Seahorse Key Open Houses

The October Open House, the first since the hurricane, attracted fewer visitors than usual. The trail down to the beach side of the island was destroyed and the cliff further eroded, making it necessary to build a longer new trail that is more difficult to walk.

Approaching the island on the foggy morning of the October open House.

Refuge Manager Andrew Gude arriving at the dock.

It is a healthy climb up to the light station.

A view of the beach from the top of the hill above it.

The next Open House will happen as scheduled on Friday, November 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The "rain date" is Saturday November 11.

Visitors can climb to the Light Station and walk around the building. They cannot climb up to the light.

The trail to the beach, on the back side of the island, was destroyed by the hurricane. Refuge staff have built a longer new trail to avoid the erosion caused by the hurricane. It is not as easy as it was to get to the beach, but hardy souls can explore as they did during the October Open House last week.

It is a lovely boat ride out to the island and a delightful way to spend a day on the Cedar Keys Refuge.  Visitors can arrive at the island in their personal boats or pay for a shuttle service from the dock in Cedar Key. The shuttle is a good way to help the tour operators in their hurricane recovery.

Thanks to Friends' member Ann Kamzelski for the photos which she took while volunteering at the October Open House.

It is important for visitors to note that Seahorse Key is an island almost 3 miles from Cedar Key. Access is only by boat. There are no amenities, such as food or water on the island. Restroom facilities are limited. 

Should there be a medical or other emergency requiring professional assistance or evacuation, response times could be lengthy.

Please plan with this in mind. Seahorse Key is wonderful, but it is not a walk in the proverbial park.