Pine Island
"FLORIDA'S BEST KEPT SECRET"

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Gasparilla

José Gaspar

COMMUNITIES

Pine Island consists of Matlacha (Mat-la-shay), Pine Island Center, Bokeelia (Bo-keel-ya), Pineland and St. James City. Each community treasures its own distinctive ambiance.

Matlacha looks like an "old Florida" fishing village ("Matlacha Spoken Here"). It also has a growing collection of art galleries, gift and islandwear shops and boutiques, seafood restaurants, small motels and cottages. The drawbridge over Matlacha Pass is known as the "Fishingest Bridge in the World," with anglers customarily fishing the bridge, night and day, in all kinds of weather (mostly sunny). There are plenty of bait and tackle suppliers and two full-service marinas that also rent boats, Olde Fish House Marina and Viking Marina

Compared to most everywhere else, life moves slowly here on this out-of-the-way island with a colorful and fascinating history.

Pineland, one of the main sites of Calusa Indian mounds, boasts one of the country's smallest Post Office buildings and provides us with the island's only golf course at Alden Pines Country Club. It is also site of Pineland Marina, a full-service marina. There are several water taxi, fishing charter and boat rentals services based at the marina, including the "Tropic Star" Cruiseboat. St. James City is Pine Island's most developed area with about two thirds of the island's population.

Most of its homes are located on canals with direct access to Pine Island Sound, San Carlos Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The canals at the southern tip of Pine Island are also home to Bob and Annie's Boatyard, York Road Marina and Fishin' Fever Marina.

Bokeelia is homeport for many of the island's commercial fishermen and the site of several historic buildings. Fishing charter services, boat rentals and water taxi services are also available at Four Winds Marina. In addition, the Useppa Island Shoreport is located at the Bocilla Island Club Marina.

Bokeelia is also the primary location of many of Pine Island's thriving, subtropical agribusinesses featuring mangoes, pineapples, citrus, row crops and a wide variety of exotic tropical fruits including the carambola, longan, papaya, lychee and loquat.

Pine Island Center is the only completely off-water community and the hub of the island's commercial activity. It "harbors" the main shopping center, a community park with pool, lighted tennis courts and ballfields, Pine Island Elementary School, the Museum of The Islands, a modern library, medical and dental offices and the island's main fire station, complete with EMS rescue and medical support services.

If you come here, be sure to stop by The Museum of the Islands for a visit. It is very small and cozy. You will get personal attention from the staff.

What to Expect on Pine IslandIt only costs a buck to enter, but be generous and make an additional donation. The museum has some GREAT books on Florida and some wonderful crafts for sale.

Don't come to Pine Island if you are looking for Disney. They shoot mice here.

If your idea of a great day is to do some fishin', go kayaking, buy some mangoes, have shrimp and beer for lunch, or visit the museum or an art gallery, then maybe you will like it on Pine Island.

Don't forget your mosquito repellent during the rainy summer months, and watch out for the alligators and salt-water crocodiles. See you there....

The Pine Island Fruit Market attracts people from all over. Some are trying the various fruits for the first time, others are discovering that fruit they ate back in their home country can be found right here in Florida.

They sell many varieties of mangoes and lychees. They sell longans, sapodillas, mamey apple, tamarind, and various types of local bananas, just to name a few.

The market is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 10am to 4pm during the June, July, and August. But you have to get there early Friday or Saturday morning to get the choice varieties.

The market is about two-and-a-half miles north of Pine Island Road, on Stringfellow, about where Stringfellow passes Valeria Road. The market is on the right side of the road. It's easy to miss.

The Tommy Atkins variety is the most common (I don't care for it), but if you are persistent you can find Julie, Kent, Keitt, Glenn, Carrie, Valencia and many of the Asian varieties of mangoes like Nam Doc Mai.

Mango season on Pine Island is usually July and August. While at the Pine Island fruit Market I met a guy who makes the drive from St. Pete every Friday for mangoes.
You don't even have to wait till you get home to start enjoying the mangoes. For about $3 they'll make you a fresh mango smoothie.In late June the lychee fruit is ready to eat. The Pine Island Fruit Market has many varieties of lychee for you to sample and buy. I often buy 5 or 10 pounds. They will keep in the fridge for several weeks. Longan fruit is also grown at the Pine Island Fruit Market. They are similar to the lychee but ripen later in the season.

There are a few sapodilla trees at the Pine Island Fruit Market. You have to keep coming back often and get there early in the morning if you want any. The only way I can describe their taste is to tell you to imagine peeling a ripe Bartlett pear, rolling it in light brown sugar, then eating it. That's about what a Sapodilla tastes like. When you pick them they are rock hard, so you have to put them in a paper bag and wait for them to get very soft before you can eat them.
What to do on Pine Island.

Take a drive on the back roads.

Book a fishing charter. Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound are very productive fishing areas.

Cap'n Con's Fish House - At the end of the road in Bokeelia by the pier. An old Florida style island house with a plain family-style restaurant.

The best thing this restaurant has going for it is its location, right on Charlotte Harbor and its small-town service. Lots of repeat customers eat here.

The food choices are basic. Not gourmet. It's a nice little out-of-the-way place to stop and eat, then take a walk out on the pier.