# Anclote Key

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Barrier island in Pasco County, Florida

Anclote Key Anclote Key from the air Anclote Key Location in Florida Show map of Florida Anclote Key Location in United States Show map of the United States Geography Location Gulf of Mexico Coordinates 28°11′16″N 82°50′44″W / 28.18778°N 82.84556°W / 28.18778; -82.84556 (Anclote Key) Administration United States State Florida County Pasco and Pinellas

**Anclote Key** is a [barrier island](/source/Barrier_island) off the [Gulf Coast](/source/United_States_Gulf_Coast) of the [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state) of [Florida](/source/Florida), the largest island in the Anclote Keys, located at [28°11′16″N 82°50′44″W / 28.18778°N 82.84556°W / 28.18778; -82.84556 (Anclote Key)](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Anclote_Key&params=28_11_16_N_82_50_44_W_&title=Anclote+Key) near [Tarpon Springs](/source/Tarpon_Springs%2C_Florida). Its name originates from the [Spanish](/source/Spain) term for "anchor."[1] The island is accessible only by boat and is split between [Anclote Key Preserve State Park](/source/Anclote_Key_Preserve_State_Park) and [Anclote National Wildlife Reserve](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anclote_National_Wildlife_Reserve&action=edit&redlink=1). North Anclote Bar, South Anclote Bar, and [Three Rooker Island](/source/Three_Rooker_Island) (south of Anclote Key) are part of Anclote Key Preserve State Park.[2] The island contains [mangrove](/source/Mangrove) [wetlands](/source/Wetland), coastal [pine](/source/Pine) [flatwoods](/source/Flatwoods), and [beaches](/source/Beach). A large number of [shorebirds](/source/Shorebird) nest and breed on Anclote Key and the surrounding islands. [Sand Key](/source/Sand_Key_(barrier_island)) is located nearby. Most of the island is located within [Pasco County](/source/Pasco_County%2C_Florida), while its southernmost section is in [Pinellas County](/source/Pinellas_County%2C_Florida). The island is home to the [Anclote Keys Light](/source/Anclote_Keys_Light).

Anclote Key is the northernmost barrier island on the Gulf coast of the Florida peninsula.[a] It is a [wave-dominated](/source/Barrier_island#Wave-dominated) barrier island, 3 miles (4.8 km) long, with tidal channels at each end. A [mangrove](/source/Mangrove) forest extends along the landward side of the island. [Radiocarbon dating](/source/Radiocarbon_dating) indicates that the island has existed for about 1,200 to 1,500 years. Sand [dunes](/source/Dune) up to 10 feet (3.0 m) tall occur on the island. Anclote Key has lengthened considerably since 1960, especially on the northern end. This growth has blocked the channel at the north end of the island.[3]

In the 1990s [sand bars](/source/Shoal) developed off both the north and south ends of the island, blocking the shallow tidal channels there. Both shoals grew and emerged above water. The new islands are now vegetated, and are known as North Anclote Bar and South Anclote Bar, respectively. The area around Anclote Key had little sand available for deposition on shoals and barriers in the middle of the 20th century. There was sand on the Gulf bottom, but it was anchored by beds of [seagrass](/source/Seagrass) that extended almost up to the [surf zone](/source/Surf_zone). In, or shortly after, 1960, the sea grass disappeared, and the bottom sand became available for transportation by wave and current action, providing material for those islands.[4]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** The 350 kilometres (220 mi) long [Big Bend Coast](/source/Big_Bend_Coast), stretching north from Anclote Key to the mouth of the [Ocklockonee River](/source/Ocklockonee_River) in the [Florida Panhandle](/source/Florida_Panhandle), does not have any barrier islands.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-AncloteLight_1-0)** Anclote Key Lighthouse Page. ["History"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110928065738/http://www.anclotekey.com/history.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.anclotekey.com/history.html) on 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2008-02-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Anclote Key Preserve State Park"](https://www.floridastateparks.org/Anclote-Key). *Florida State Parks*. Retrieved 2023-07-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Davis (2016), pp. 49, 51–56

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Davis (2016), pp. 11–12, 53–54, 55–56

## Sources

- Davis, Richard A. Jr. (2016). *Barrier Islands of the Florida Gulf Coast Peninsula*. Sarasota, Florida: [Pineapple Press](/source/Pineapple_Press). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-56164-8085](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-56164-8085).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Anclote Key (Florida)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Anclote_Key_(Florida)).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Anclote Key](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anclote_Key) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anclote_Key?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.