Boca Grande Visitor Information
Population in July 2007: 1,491
Elevation: 7 feet
Land area: 2.13 square miles
Latitude: 26.75 N, Longitude: 82.26 W
Area code: 941
Gasparilla Island is one of the best places to shell in Florida. In the winter months storms wash up many treasures onto the beachs. Beach combers are likely to find many species including Sharks Eye Snails, Lightning Whelks, Florida Horse conchs, Fight Conchs, Alphabet Cone, Florida Cones, Lettered Olives, True and Banded Tulips various scallop and other bivalve, along with Sand Dollars, Star Fish and once on a while a Sea Horse. The lucky few will bring home the much prized Junonia, Scotch Bonnet or Lions Paw. After hurricanes many large (24") Horse Conchs and Lightning Whelks can be found washed up on beach or out on the sand bars. The best time to go out is during the low tides, when more of the beach is exposed.
The bay offers a great chance to view live specimens. Take a walk on the sandbars or mudflats and you will find assorted sizes of Lightning Whelks and Horse Conches crawling around, but remember it is illegal to take live specimens.
Boca Grande - SW Florida Weekend Retreat
Boca Grande Village on Gasparilla Island in Lee and Charlotte counties, on the Gulf coast has been the home to the wealthy for decades. The village was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
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JetBlue Airways Pointers for High-Spirited Flying
JetBlue Airways shares its top tips for flying free-from-stress allowing customers to enjoy their travel experience as much as they do their final destinations.
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Photographers’ tips for getting postcard-worthy Florida sunset
Most of the magic occurs after the sunset, the pros say. Take a lot of pictures and turn around to see how the setting sun is coloring the landscape.
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Common Sense Beach Swimming Rules
Swim within the "Safe Bathing Areas", if marked, at all times.
Florida sunshine is intense. Please be careful when sunbathing and use sunscreen with a high SPF
Learn to Swim - Learning to swim is the best defense against drowning.
Never Swim Alone - Always swim with a companion. At the very least, have someone onshore who can call for help.
Don't Fight the Current - Rip currents are powerful currents of water moving away from shore. They can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. If caught in a rip current, don't fight it by trying to swim directly to shore. Instead, swim parallel to shore until you feel the current relax, then swim to shore. Most rip currents are narrow, and a short swim parallel to shore will bring you to safety. The same forces that cause rip currents also cause longshore currents. These currents are most evident when waves hit the shore at an angle. This tends to cause the water to be pushed along the beach away from the direction of the oncoming waves. Usually, longshore currents are less hazardous than rip currents because they move along the shore, not away from the shore, but they can knock children and weaker adults off their feet. More importantly, longshore currents can feed and increase the power of rip currents. In other words, the longshore current may move along the shore, then turn offshore to become a rip current.
Swim Sober - Alcohol is a major factor in drowning. Alcohol impairs swimming ability and good judgement.
Don't Float Where You Can't Swim - Often, non-swimmers dangerously use floatation devices to go offshore, If they fall off, they can quickly drown. The only exception is a person wearing a Coast Guard approved life jacket.
Don't Dive Headfirst, Protect Your Neck - Diving headfirst into unknown water and striking the bottom can lead to serious, lifelong injuries, including paraplegia. Check for depth and obstructions before diving, and then go in feet first the first time. Use caution while bodysurfing, always extending a hand ahead of you.
Important Links
| Boca Grande Chamber | Boca Beacon |
Boca Grande You Tube Videos
| Tarpon Fishing Boca Grande | Boca Grande - Extreme Kayak Fishing for Tarpon |
| Don Pedro Island State Park | Boca Grande |
| Shot at a New World Record Black Hammerhead Shark! | Boca Grande Lighthouse View |
