On a sunny February morning, the blue-green flats of Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve are calm, clear and shimmering with light, waters like stained glass encircling a small island that locals call “Paradise.”
From above, the island is a splotch of green brush and white sand just south of Interstate 275.
From ground level, it’s a world of its own. Tiny crabs skitter the shoreline. Oysters dangle on mangrove roots. Seabirds dive shallow waters inhabited by fish and sea turtles.
Despite its proximity to the highway, this pocket of Tampa Bay has a quiet calm that makes it feel removed from urban Florida — an atmosphere that attracts wildlife and nature-seekers.
But some worry that could soon change.
Two companies, SSA Marine and Slip Knott LLC, are proposing to build a new cruise terminal on this untouched landscape to accommodate megaships incapable of passing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
The companies have pitched the preservation of Rattlesnake Key, which SSA Marine now owns, as a conservation tradeoff ahead of their plans to develop the Knott-Cowen Tract into a central hub of cruise port activity.
While details are so far slim, their plans also show Paradise Island and Skeet Key within the footprint of the project, which would require significant dredging and development in the area. The owner of nearby Ed’s Key also recently proposed developing a resort there to complement the cruise port.
But many locals want to see the entire area — including its islands, wetlands and shallow bay flats — left untouched.
Just offshore Paradise Island, a recently placed sign reflects that sentiment, reading simply: “NO CRUISE PORT.”
What could a cruise port change? Here’s a closer look at the area as it exists today.
A sign that reads “No cruise port” stands offshore Paradise Island, near where Tampa Bay meets the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve. The island lies within sight of the Knott-Cowen Tract, a coastal property southeast of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge where two companies propose to build a new cruise port terminal. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Paradise Island near Rattlesnake Key on Feb. 9, 2026. The shallow waters of Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve would require extensive dredging to allow cruise ships to navigate the area. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
The Knott-Cowen tract on Feb. 9, 2026. SSA Marine and Slip Knott LLC say they want to create a docking place here for some of the world’s largest cruise ships, creating the first port of its kind on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Looking south from Paradise Island towards Skeet Key on Feb. 9, 2026. State agencies and local experts say that the undeveloped area is a haven for a bounty of wildlife, including rare, endangered and commercially important species. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Paradise Island with Knott-Cowen beyond on Feb. 9, 2026. This coastal area of Manatee County is a popular spot for fishing, boating, kayaking and wildlife watching. Local anglers, conservationists and outdoors enthusiasts are among those concerned about how a cruise port could disturb the area. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Paradise Island on Feb. 9, 2026. Experts say that the dredging required for a cruise port could impact water clarity and tidal flow in the area, potentially lowering water quality. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Small shells found in the sand of Paradise Island on Feb. 9, 2026. The Terra Ceia area is a hotspot for fossils and archaeological research. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
From Paradise Island towards the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on Feb. 9, 2026. A proposed cruise port terminal would bring passengers ashore just south of Interstate 275 on the Manatee County side of the bridge, according to plans filed by Slip Knott LLC. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
From Paradise Island looking toward Skeet Key on Feb. 9, 2026. Mangroves, which provide forage for manatees, shelter for fish and coastal storm resiliency benefits, are a dominant species in Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Looking south towards Skeet Key, Eds Key and Rattlesnake Key on Feb. 9, 2026. SSA Marine has promised to conserve Rattlesnake Key, but wants to develop other parts of the area to create a new cruise port. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Knott Cowen tract on left on Feb. 9, 2026. State lawmakers who represent Manatee County are among those who have criticized the cruise port plans, and a bill recently passed in the Florida Senate aims to block dredging in the area. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Paradise Island near Rattlesnake Key on Feb. 9, 2026. Slip Knott LLC filed paperwork with Manatee County Government to build a cruise port on its land adjacent to Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
“No cruise port” sign at Paradise Island near the Knott-Cowen tract on Feb. 9, 2026. Local residents and organizations have launched petitions, staged protests and spoken at county commission meetings in opposition to the cruise port plans. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 5:50 AM.
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Ryan Ballogg is a local news and environment reporter and features writer at the Bradenton Herald. His work has received awards from the Florida Society of News Editors and the Florida Press Club. Ryan is a Florida native and graduate of USF St. Petersburg.Support my work with a digital subscription
