Shell Key
These wild animals live in their natural habitats and do what is best for them. Their behavior and mood dictate how they interact with us. Although encounters are common, we cannot guarantee they. The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1982 and subsequent amendments to it, along with the laws of Florida, bind us. We are strictly prohibited from feeding and harassing dolphins. Thank you for understanding.
It takes about 3 hours to sail your Panama City Beach adventure catamaran. The trip will begin with a sail across St. Andrews Bay. You'll then head to Shell Island where you can view dolphins and other marine life. The "Island Time" a stable and wide sailing cruise catamaran. We'll anchor in about 5ft of water so you can snorkel around Shell Island, look for seashells, or just relax in the cool water. Make a splash with our popular water slide or stand-up paddleboards.
The Park is located on miles of sugar-sand coastline and is consistently rated America’s best beach. St. Andrews State Park encompasses 1200 acres. The park offers boating/camping, swimming, watersports, fishing and hiking as well bird/wildlife viewing. Shell Island Cruises are located at 405 Cliftonia Cir. Panama City Beach FL 32408.
Snorkeling is good around the St. Andrews State Park jetty, and excellent out on Shell Island. Habitats range from sand bottom, to shallow grass flats, to the rocky faces of the jetties. Expect to see tropical fish, crabs, rays, and if you are lucky, a sea turtle or some of the resident bottle nose dolphins. If you don’t have your own gear, snorkel equipment is available for rent at the Jetty Store, or get it as part of a complete package along with Shuttle tickets on a Shell Island Snorkel Tour.
Since 1999, Shell Island Snorkeling on the Island Time is a Panama City Beach staple. TripAdvisor has rated us the top Things To Do in Panama City Beach for St. Andrews State Park trips and tours to Shell Island.
Shell Island is just part of the tour. As we approach the island. Watch out for dolphins. We often see wild schools in this area. Also, you could make Shell Island your stop during a charter fishing trip.
These wild animals do what they love in their natural habitat. We observe these animals on their terms, and are sensitive to their moods and activities. It is possible to have encounters quite often, but it is impossible to guarantee that they will happen. The laws of The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1973 and its subsequent amendments as well as the laws of Florida are ours. We are forbidden from harassing or feeding dolphins. Thank you for understanding.
Shell Island is seven miles of undeveloped scenery between the Gulf and St. Andrew Bay. At one point, Shell Island was inhabited by Native Americans, Spanish Settlers, and even pirates.
Once you get there it is all worth it, as it is the most beautiful water I've ever seen. It is like you are swimming in a pool. It is so crystal clear. We didn't know what to expect so we went planning to spend a few hours on the island. Come expecting to spend all day!
The waters around Shell Island are home to a large group of bottlenose dolphins. You can encounter these amazing marine mammals at home in their natural habitat on one of our Panama City Beach Dolphin Tours.
This island is not as secluded as you see on the pictures and we couldn't find any of the cool shells either. (I understand that it's nature and can't be controlled).