A Beautiful Day on the Water

Yesterday my wife and our friends joined me for a full day exploring the Venice, Laurel and Nokomis waterways. Our morning started at 9 AM with a cool breeze and a little chill in the air, but by the time we reached the late morning, the weather warmed up beautifully and created the perfect conditions for cruising.

We entered the Venice Inlet and explored about 2 miles north and 6 miles south, including a scenic route through Lyons Channel 1 mile long. Along the east side of Snake Island, we visited three amazing bays: Lyons Bay, Dona Bay, and Roberts Bay, each offering different landscapes, waterways, and waterfront homes.

Venice Inlet, you must not miss that, to get in opens blue waters of Gulf. Venice Inlet before 1937 was known as Casey’s Pass after Venice Jetties was constructed to protect Pass close by mother nature.

This area always feels unique, especially when seen from the water and from above. Most of my pictures were taken on the sunny side to capture that bright coastal light.

Experiencing Snake Island From Above

During this trip, I also included drone footage overlooking Snake Island. From the sky, you really understand how this island sits like a natural gem right between Venice, Laurel, Nokomis and Gulf of America.

Snake Island was originally the southern tip of a peninsula called Turner Key. In the early 1900s, maps referred to this general area as “Rattlesnake Island”. When the Army Corps of Engineers dredged the Intracoastal Waterway in the 1960s to create a channel, it cut the original landmass in two, creating the smaller public beach area known today as Snake Island.

The views allow you to see the layout of the waterways, boats, docks, and coastal homes — a beautiful mix of nature and Florida coastal living. It was a wonderful and educational cruise, both for my friends and also for myself.

Afternoon Adventure: Casperson Wild Beach

Later in the day, with about 2–3 hours left before sunset, we made a spontaneous decision to continue our adventure to Caspersen Wild Beach. We left Snake Island and headed through the calm South Venice waterways toward Lemon Bay Channel, 30 minutes down the channel and 6 miles from Venice Bay, we arrive at Pavel’s Secret Spot, which until October 2024 was a hidden part of Caspersen Wild Beach and one of my favorite places: Caspersen Laguna.

Pavel’s Secret Spot – A Hidden Gem Transformed

This spot has always been one of those quiet treasures I preferred to share only with special guests—nothing more. But after Hurricane Milton, everything changed. The storm caused heavy damage, clearing the vegetation and opening the shoreline directly toward Lemon Bay Channel. What was once a secluded hideaway is now a wide, sandy beach that anyone passing by can recognize.

Before the disaster in October 2024, this place was sheltered by trees, palms, and thick coastal shrubs. It felt private, almost untouched. Now, the landscape is completely transformed, but there’s still something special about visiting a place shaped by nature’s power and renewal.

The water turns beautifully clear near the laguna, and the shoreline is peaceful and untouched. We spent a little more than an hour walking along the super clean, fine sand shoreline.

We were lucky to find a few shark teeth because the tide was too high – a classic surprise for Caspersen Beach today!

From there we walked back through the palm tree area, which unfortunately was heavily damaged by Hurricane Milton, but still beautiful in its natural way and recovering step by step.

End of the Day

The sun started dropping behind the Gulf of America and created the perfect golden light to finish our day. It was the kind of afternoon that gently slows time down — peaceful, natural, and beautifully quiet.

This full adventure became another wonderful memory and reminded us once again how rich and diverse the Venice – Laurel – Nokomis – Caspersen Beach area is for discovering new places every day if the weather allow me do that!

🔹 Pavel’s Clips on YouTube

• • Lyons Bay & Channel, Nokomis, FL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3oi5ySI1q0
  • Venice, Lauren & Nokomis Waterways: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ofKgv8JXoM
  • Snake Island Drone Views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIFQRIYh9lc
  • Caspersen Beach & Laguna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg4v6mvSLgY
  • Pavel’s Secret Spot Before Milton and more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAvks-0pZso

Written by Captain Pavel Florida Gulf Discovery – Private Boat Tours, Wildlife Watching & Coastal Adventures & Discovery  www.FloridaGulfDiscovery.com

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