On the western end of the bay with the town of Hillsborough there is a tiny island called Sandy Island. It is less than half a mile off the main island and the entire island can not be more than a quarter mile long and a couple hundred feet wide. So, why do so many people make a big deal about it?
Well the simple answer is because it is AWESOME!!!!
Sandy Island is exactly what the name implies, sandy. It is a low sand bar and you can pick up a mooring between it and the main island, which I was surprised how calm the anchorage was given how exposed it seems. Once you swim ashore you will find picture perfect sandy beach curving in front of you. Once you walk over the 7-10 foot high sand bank you will find something I have rarely seen on a sand bar…..several small lagoons.
Can you see the footprints in the silt?
One of the lagoons was so calm and perfect that you could see heron foot prints in the silt on the bottom of the pond. I also saw the trail of conch and hermit crabs. It was one of those very little things that made the trip even better, but you had to be there to really understand how much I like the tracks. ???? Another lagoon was really cool because it was long and narrow and curved with the rest of the island. It kind of gave Sandy Island a mysterious feel for a bit.
In the middle of the island there is a stand of palm trees and a local guy has placed a few picnic tables for when he entertains cruisers and charters with a beach side BBQ on Thursday nights.
