reef


We love our dolphins, and we want them to thrive for future generations. We would love for them to be just as excited to meet us as we are! However, it would also mean that dolphins are being fed on boats by people. This is illegal and potentially dangerous for them.

Coral Reef

Shell Island Cruises 800 Number


Shell Island is the local spot to snorkel in Panama City Beach, Florida. Shell Island Cruises is the best way to start your adventure.

Shell Island Cruises Units For Sale


After about an hour at Shell Island, we’ll take a leisurely sailing cruise out to the Gulf of Mexico to look for wild dolphins! (Please read dolphin disclaimer below). We always hope the conditions will line up just right and it’s pretty rare not to see dolphins, but the itinerary is based on the weather and conditions for your safety and enjoyment. The cruise back to the dock is a fun sailing party at Panama City Beach with upbeat music, games and dancing.

Coral Reef

Bottle-nosed Dolphins


Had a great time relaxing on the catamaran, looking out for dolphins and snorkeling and paddle boarding. The staff was great! We saw quite a few dolphins and sting rays as well. Not many fish to see snorkeling, but it was still fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Snorkeling is safe and easy for people of all ages. One of the best things about Shell Island is that the calm shallow water behind the jetty is the perfect place for first-time snorkelers to try the sport.
 

Shell Island is a nature preserve with no restrooms or any other visitor facilities such as trash receptacles, picnic tables, or shade pavilions. There is no trash removal service. Island visitors are asked to be responsible and take everything they bring to the Island with them when they leave.

Shell Island has a fascinating amount of local wildlife including dolphins, loggerhead turtles, green sea turtles, ghost crabs, beach mice, nine-banded armadillos, alligators that live in the lake on the island, marsh rabbits, racoons and more.

There is still an amazingly pristine, uninhabited island just waiting to be explored. Shell Island is a barrier island, a 7-mile stretch of undeveloped land nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews