Twice a day, a 40-foot boat called the Stingray sets off from the Dinner Key Marina bound for Boca Chita Key in Biscayne National Park. At $79 per adult, the cost is a bit steep, but the picturesque island offers a gateway to a significant part of the city’s history and the natural wonders of the park. Sometimes there is even wildlife to see along the way.
“We can’t promise that you’ll encounter dolphins or manatees on this excursion,” says Emily Brown, a naturalist at the Biscayne National Park Institute. “We can’t exactly get them on our payroll!”
The 3.5 hour Boca Chita Key Heritage Cruise is a new addition this season that departs at 9:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. every day from Dinner Key for the 32-acre island in Biscayne National Park. The guided tours started in January.
Boca Chita was originally developed by wealthy industrialist Mark Honeywell, who purchased it from Miami Beach developer Carl Fisher in 1937. Honeywell fueled his party-loving lifestyle with his friends on this island and built a lighthouse before the national park expanded and was established in 1980.
For years, boats were allowed to visit the island, but there were no ferries departing from the institute’s headquarters in Homestead or from the marina in Coconut Grove. The Grove is the northernmost departure location, making it a convenient way to visit the largest marine park in the National Park Service.
Aboard the Stingray, expect to be greeted and guided by a two-person crew, including a naturalist and a captain. Enjoy ample shade as you pass red, black, and white mangroves, before spotting Soldier Key, the first and northernmost key of the Florida Keys chain. Encountering fish is another possibility, since there are over 600 species in the park.
It is approximately an hour ride to and from the island. Once the boat docks at Boca Chita, there is a one-hour stop that allows for up-close encounters with the island’s breathtaking sights, including the 65-foot tall lighthouse and a half mile of hiking trail. In addition, there are several beaches and a picnic pavilion.
On the boat ride back to Dinner Key, visitors will be guided through Stiltsville, which traces back to the 1930s when a man known as “Crawfish” Eddie Walker built the first shack on stilts, defying the conventional boundary between land and water. Of the 20 Stiltsville houses that once stood, six are left.
From this location, there are breathtaking sights of the city.
Visitors are expected to arrive no less than 30 minutes prior to departure time. Tickets cost $79 for anyone over age 13 and $49 for children between 5 and 12 years old. Those under 5 travel free.
Visitors should bring a refillable water container to minimize waste; small coolers and bags are also permitted aboard the boat. Those attending the tour can use restrooms on the island. Reef safe sunscreen, snacks, and bug repellent should be carried since there are no guest sales on the island. All minors must be accompanied by an adult and visitors are advised to keep an eye on younger passengers.
Jordan Manges, the Director of Education at the Florida National Parks Association, says taking a tour is a wonderful way to support the park.
“It’s right in our front yard,” she said. “It’s a wonderful way that’s close to Miami to enter the national park and learn more about all the history it has to offer.”
This story was produced by a Caplin News student in conjunction with the Coconut Grove Spotlight.
