Spoil island camping in Sebastian, Florida

The spoil island that Florida DEP's 2023 trail map labels for camping off Sebastian is IR9A, in the Indian River Lagoon across from Pelican Island, at 27.8046, -80.4564.

The spoil islands in the Indian River Lagoon off Sebastian were created from dredge material during construction of the Intracoastal Waterway (Florida DEP, aquatic preserve page). Only some of them allow tents. Florida DEP's guide to Segment 21 of its saltwater paddling trail says its free downloadable maps clearly identify where camping is permitted, on recreational islands, and where it is not, on conservation islands (Florida DEP Segment 21 guide). Map 3 of the segment, updated in January 2023, labels Island IR9A Camping just off the Sebastian shore (DEP Segment 21 map 3).

The list changes. DEP warns that the Spoil Island Project converts some camping spoils into bird sanctuaries and points campers to current maps or to the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves office, IRLAP, at 772-429-2995 for a current list of spoils open to primitive camping (DEP). The map sheet for the Vero Beach and Indian River Shores stretch repeats the warning: some spoil islands allow camping but some are bird sanctuaries (DEP Segment 21 map 2).

Farther south, DEP's guide notes that the IR25A primitive camp is on the south end of its spoil island (DEP), and map 2 places Primitive Campsite IR25 at 27.7013, -80.3925, below the Wabasso Causeway (DEP map 2).

Pelican Island itself is closed to landing, the marked bird sanctuary spoils across from it are to be avoided, and the few islands just north of IR9A belong to Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Florida DEP's Segment 21 guide is direct about the refuge island off Sebastian: paddlers cannot land on Pelican Island but can watch the birds from a safe distance, keeping a football field between themselves and wildlife when possible (DEP Segment 21 guide, page 3). The same page says the bird sanctuary spoils across from Pelican Island are clearly marked and should be avoided, and that the next few islands north of IR9A are part of the refuge.

The refuge rules explain why a tent does not belong there. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists Pelican Island NWR hours as sunrise to sunset, Sunday through Saturday, and counts flushing birds and luring them closer with mechanical or electronic devices as disturbance (USFWS, Pelican Island visit page). Pelican Island Proper covered 5.5 acres when it became a wilderness area in 1970 and is now roughly 3 acres because of boat wakes and sea-level rise (USFWS, Pelican Island about page).

The stakes are the lagoon's nesting birds. Florida DEP states that spoil islands support the majority of bird rookeries in the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserve system, which covers the water off Sebastian, and lists protecting bird nesting areas among its conservation work there (Florida DEP, Malabar to Vero Beach Aquatic Preserve).

Campers reach the islands off Sebastian by boat or kayak, most often from the City of Sebastian's Main Street Boat Ramp or the Yacht Club ramp on Indian River Drive.

According to the City of Sebastian, the Main Street ramp sits where Main Street meets Indian River Drive, just east of U.S. 1, and it offers trailer parking and restrooms. For a second launch the city runs a dual concrete ramp at 820 Indian River Drive just north of Riverview Park, known as the Yacht Club ramp, and more trailer parking is across the street in the city's Riverview Park parking area (City of Sebastian, Yacht Club). DEP's guide calls the boat ramp in Sebastian a nearby access point for paddlers stopping near IR9A (DEP).

Other launches on the Sebastian stretch include the Wabasso Causeway Boat Ramp, Dale Wimbrow Park and Sebastian Inlet State Park, all named as boat ramp and launch access points for the Malabar to Vero Beach Aquatic Preserve (Florida DEP). The DEP map sheet carries a disclaimer that a GPS unit is required and that paddlers should supplement the maps with NOAA charts (DEP map 3).

The trip itself is longer than it looks from Indian River Drive. The full Segment 21 route runs 23.6 miles over 2 days from SL13 to IR9A off Sebastian, and DEP warns that boat traffic on the Intracoastal Waterway can be heavy, especially on weekends and holidays (DEP Segment 21 guide, page 1). From IR25 north to IR9A the guide gives 8.4 miles, with the option of paddling the shallower west side of Pine Island to avoid most of the boat traffic (DEP).

Spoil island camping near Sebastian is primitive, under Leave No Trace principles, in an aquatic preserve with no visiting fees, protected seagrass and a fine of up to $1,000 for damaging it.

DEP's Segment 21 guide says Leave No Trace principles should be utilized for any primitive camping it describes (Florida DEP). The aquatic preserve page for the Sebastian stretch adds the rules most likely to matter on a landing: there are no fees associated with visiting, pets are allowed but should not run free in areas not designated for them, seagrass is protected within aquatic preserves, and damage to seagrass can result in a fine up to $1,000 (Florida DEP, aquatic preserve page). The same page tells boaters to avoid shallow water and raise the motor over seagrass.

Emergency numbers on the DEP guide for the Sebastian segment are 911, the Indian River County Sheriff's Office at 772-569-6700 and the FWC 24-hour wildlife emergency and boating under the influence hotline at 1-888-404-3922 (DEP). Digital Towns Market is our marketplace. Its camping and survival collection describes its range as sleep and shelter gear for the road and the campsite, for anyone outfitting a trip from Sebastian.

DEP's Segment 21 guide names Sebastian Inlet State Park, Long Point County Park and Donald MacDonald County Park as other camping choices near Sebastian.

Sebastian Inlet State Park is 3 miles north of IR9A on the eastern side of the Intracoastal Waterway; campers land opposite the boat ramp and carry or wheel a kayak about a hundred yards to a campsite, with reservations through Florida State Parks at (800) 326-3521 (DEP Segment 21 guide, page 3). The park also holds the McLarty Treasure Museum, which tells the story of the 1715 Spanish fleet wrecked nearby (DEP).

Just past the state park, Long Point County Park takes reservations at 321-952-4532, and Donald MacDonald County Park sits less than two miles up the Sebastian River (DEP Segment 21 guide, page 4). DEP's map 3 lists Donald MacDonald Park information at (772) 589-0087 and Long Point County Park at (321) 952-4532 (DEP map 3). DEP's guide describes Long Point as a campground with full amenities and Donald MacDonald as a shaded campground on the Sebastian River.

The water around the spoil islands off Sebastian is a nursery for juvenile green sea turtles, a manatee stop at IR13 and a nesting ground for the lagoon's wading birds.

DEP's guide says biologists have noted that the area between Pelican Island and Sebastian Inlet is a nursery ground for juvenile green sea turtles, and that IR13, one spoil island before IR9A, has a picnic table and a deep lagoon where manatees have been known to visit (DEP Segment 21 guide). Besides pelicans, the guide lists wood storks, anhingas, cormorants and American oystercatchers among the birds near Pelican Island.

The aquatic preserve that covers the Sebastian shore was established in 1970 and spans 28,000 acres of Brevard and Indian River counties, and DEP names fall and spring as the best seasons to visit (Florida DEP, aquatic preserve page). Its species list includes wading birds, seabirds and shorebirds, Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, West Indian manatee, green and loggerhead sea turtles, and redfish, snook and tarpon. Volunteer opportunities listed on the same page include beach and spoil island cleanups, and DEP points visitors to the Friends of the Spoil Islands website for information on visiting and camping on the spoil islands of the lagoon off Sebastian.