Twelve
small barrier islands at the southern end of
the Big Bend were made a refuge, beginning
with President Hoover's proclamation of 1929
which protected Snake, Deadman's (Bird), and
North keys. Nine islands were added later.
Four of them (Snake, Bird, North, and
Seashore) are designated wilderness
areas.
Native
peoples occupied the islands for more than a
thousand years. Since the Spanish era, the
islands have had a colorful history. Seahorse
Key, the outermost island, has been used as a
military hospital, and served as a detention
camp for captured natives during the Second
Seminole War (1835-1842). A lighthouse was
built on this island in 1851, and abandoned
in 1952. Now, under the aegis of the
University of Florida, the lighthouse serves
as a center for marine research and
environmental education. The island was
formed as a giant sand dune, and the dune
survives as the central ridge, rising to a
height of 52 feet&emdash;the highest point on
the state's west coast.
On
most of the islands, the higher points
(ranging from five to 20 feet above sea
level) are covered with an upland forest of
live oak, laurel oak, cabbage palm and red
bay. The surprisingly verdant understory
includes saw palmetto, cherry laurel, yaupon,
wild olive, prickly pear, eastern red cedar,
and Spanish bayonet. The parts of the islands
closer to the sea suffer from frequent
flooding, and are made up of salt marshes and
mangrove swamps.
While
the island interiors are closed to the
public, to protect the fragile ecosystems,
all of the beaches except those on Seahorse
Key are open to the public Year-round. They
are happily visited during daylight hours by
tourists who take a boat from Cedar Key to
collect shells, beachcomb, identify birds,
and take pictures. Seahorse Key and the
waters surrounding it are closed from March 1
through June 30. During the rest of the year
you'll be able to visit one of Florida's
finest water bird rookeries, with up to
100,000 egrets, white ibis, cormorants,
herons, pelicans, anhingas, and other
species. Not all of these birds nest on
Seahorse Key and you'll find a strong
complement of birds on the other islands
too.
Most
of the islands can be reached only at high
tide, as mud and sand flats appear when the
tide recedes. This is a primitive area, where
camping is not permitted, and visitors are
asked to pack out everything they take onto
the islands. For information on the islands,
call the Refuge Manager in Chiefland, at
(904) 493-0238.While camping is not permitted
on the islands of the refuge, you'll find a
private campground and RV park in Cedar Key,
and a campground in Manatee Springs State
Park, about 20 minutes drive north.
