Getting there is as easy as finding hwy 44 on a map and following it west. Once you get into town you can find several boat ramps, but we usually go to the ramp at Fort Island Trail Park. When you get to the intersection of 44 and 19 turn left and go about a mile to Fort Island Trail rd. Turn right and go five miles, then turn right into the park. This is a county park with a public boat ramp and plenty of parking. it does get busy on the weekend so as an alternate we will go north on 19 to the Days Inn motel which has a boat ramp for a $5.00 fee. Sometimes it is worth every penny! These are the ramps we use, so we can't really give advice on the other area ramps.
We usually get there early and head out into the Gulf to the "scallop grounds". The first time we went scalloping, we asked where to go and were told to head out to channel marker #1 and head due south until you see all the boats. We thought that was crazy until we actually saw all the boats, it looked like a darn parking lot out there. If you decide to try scalloping, make sure you get a fishing license, and adhere to the "bag" limits. Also, keep an eye on the afternoon thunderstorms. They can come up quicker than you think.
All you need to catch scallops is a mask, fins, snorkel,some kind of bag to hold your catch,and a dive flag. We keep a five gallon bucket marked at two gallons so we can measure our catch. We also have a cooler full of ice to keep the little boogers fresh. We found out last year that if you don't let water gather in the cooler the scallops will open up a little making cleaning them a whole lot easier.
If you get a good "mess" of scallops, someone(dad usually) has to clean them. I know of two methods, using a spoon to pry them open then scoop the "guts" out is what I do. The other is using a spoon to pry them open, then using a SMALL shop vac to suck all the stuff out leaving the meat. I had to throw away a perfectly good shop vac doing it that way, so good luck if that's what you try. Once they are cleaned it's time to rinse them off and cook them, you're on your own here because we cook them in butter as we get a hand full cleaned and ready so we rarely have any left for a recipe.
If you are not in the mood to scallop, or when you are done and want to rinse the salt out of your gear, head to the spring in the bay. It's also easy to find because it usually has it's fair share of boats around the boil. If you scuba dive you should try King's Spring just to say you've done it. Even if all you do is swim and snorkel, the spring is still a great place to visit.
Another great way to explore Crystal Bay is to rent a kayak. We did this and saw things you just don't get to see any other way. The water is clear and the marine life is plentiful, and there is almost always manatees around. Just be careful around them, we don't need any more bad press because of an accident with a boat and manatee.
Have fun, be careful,and I hope to see ya out there.
