It was no mystery to me how Blind Pass Beach got its name. I approached from the north, on the narrow, two-lane road that runs the length of Manasota Key. Vegetation grew thickly along the road, blocking any view of the ocean. Where the road took a sharp curve the trees intertwined, creating a living canopy that blocked out the bright midday sun. I negotiated the shadowy, blind curve and was spit out the other end, where I slammed on my brakes to avoid hitting pedestrians crossing to the beach.
Ocean shimmers in the midday sun at Blind Pass Beach
Once my nerves had recovered, I parked in the small but adequate lot and crossed over the dune on a wooden boardwalk that traversed a dense patch of sea grape. Near the top I heard something moving in the brush. I stopped in my tracks and tried to identify the source of the commotion. Suddenly, a huge gopher tortoise scrambled out of the thicket and made a beeline for a clump of tender grass. He bulldozed through the tangled undergrowth, stopping every few feet to chomp on juicy young shoots and buttercups.
When he finally disappeared from sight I looked up and gasped at the beauty spread before me. Like a billion glittering diamonds, the gently lolling ocean sparkled in intense midday sun. A single shimmering beach umbrella tilted crazily in the sand. Three people lay spread-eagle in beach chairs, their feet dangling in lapping waves. Just three people in 60 acres of beach. Idyllic. And not uncommon, for this barrier island boasts some of Florida’s least crowded beaches.
Gopher tortoises are often spotted in the dense vegetation growing on the dunes at Blind Pass Beach
Blind Pass Beach has no lifeguards and the only facilities are an improved (and free) parking lot, as well as restrooms. Two roads lead to Manasota Key, which is located midway between the larger cities of Sarasota and Fort Myers on Florida’s Gulf Coast. From SR 776, turn west onto either Manasota Beach Road (a drawbridge) or further south, onto Beach Road. Once over the Intracoastal Waterway, turn north to reach Blind Pass Beach.
Note: This is the second in a four part series discussing the beaches on Manasota Key. Last week’s review covered Manasota Beach.
Photo credit: Barbara Weibel
Article by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels
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