Lifeguard Tower | Fort Istland Gulf Beach

  Fort Island Gulf Beach is small but photogenic beach that Don and I stumbled on years ago when we were driving along US 19. It's in Citrus County, near Crystal River. It's one of the small Nature Coast beaches. It's located near a nuclear power station which stands in startling contrast to the incredibly beautiful wetlands and palm forests that surround it. When I visited, there were eagle nests all over the place.

You find the beautiful broad beaches of most people's imagined Florida further south. You can see breathtaking photographs of the amazingly beautiful southwest Florida coast in the very useful beach guide here (the photo showing the white sand of Caladesi Island and Madeira Beach are alone worth clicking for).

But North Florida Gulf beaches are usually small and comparatively unimpressive in scope. The sand of many of these beaches is a rich brownish yellow color that I find particularly beautiful as a counterpoint to the clear blue of the Gulf, but does not have the paradisical effect of the white sugar sands further south or in parts of the Panhandle. Nevertheless it is charming in its way.

"It's so cute!" exclaimed one of my friends when we visited there. Cute is a good word for it. The previously cited Bay News article describes it as follows: "Think small. You won't find endless miles of coastline packed with tourists, cars and vendors. But small doesn't mean bad. You will find facilities that include seasonal lifeguards, restrooms, picnic tables and showers."

To be truthful, the facilities weren't much to write home about when I was there, but they are better than nothing, and there were SOME rather beguiling vendors. The kids had hot dogs and French fries which they said were quite decent. It was very much the sort of place where parents take the kids for an afternoon swim. And a sunset over the Gulf is a sunset over the Gulf.

Comments

[cathy]

Hi there,
I'd like to know if one, (or several), of the beautiful beaches could be dog friendly ?
Please let me know.
Thanks in advance.
Cathy.

[SEVINS MOMME]

FORT ISTLAND, IS DOG FRIENDLY. MIND YOU THOUGH THE BEACH IS SMALL, THE BEST TIME I FIND TO BRING YOUR DOG HERE IS"WINTER TIME"
FROM ABOUT PCT TILL MARCH , THE SIGN SAYS . NO DOGS ALLOWED DURING SESON.
TAKE CARE AND HAVE FUN...BOO WOO
SEVINS MOMME

[J]

I would like to know why the water is not brown like when i go to this beach? When was this picture taken?

[Cathy from NH (Dad lives nearby so we visit often & go to this beach)]

The water is only crappy looking during the height of August and September... As it cools down, it clears up significantly, The water is crystal clear come January through June. July is iffy, depending on the heat and the seagulls that congregate. The hottest weather is when it's crappy looking and an overgrowth of algae dominates. Who wants to vacation in Florida during their HOT season anyway unless you've got family to see & little reason to be outside? Except on the occasions when the seagulls have turned it into their private toilet, it's still safe to swim in even with an overgrowth of algae & seaweed floating (shower afterwards though so the seaweed smell doesn't linger) but far less appealing since it's bathwater warm & ripe scented at that time as well.

Best time to go? March through mid May. Water's wonderful & clean, temps are reasonable, and crowds aren't heavy there. Go early to get a table though, they only have a few available. Bring food & drink, the sandwich truck is unreliable and subject to skipping its stop at the beach.

And, as always, bring flipflops for use in the bathroom... They are clean but don't risk the bare feet on the wet, slippery, germy floors.