In past times the Bayou was open to the Gulf of Mexico and provided passage from the sound. This wildlife preserve has always been a special place… the Calusa Indians, European explorers, fishing schooners from Cuba, local fishing families, even smugglers have found this spot useful.
Each passing storm moves the sand of the beaches as it sees fit. A strip of beach closes the cut now. All that remains is a narrow tidal creek where the water floods and ebbs with the moon. A canopy of mangroves bathes the creek with cool air. Soft light filters down through the leaves and branches. At the western end the sky opens up and the creek widens briefly before ending at the spectacular Cayo Costa beach. This is a magical place… the Tunnel.