Packing the park on a sunny day

PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL — A queue of cars formed at the entrance to St. Andrews State Park on Sunday afternoon. Despite miles of free and fair beach nearby, amidst worst recession in decades, the state park remains a hot attraction.
   
“We took 919 people out Wednesday. That is the single largest day we’ve ever had,” said Tre Wise, St. Andrews State Park marine operations manager and captain of the pontoon shuttle that takes travelers to the popular Shell Island.
   
Wise, a sandy-haired, tan man beneath a visor and sunglasses, said it was a combination of beauty and recreation that draws people to the island.
   
“This weekend, we carried over 3,000 people to that island,” said Wise, steering the pontoon boat. “This has been the busiest year we have ever had. There is just so much to do.”
   
A record 21.4 million people visited the 160 state parks in Florida last year, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Of those, 910,000 visited St. Andrews, making it the second most visited state park in Florida during the last fiscal year, behind Honeymoon Island in Dunedin.
   
As the pontoon boat slowed toward the 7-mile-long island on a glorious day, a whirl of activity engulfed St. Andrews Pass.
   
Kayaks, sails, fisherman and snorkelers decorated the landscape. A pair of shirtless men piloting motor boats sped by. On another boat, three women sat atop a bow in black bikinis; they saluted, with beers in hand, the pontoon as it moved past. In an inlet of shallow water, several children shimmied back and forth, searching for sand dollars with their feet.
   
Nearby a woman and two young boys are casting a net in water so warm it could nearly boil an egg. They are catching bait, the woman said; the king mackerel are biting.
   
“It’s just beautiful; it’s just a nice little get away,” said Tony Bozeman, on vacation from Greenville, Ala., with his wife and two children.
   
Bozeman, 38, sat in the sand, building a castle with his 9-year-old son, Baker, and 3-year-old daughter Madden, who proudly noted she caught four crabs on the trip.
   
Bozeman said it cost the family $46 for the day, something he thought was reasonable for the pristine waters and ubiquitous sea shells, which his wife jokes are dumped in by the state to attract tourists.
   
“I think everyone needs to try (Shell Island) at least once,” said Bozeman, doing his best to keep Madden’s fingers out of the castle, which she seemed to take for a birthday cake.
   
Jeff Haley, 43, stood with a pair of boogie-boards under his arm, waiting for the return of the pontoon while his 10-year-old son, Chase, fished for seashells. Haley said he and his son got to Shell Island for less than $25.
   
“It’s worth that just to be able to go on the boat ride,” said Haley, who said he has been to the island before and praised its surf.
   
The sun had dipped lower in the horizon as the pontoon sped back to pick up another large group read to return. Several people on vacation began to discuss where they would dine that night. One man contemplated what kind of steak he would order, but couldn’t decide.
   
“Man, life is good,” he said, as people began to board the boat.