Paradise found
Eleven miles east of Homestead is a paradise nearly indistinguishable from the beaches of Fiji and Bora Bora. As you cruise toward the Ragged Keys, your boat bouncing over every swell, a blurred line on the horizon comes into focus; a long stretch of islands appears, seemingly out of nowhere. Fast approaching land, you’ll spot a 20-foot lighthouse, the de facto “Welcome to Boca Chita Key” sign. In Biscayne National Park, on this very special island, the public is welcome to an untouched delight, which anyone with a boat can enjoy. Tie up the line in the cove on Boca Chita’s northwest corner, walk through the patches of pricklers and rough grass, and lay claim to your own secluded beach.
A small strip of sand is exposed on dry land, but the sea is so shallow you can walk knee-deep through the water to a number of the smaller surrounding islands. The sand underfoot is soft and grooved, indicative of minimal to no animal activity. Mangrove shoots, soft but spiny, stick out of the glassy water like stalagmites in a dank cavern. Thousands of large, intact seashells carpet the sandy bottom, begging to be plucked up and saved as mementos.
Info
Address Boca Chita Key is located 12 miles due south of Key Biscayne. | Tip For another unique experience of the bay, try nighttime paddleboarding at Miami Beach Paddleboard (1416 18th St). The underside of each board is fitted with powerful LED lights, which illuminate the dark waters, revealing the nocturnal activities in the sea beneath and around you.
The water’s color morphs with the depth of the seafloor. At its shallowest it looks perfectly clear, as if you’re peering through a window into submerged cities of coral polyps populated by schools of small minnows. As you wade a little deeper, the water turns a pale turquoise, and at its deepest, takes on a majestic shade of blue green, illuminated by the midday sun.
Live the day like Tom Hanks in Castaway, but without the struggle. The island’s unkempt beaches are your refuge. Seek shelter from the heat in a breezy, shaded alcove underneath the mangroves. Find sustenance in your cooler, filled with sandwiches and bottled water. Share the moment with your friends and family – or your Wilson volleyball.
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