Indian Key Historic State Park - What to Know!

 

Are you going on the Florida Keys Sea Base high adventure sailing, snorkeling trip and wondering what is Indian Key Historic State Park? This Island is an uninhabited island, a state park, with ruins,  sitting in the Florida Keys off of Islamorada, it is surrounded by the clear blue-green waters. Some Sea Base adventures go here as a day trip!

UPDATE for 2026: I'm told, "Indian Key Historic State Park is temporarily closed to the public. The island is undergoing major construction and environmental restoration, meaning visitors are not permitted to step onto the island"

The official Sea Base website says you may paddle a Polynesian war canoe to the island in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Your crew will wade to shore and depending on the tide, the water may be knee high to chest deep. Waterproof backpack duffels are ideal.

Comments from some who have been there:

• Hermit crabs everywhere.
• Thieving birdies: Don't hang your wet socks tree branches to dry. Birds will steal them!
• No-see-ums thick as a cloud that would devour you if you didn't have Avon So-Soft lotion. People rave about how effective it is against midgets at twilight. People swear by Avon Skin So-Soft lotion.
  No-seeums will go after every inch of exposed skin and they are relentless. People  report the midges just laugh at both DEET and Picaridin repellent. The reason  Skin So Soft is recommended is its oils create a protective barrier that No Seeums can’t penetrate.
  But no-seeum clothing and fine netting like this (next) is also effective:
• Clothing/gear for Mosquito and No-Seeum / midge protection:
  The No-Seeums can be fierce, especially at twilight.  People report that Avon So-Soft skin lotion works as a no-seeum (but not mosquito) repellant, but their bites are SO miserable and lasting, I'm bring at least the head netting, which can be worn over any hat, to keep the netting off your face, such as when sleeping. The netting must be rated 1000holes/sq in. Standard mosquito netting has holes around 500-800 per square inch. No-see-um netting has 1000+ holes per inch and blocks the tiny biting midges that will penetrate standard mesh. If needed, your long sleeved sun shirt and pants, socks, gloves might work for the rest of the body.
1. Whole body (head, jacket, pants), Mosquito / No-See-Um Mesh suit, Super Light and Cool, or this one that ALSO includes hands and feet.
2. Head: Ultra-Mesh Mosquito Head Net for Midges, No See-ums and Small Insects Head covering (goes over your hat). This is simple, inexpensive and effective against mosquitos, midges, no-seeums, horse flies, black flies, etc.
3. Upper body: Fine mesh bug jacket
4. Legs: Fine mesh bug pants
5. Mesh mini-tents for sleeping:
    If you need the smallest, this mesh netting tent to put your sleeping mat inside, this netting which you hook to something ABOVE you, would work. t takes up almost no room at all and weighs next to nothing. It can fit in your pocket and weighs only 1 pound.
    There is also a 1-Person fine mesh sleeping tube tent which folds into a flat 2 ft wide disk, so it might be too big to carry on an airplane, but fine if driving.
    
• Some iguanas hanging in the trees!
• Poisonous trees, like poison ivy, except the bark has the oil causes a reaction. Beware it's peeling bright orange bark
• Tarballs that wash up on shore. Yuck.

Things you will definitely want to have with you!

1. Closed toe, high ankle waterproof shoes with a solid bottom. Protect your feet and ankles against sharps and biting things!