Above, a look from one of the paths down one of the waterways that run through Little Gasparilla Island.
homes can be rented at some point during the
year. Golf cart paths wind through tropical foliage
and stilt homes; roads created through the path of
least resistance. Many of the golf carts have lift kits,
as the island thoroughfares can fl ood during the
rainy season.
The golf cart paths on the island have names
such as Peacock Lane, Jolly Roger Trail, Rum Runner
Road, Pieces of Eight Trail and Privateer Road. The
“main” road is called Grande Avenue. Some of the
paths cross through private property, but it’s almost
impossible to tell until you’re in someone’s driveway.
If you end up on the wrong path someone
might correct you, but usually there’s no issue.
Most of the houses on the island have names,
and proudly display them. The Pineapple House, Big
Blue, Salty Air Retreat, those are just a few of the
monikers given to island homes. The architectural
styles range from mobile homes to quite large and
impressive homes on stilts. They are all diverse, to
be sure.
It isn’t unusual to hear someone describe their
beach cottage as “the house just two off the beach
… but it used to be three off the beach.” LGI has
some erosion issues, and many of the old cottages
have been lost to the surf.
In fact, the island lost one of its most iconic island
beach houses, once fondly called “The Pink House,”
during Hurricane Irma. One day it stood proudly
on the beach, so close to the waterline that its
front stilt legs were usually in the surf … the next
day, the only thing left was some debris and the
bases of pilings. It had been built in the 1950s and
had withstood some very bad storms – from
Donna in the 1960s and Charley in 2004 – but
the winds and tide that came with Irma were the
demise of the pink lady.
Little Gasparilla Island may be one of the only
places left where you can catch a glimpse of the
simple, laid back lifestyle that many people can only
long for now. Diversions from nature are few and
far between, short of a good book or a game of
cards. Families still play board games at night, and
take nightly walks to the beach or golf cart rides
along the path to see their neighbors and catch
up on local gossip. Shoes are not required, but a
relaxed attitude and a quiet mind are.
46 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE November/December 2019
Signs of community on this tiny island
include bulletin boards placed at the
intersections of prominent paths.