Over the years we have literally been the eyes and ears for the U. S. Coast Guard. This is because of our location in
the " Big Bend" area of Florida. The nearest two U. S. Coast Guard stations are each about 120 miles away - - the Panama City
USCG station is northwest of us and the Yankeetown USCG station, just above Crystal River, is southeast of us. As you can
see we fill what would otherwise be quite a void in the Coast Guard's coverage of the Florida coastline. Flotilla 13 has watched
over the area boaters on weekends and holidays from April through October, has always been available for search and rescue
missions at all times of the year, and operates our radio whenever the USCG's radio facility in this area is not functioning.
Two more flotillas join us in watching over the boaters in this area. They are flotilla 11 operating out of the Alligator
Point area and flotilla 12 located at the St. Marks Lighthouse.
The Shell Point Station is located at the end of Highway 367 (Shell Point Road), at the waters edge. (30° 03.479'
N, 084° 17.417' W) It is a white building set up on twenty three foot pilings. The building has a 60 seat meeting room,
two restrooms, a fully equiped kitchen, storage room, a full 360° balcony, radio room with an ocean view on three sides, elevator,
and stairs on both the north and south sides.
