Sandbars are shaped by moving water — waves, currents, storms and tides. Some become exposed enough to walk along. Others stay under a foot or two of water and become wonderful places for swimming, floating, or exploring with a mask and snorkel.

One of the things we love about these areas is how much can change between visits. Each time the tide comes in and goes back out, sand moves and different shells and marine life become visible.

Sometimes you do not need deep water at all. Put on a mask in two feet of clear water and suddenly you are looking at an entirely different world.

Honeymoon Island sandbars

If we are working with a shorter amount of time from Clearwater, the Honeymoon Island area is often a natural choice.

Around the southern end of Honeymoon Island are extensive shallow areas that also attract kayakers and paddleboarders coming from the Dunedin Causeway. You will sometimes even see dogs riding along on paddleboards with their people.

Parts of these shallows are locally associated with the name Shark Alley. We have seen juvenile hammerhead sharks moving through the shallow water looking for small prey such as crustaceans. Wildlife sightings vary, of course, and are never guaranteed.

Our guide to visiting Honeymoon Island by boat →

North Honeymoon Island and the sandbars toward Three Rooker

Continue north and the shallow-water landscape becomes even more interesting. Much of the area between North Honeymoon Island and Three Rooker is shallow sandy bottom, flats and changing sandbars. You can sometimes actually see the way waves change as they move across the shallower sand.

At one sandbar we like to visit, Captain Keith can position the boat so it remains safely afloat while guests step into the shallows and walk along the exposed sand.

Depending on the tide and exact location, the water can transition from only a couple of feet deep near the sandbar to roughly eight feet nearby.

Is Three Rooker crowded?

It can be, especially on weekends. That is one reason we love getting out there earlier in the morning when possible.

Tide matters too. Lower water generally exposes more of the sandbar, while higher water can leave a foot or more covering areas that were previously walkable.

Three Rooker Island and the surrounding waters →

Anclote Key: our northern reach

Anclote Key is the farthest north we typically travel on Clearwater charters, and it is a wonderful option when guests have more time.

From our Clearwater departure, reaching the Anclote area typically takes about an hour, because portions of the route pass through no-wake zones. The ride itself becomes part of the experience as we leave the busier Clearwater area behind.

Because of that travel time, Anclote is best suited to the 4-hour Half-Day Island Escape rather than a shorter outing. As with our other sandbar destinations, exactly where we stop depends on the tide, wind, water depth and conditions that day.

Sand Dollar Key near Fort De Soto

From our Maximo Park departure, we can explore a completely different collection of shallow-water environments.

Sand Dollar Key near Fort De Soto is one of those places where you do not need a complicated itinerary. Sometimes the best plan is simply to stop, settle in, and enjoy being on the water.

We have encountered manatees just off this sandbar. On one memorable visit, as many as five were in the area.

We also frequently notice stingrays moving through shallow sandy water. They generally move away quickly when people enter the area, but we encourage guests to shuffle their feet through sandy shallows rather than taking large steps.

Shell Key sandbars and shallow water

The waters around Shell Key are another option from Maximo Park. At lower tide, areas around Shell Key can become extremely shallow — fascinating places to slow down and look for marine life along the sandy bottom.

We have also watched dolphins use these shallow areas while looking for fish. Dolphins are wild animals and sightings can never be guaranteed, but seeing them work shallow water is always special when it happens.

Read our Shell Key guide →

Passage Key: an island with a changing sandbar around it

Passage Key is an island, but there are also shallow sandy areas and a sandbar around it that change dramatically with the tide.

On one visit while the tide was going out, the current uncovered live sand dollars that had been hiding beneath the sand. We counted about 13 live sand dollars.

High tide can make the sandbar much harder to see. We can still visit the area, but Captain Keith pays close attention to the current, nearby boats and changing water conditions. Excessive wind, rough surf or unusually high water can also make Passage Key less enjoyable on a particular day — which is exactly why we do not promise that one specific sandbar will always be the right choice.

We have also noticed that the water often takes on more turquoise tones as we travel farther south along this part of the Gulf Coast, although clarity and color always depend on weather and water conditions.

Egmont Key sandbar and shallow-water snorkeling

Egmont Key has another beautiful shallow sandy area just off the main island. It is one of our favorite places for shallow-water snorkeling and looking for sand dollars.

One trick we have learned from spending time there: look beneath the water for brown circular shapes against the sandy bottom. Those circles can turn out to be live sand dollars.

The water can become extremely shallow — sometimes around a foot deep in places, which is difficult water for boat motors to navigate safely. Depending on tide and depth, Captain Keith may approach the sandbar from a different angle rather than risk running aground.

Some of our favorite discoveries happen in water shallow enough to stand in.

On a sandbar farther south near Longboat Key and Jewfish Key, we once encountered a large live conch moving along the sandy bottom. That particular sandbar is farther south than our normal Clearwater and St. Petersburg destinations, but the experience perfectly illustrates why we love exploring shallow Gulf water.

On many of the sandbars we visit, lower water exposes more sand and makes the bar easier to see and walk. At higher tide, that same stretch might have a foot or more of water over it.

But that does not mean you should only book a sandbar charter at low tide. Every location behaves differently, and wind, current, waves, weather and boat traffic matter too. Sometimes a submerged sandbar is exactly what you want for swimming, floating or shallow-water snorkeling.

At Egmont, that might mean approaching a sandbar from a different angle because the water is too shallow for the motors. At Passage Key, it might mean keeping more distance because of current, surf or boat traffic.

From Clearwater, a shorter outing might keep us around Honeymoon Island, while four hours gives us more opportunity to explore North Honeymoon, Three Rooker or Anclote Key. From Maximo Park, we can consider the Shell Key shallows, Sand Dollar Key, Passage Key or Egmont depending on time and conditions.

Your day can combine sandbars with swimming, island hopping, snorkeling, wildlife watching, sightseeing — or simply finding a beautiful shallow spot and relaxing.

Explore the Private Sandbar Retreat →

Swimwear, sun protection, towels and comfortable clothing are a good starting point. Water shoes help on shell-strewn sand. What else you want depends on whether your day includes snorkeling, shelling, island exploring, or simply relaxing.

We provide the cooler, ice, bottled water, snorkel gear, a shell bag, the Sunchill float, chair floaties and bean bags — and the bean bags come ashore with you.

See our complete what to bring guide →