Myakka River State Park

 

Myakka State park used to be our favorite park.  We've been on the boat tour many times and the tram tour once.  Always before, we saw so many birds and animals. The only place I've ever seen a Purple Galinul was on the boat tour.  However, even though it was a warm sunny day, the wind was just howling out of the East when we visited the park yesterday.

So what we saw while on the water were white cap waves, and looking back toward the visitor center we could see the smoke cloud of the prescribed burn.  The park ranger told us they burn 10,000 acres of undergrowth in the park every year.

We did see birds and alligators, but they were all in the protected area of the boat basin where they could shelter from the wind.  My advice is if you are going to spend the $20 per person for the boat tour, choose a day when it isn't windy.

Also, if you do take the boat tour on a windy day, even if the temperature is 76 degrees, if the wind is blowing, wear a sweater!

Of course, you will see alligators in the sunny areas out of the wind.  We were told there are between 500 and 1000 alligators in the lake. And the lake isn't that big - one mile across and about 2 and a half miles long.  The weir at the end of the lake usually has multiple alligators sunning themselves also.

Since Myakka State Park is very close to Sarasota and the busy areas along the west coast of the state, it draws hordes of visitors.  Even on a weekday, we had to wait in a line of about ten cars to check in at the front gate, and barely managed to squeeze onto the first available boat tour.  And the huge air boats that used to take people out on the boat tour have been replaced with barges with two 50 horse motors, which can achieve a high speed of about 5 knots, and which can't get close to the shore like the air boats did in the past.  The feral pigs and shore birds along the banks of the lake were only visible with binoculars.

 

Fisheating Creek Outpost

 

While not a State Park, the Fisheating Creek Outpost has signs proclaiming it part of the "Great Florida Birding Trail".  A large campground along Fisheating Creek also has a camp store, washroom, and canoe rentals.

                                        Lots of canoes along the bank of the creek.

While I might be a bit anxious about jumping into a canoe in a creek that clearly has alligators, the nearness of the alligator didn't seem to disturb the little blue heron in his fishing.  We've even seen birds on an alligator's back.  The park docents say that alligators prefer food without feathers.

Oak trees can be pretty interesting - the limbs often grow horizontally instead of vertically, creating a nicely shaded picnic area.

                        Most old oak trees have many epiphytes growing on their bark.

Lake Istokpoga

 

This appears to be the main park on a very large lake just outside Sebring, Florida.  We couldn't figure out if it was a city or a county park, but it isn't a State Park and isn't listed on any of the maps we've found.  And how to pronounce it?  Not a clue.

Another well tended and nearly empty park, with restrooms, picnic pavilions, trails, boardwalks along the lake and boat ramps.  There were several trucks with empty boat trailers (most with out of state plates) in the parking lots, and we did see boats out on the lake with fishermen.

They do have rules and informational signs.  These are more about fishing rules and regulations and less about teaching.  We talked to the lone fisherman at the end of the dock, and he told us that bass and crappie were the species found on the lake.

The boardwalks and benches extend out into the lake so you can see just how large the lake is.

We did spot an alligator lying in the middle of a patch of water lilies and weeds at the edge of the lake.

Can you spot him?  There's also a little blue heron and a turtle in this picture.

Obviously the park was developed over a swampy area, because the Cypress trees can still be found in the grassy areas, and oddly Cypress knees pop up all over the open dry spaces.

Exploring SW Florida

Our grandson, Jesse, is visiting so we have been showing him all the fun places we have found here in SW Florida. 

Blind Pass on Manasota Key is a great place to look for prehistoric shark's teeth.

We always find some - even after thousands of people for many years have been collecting them.

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Lover's Key, just south of Ft Myers Beach is a wonderful State Park, where we can beachcomb on the Gulf,

or take a walk through the woods.

The variety of native plants seems endless.

He thought he was hiding in his burrow.  We saw many turtles.  Often we see Manatee in the water, sometimes alligators, always squirrels and raccoons.  The real Florida!

Flamingo Florida is kind of fun too.



Back in Florida

We decided to take it easy today after our drive from Georgia yesterday.  Dick started a new jigsaw puzzle, and is already making good progress on that.  However, the lure of the sunshine and warmth outside got us out before noon.

 Taking a little break on our walk along the bay.

One of our favorite local parks, Lemon Bay Park, has trails through the woods and along the bay.

On a warm sunny day, lots of boats are out on the bay.

Mangroves are kind of like Banyon trees - they keep sending out roots to create more Mangrove swamps. 

The Mangroves are wonderful habitat for many birds and animals.

From the raised walkways, we strolled along the bay through the Mangroves.

The Hermitage on Manasota Key

About once a month during "the season", the artists in residence at the Hermitage Artist Retreat on Manasota Key have a public event.  Last night, November 30, 2012, was one such event.

As the sun began to go down, the normal beach goers from Blind Pass Park, which is adjacent to the hermitage, began to head home,

and a crowd began to assemble on the beach in front of the hermitage.  Even with clouds, the air was warm and balmy - a perfect night to watch the sun go down while listening to poetry readings and songs.

We arrived a few minutes early, and watched a group of brown pelicans dive for fish while we waited for the program to begin.

We thoroughly enjoyed the readings by Tony Hoagland, Jeff Parker, and Rodrigo Garcia Lopes.  It was an interesting and fun way to spend an evening.  We are looking forward to the next beach reading on January 25, 2013.

Manasota Key on Dwellable

Beaches of Manasota Key

One of our favorite beaches is at Stump Pass, at the far south end of Manasota Key.

Since we are a bit ahead of "The Season", and it was cold (72 degrees) all the beaches were nearly deserted and it was easy to find a parking place in any of the beach parking areas.

We usually go to Stump Pass Park via boat, as the park is popular and crowded in January through April when we are here.  There is a nice channel in the bay behind the Key where we can park the boat and take a short walk across the island to the Gulf of Mexico.

You can see the Mangrove roots on the bay side always trying to extend the Mangrove swamp.

Englewood Beach Park is the first park after the bridge that comes onto the island from Englewood at the south end.  Shops and restaurants and seasonal rentals abound in this area.

A boardwalk along the beach connects the various areas of Englewood Beach Park.  Several walkways allow access to the sandy beaches.

The Hermitage is a retreat for professional artists, writers, painters, composers, sculptors, poets and playwrights who come from all around the country and the world to live and work for 2 to 6 week residencies.  It is located just south of Blind Pass Park on Manasota Key.

Blind Pass is one of the most popular beaches on Manasota Key. 

 Manasota Beach Park is the northernmost public beach on the Key.  A large parking lot is located just after the bridge that crosses onto the island on the north side of the road.  Boats can be put into the bay at a boat ramp on the south side of the road.

A wheelchair accessible ramp runs from the washroom facility and parking lot to the beach.

He has found about a half of a water bottle full of prehistoric sharks' teeth.  These teeth can be found on all of the beaches of Manasota Key.

This man is more serious about finding things, with a metal detector in one hand and a shark tooth sieve in the other.  You can find teeth without the scoops, but serious collectors all have the screened scoop on a long handle to make the task easier.

We even found a few shark teeth and a couple of interesting rocks.

It was just about a perfect day on the beach - not too hot, sunny and breezy, and nearly deserted.

Manasota Key on Dwellable