Thlapachatchee Island is an overgrown sandbar near the mouth of Shingle Creek
About the Island
This very small island is my favorite part of Shingle Creek. Shingle Creek was named for a shingle and lath mill operated by the Prescott family in the 1880’s. The Indian name of this stream, Thlapachatchee Creek, meant “fallen enemy creek.”
I have been told by an old-timer that when he was a young boy growing up in Kissimmee an African-American hermit lived on this island. He grew his own vegetables and caught fish out of the creek. The island is also known by locals as hermit island.
About the Cache
The cache is a disposable plastic container in a black plastic bag. A few cheap items are there; please use, but don’t take the camera.
Where to launch your boat
One place to put in and then navigate to the island is a fish camp near the south end of Kings Highway N28°15.741' W81°23.063' they will charge $1 to launch your boat.
You can also put in for free at a public park near downtown Kissimmee at N28°17.295' W81°24.393'. This is a very good deep ramp but you may have to follow the channel to the east side of the lake and then track back west on the north side of the island if the water level is low.
Kayaks that don’t need a ramp have two more choices:
If you don’t mind parking on the side of the road I would put in on the southeast corner of 17-92 and shingle creek. This is not a public access point but many people stop there to fish and I have never seen any signs that say you can’t stop there. It will take about 30-40 minutes to get to the island at the mouth of the creek and then you have about a mile of open water paddling to get to Makinson Island . The creek is usually slow moving and very scenic. If you don't want to park on the road then you can put in up stream at Harbor Oaks Marina & Campsites 3605 Marsh Rd, 34746 Phone: (407) 846-1321. If we have had a lot of rain the creek can be very fast and I would then put in at one of the boat ramps.
Other places of intrest
Thlapachatchee Island is the sister cache to Makinson Island (Florida) You should be able to do both at the same time if you have a boat.
100 miles north
The Swimming Hole
is a virtual cache we did in North Florida (no boat required).