Discover your own new world exploring offshore islands and sandbars.

Who hasn’t dreamed of their own private tropical island? The good news is, as long as you don’t mind not holding the deed, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of coastal islands and sandbars that are uninhabited and easily accessible with the right kind of boat. With the unpredictability of weather and the daily changes from tidal erosion, what is dry land today may be gone tomorrow, giving the term “once-in-a-lifetime” real meaning.

Twelve miles west of Key West, adjacent to the small island Boca Grande, lies Sandbar Wilma. This narrow strip of land, “named” by locals for the hurricane that created it in October 2005, is perhaps 400 yards long, with a maximum altitude of maybe two feet. Boca Grande has long been a favorite destination of day-trippers in the Lower Keys, favored for the smooth beach on its western side, but the sandbar is perhaps a better stop. Protected from the prevailing westerly winds and currents, a calm, shallow basin has formed, providing a safe place for swimming and wading. Fishing is good also, either casting into the channel between the sandbar and Boca Grande or simply wading the shallows. Given its location, facing the wind and current from the west as well as from the channel, Sandbar Wilma may not be around long. But for now, it’s a tiny tropical island, beautiful and idyllic—a perfect combination of sun and water.

The Florida Keys are, by definition, a collection of small, idyllic tropical islands. Offshore sandbars preferred by the locals are found all down the coast, from south of Biscayne Bay to the end of the islands. One of the most popular is at Whale Harbor, just west of Islamorada. Low tide will bring out boats by the dozen, with boaters partying in the shallow waters. Further down the Keys, another option is Newfound Harbor, a prime jumping-off spot for snorkeling at Looe Key. And, closer to Miami, Elliot Key is just south of Key Biscayne.

Finding your own “private” island might not be as hard as you think. Thanks to readily available and detailed satellite imagery, anyone with internet access can start hunting today. Google and Mapquest, as well as others, incorporate satellite images into their mapping features. Google’s free program, Google Earth, offers hi-res photos of the entire planet, to browse or search at your leisure. View close-up photos of coastline pretty much anywhere and find a secluded spot to call yours. The only caveat is that sometimes the images can be a year or more old. Plan your itinerary and call a local guide service for more information—they’re usually friendly and helpful. There is no “right” boat for island exploration, but for close-in day trips like Sandbar Wilma, a 15- to 25-foot, shallow-draft, outboard-powered boat will do very well. The Florida Keys and Bay of Florida, in particular, are known for their very shallow waters. The Sea Chaser Bay Runner series (the 23-ft BRX model, shown here) is ideal, with a draft of only 12 to 16 inches. Any Carolina Skiff model will work well, as maximum draft for even the largest model doesn’t exceed eight inches.

Helpful accessories for plying these waters include a hydraulic jackplate (elevates the engine while leaving the prop touching the water), a T-Top (to escape the sun), a walk-in console with porta-potty, and of course, a GPS chartplotter with mapping and coastal navigation charts built in. Beyond that, your adventure is yours to create. Just don’t forget the sunscreen.

Other Private Island Destinations:

Florida's The Ten Thousand Islands: Hundreds of mangrove islands that extend northward from the northwest corner of Everglades National Park. These uninhabited islands stretch for 60-miles along the Gulf Coast.

Anclote Keys: Explore uninhabited islands, deserted fish houses and lonely sandbanks in the beautiful chain of islands called Anclote Keys, No noisy engines, no crowds, only one hour from Tampa, FL

Island Hopping in the Outer Banks of North Caorlina: Amongst the southern Outer Banks' barrier isles, stand unscathed, remote islands for visitors to explore.

Masonboro Island: The largest undisturbed barrier island along the southern part of the North Carolina coast is Masonboro Island. Just beyond the south end of Wrightsville Beach lies Masonboro Inlet, across which lies this undeveloped barrier island.