Tunnel of Love 

Cayo Costa State Park

Florida

      If you anchor in Pelican Bay at Cayo Costa State Park in Florida there is a great side trip you can enjoy.   The "Tunnel of Love" is at the south end of Cayo Costa.  It is a path through the mangroves that leads to an open bay of water just steps from the ocean side of the island.   It is not easy to get to so the beach is very isolated.   It is important that you go at high or near high tide because it is shallow.  We needed to tilt up our dinghy motor through most of the waterway.  It is also too narrow to row.  If you can't use your dinghy motor you would need to use your oars to paddle like a canoe.  Even getting to the entrance takes some careful navigation.  There were places where we needed to be very careful in the dinghy and go around some shallow areas.