Turtle Beach (Siesta Key)
South coast launch
Turtle Beach (Siesta Key) is a south-coast kayak and paddleboard launch, free to park, clearest on an incoming tide.
The south end of Siesta Key, much quieter than the famous main beach to the north. Launch into the Intracoastal Waterway side and paddle south to the Jim Neville Marine Preserve, which holds one of the area's best hidden beaches, a stretch of unspoiled sand accessible only by boat. Midnight Pass, the inlet that once separated Siesta Key from Casey Key, closed naturally in 1983 and never reopened, which has made the south bay calmer and clearer than it was historically. Dolphins, rays, and shorebirds are constant company. The launch is at Turtle Beach Park, which has a campground if you want to make a weekend of it. The main Siesta Beach to the north has the famous quartz sand; the south end has the quiet water.
Where do I park, and is it free?
- Cost
- Free
- Parking
- Ample
Free public boat ramp with two ramps plus a beach launch and plenty of parking, but no nearby restrooms or changing area. Quiet south-Siesta water with frequent dolphins and manatees.
How clear is the water?
Sarasota Bay is clear on incoming tide; Midnight Pass closure keeps it calm
What will I see?
- Dolphins, rays, shorebirds: the secret-beach paddle is the draw
What's the fishing like?
Snook, redfish, and trout in the backwater; sheepshead and mangrove snapper on structure. Dolphins and manatees frequent.
How do I share the water here?
Paddle out from here and you are circling the Jim Neville Marine Preserve, a mangrove island bird rookery you reach only by water and that is surrounded by seagrass beds. Go around it rather than landing, give the rookery a wide berth so you do not flush nesting birds, and keep off the grass flats by staying in the deeper water. The rays and dolphins out here are easy to spook too, so let them set the distance.