Shark Movie Night at Crab Island is an annual event hosted by Emerald Coast Marine featuring a boat-in Shark movie at Crab Island.
Shark Movie Night at Crab Island normally takes place in August but it can sometimes get pushed back as far as September if the weather is bad. There is still no event scheduled for 2022 but I will update here when they announce it.
This post will cover everything you need to know about the event including ways to get to Crab Island and details about this years movie selection.
About Crab Island Shark Movie Night
Emerald Coast Marine partners with the 80-foot Splashboards Media Boat for this event to show a shark themed movie on a 30-foot screen on the water. The movie is played on surround sound but you can also tune in through a designated radio station.
Bring your popcorn, drop anchor and join all your Crab Island boat neighbors for a spine-tingling night of fun, excitement and adventure.
You can bring a pool float with you and watch from the water if you are really brave. I might be too scared to do this, especially since there have been shark sightings at Crab Island but people do it. It helps that the water at Crab Island is only about 3-4 feet deep in most places depending on the tide times.
I always recommend an anchor for your floaty so you can relax without drifting. Below is the one I use but be sure and fill it with sand or free weights before you go because it’s tough to do once you get there.
The Crab Island Shark Movie Night Selection
This event features a different shark movie every year. The 2021 Crab Island movie selection was “The Shallows”, a 2016 blockbuster movie featuring Blake Lively. In 2021 they showed “The Meg”. We have yet to hear what they will choose for 2022.
Here is a Great White Shark float if you want to be especially well themed with the movie:
How to get to Crab Island for Movie Night
Crab Island is a submerged sand bar in the Choctawhatchee Bay so the only way to get there is by watercraft. Normally people go to Crab Island by boat, jet ski, kayak and paddle board but you will probably be most comfortable on a boat since this involves watching a movie.
Renting a Boat for Crab Island
If you don’t have a boat, you can rent one from one of the many watersports companies on Destin Harbor. The boat rental companies don’t typically rent boats at night, but some of them will make an exception for a Crab Island movie night.
Kayaking or Paddle Boarding to Crab Island for Shark Movie Night
Some people arrive to the Crab Island movie night by paddle board or kayak. Make sure you are an experienced paddler if you go that route. Also watch the currents and make sure it isn’t too rough on the harbor under the bridge. I do a lot of night paddling but always with another experienced paddler if I’m going out at night.
If you are kayaking or paddle boarding at night on Destin Harbor be sure to have a life vest, a light that is visible to boats, and a whistle. You are not required to wear the life vest but it must be onboard. I have been pulled over by the boat police several times at night when they were checking for these items.
It’s best to put extra lights on your kayak or paddle board since there will be a significant amount of boat traffic leaving Crab Island Movie Night.
These are a good choice to clip on board:
Join a Group Paddle for Crab Island Movie Night
Another option for getting to this event is to go on a group paddle. The Destin Paddle Club usually does an outing to Crab Island for the movie night event if you want to go with other people.
The group leaders own Wet Inc paddle board shop so you can also check with them about renting a paddle board. Join their group on Facebook for more details if you are a paddle board enthusiast.
I hope this post helps you plan the perfect night at Crab Island. The Crab Island photos in this post were provided by Emerald Coast marine. Check out their website if you need more information about this event or one of their other boating events.
Below is a video Emerald Coast Marine made with some clips of the shark movie night event:
Be sure to comment below if you have any questions or feedback. I love hearing from you and prefer to answer questions on here so my answers can help others as well. Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list so you don’t miss any posts!
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How long is the paddle from the beach to where the movie is showing?
You can’t go from the beach because it’s too dangerous to come through the east pass without a boat. You would have to paddle from somewhere on the harbor. It could take anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending where you start on the harbor