Naples Blog (Part II)

Our “Three-Hour” Adventure Tour:

Spell-bounding is the only way to describe our “Birding, Wildlife, and Photography Tour”.

Why just driving to Everglade City (more like Everglade Village), alligators lined the waterways bordering Tamiami Trail (Highway 41).



Jeff, our tour guide from “Everglades Area Tours”, was simply a fountain of knowledge about the flora and fauna of this 1.5 million acre park, called Everglades National Park. He had a sixth sense for finding all the best spots and a deep understanding of how to approach each of the animal groups we were going to see.



And the park itself is really unlike most national parks in that the area was put aside not

for its particular and unique geological features but rather for its rich biological and ecological diversity.

Although the brochure says there are 10,000 islands here, it is really endowed with between 12,000 and 14,000 islands, all depending on how high the tide is that day. 

Whatever the size, it is home to over 300 species of birds and the dolphins and manatee come along for the ride.  And what a ride it was.


This was no “canned” thing. During the whole fantastic tour of discovery, we sometimes darted, pulled 180 degree turns, or lied in wait. And whatever the case, the photography always ended up being simply thrilling, especially when Jeff found his way into pods of playful dolphins.    What a day!

Meanwhile, back at our Beach!


With a glass of wine and a camera, sunsets on Barefoot Beach can be spectacular! Barefoot Beach is a county beach park near Bonita Beach just a short drive from here. It had been threatening to cloud over all afternoon but just as the sun was setting, we caught a break.

A visit to Fort Myers Beach:

Our last full day with Dave and Louise saw us heading over to Fort Myers Beach to see Mike and Louise's place. They have a beautiful place right on the beach where morning walks by the water, afternoon tennis, and all-day-long viewing of the Gulf are the order of the day. 

Linda loved the shelling!

By the way, it was here that we learned that pelicans perched in trees and that the sand from the beaches was crushed oyster shell.


We capped our evening off with a great meal at the nearby Fish House and a walk on the beach to enjoy the sunset. 

Oh, O'Sullivans! Tomorrow is Saint Patty's Day. May you both live to be 100 years, with one extra to repent. 
Thanks for the hospitality, Mike and Louise.


Saturday was our last day to share the house with Louise and Dave. What a great 2 weeks and what marvelous discoveries! Over these past 2 years, it's together that we've gotten to know this part of Florida, a place that will certainly be in our plans in the future. Thanks, guys.

Off to visit Dwight and Barb:
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It was a visit to Dwight and Barb's place in Naples last winter that opened our eyes to Naples and its fantastic possibilities. Thanks to their hospitality and thorough knowledge of Naples, we got to see the town and many of its beautiful sites in the short afternoon we spent together.



This year, they are back in Naples and our visit with them had them showing us more new places.


Their new digs on a lake are simply awesome. Every morning they wake up to this view. And the room and light in the house are exquisite.







Two new places:

Clam Pass Beach: This place is like two adventures in one. The walk or free shuttle over the three-quarter-mile long Mangrove-fringed boardwalk is a real treat and the beach

itself is a hidden jewel that few outside of Naples know of. Besides its tidal flow, mangrove lagoon, and over-all beauty, its all sand, sun, and surf.

Lunch at the Waldorf restaurant, situated on that fringe where mangroves morph into beach was delicious, affordable, and a real treat.





The Village on Venetian Bay: With its myriad upscale shops, this upscale, waterside open-air shopping district in Naples was a real glimpse into the world of the wealthy.

What I most enjoyed though was its striking location right on the Gulf and its hats. I couldn't resist and now Linda can't resist me. (As if she ever could!)



Our little Ninja Turtle

Heading out in the car one morning, Dwight noticed a fast-paced turtle crossing the road. It just happened to be the exclusive but gentle “softshell turtle”, one you find pretty well only in Florida.

Our little fellow was quite shy but I babbled to him softly and soon an elongated head with a long snorkel-like nose popped out of the carapace. Female Shoftshells can be 30 inches long and weigh 44 pounds when fully grown, the biggest in North America. However, Males seem content with on average of 14 inches.

Leo on the move again.

We called our little fella Leo. That comes from years of watching years of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with our kids.

Because he was so brave crossing the road separating his two favourite lakes, we surmised that he had to be the tactician and courageous leader of his group, just like Leonardo in TMNT, and not just a dummy crossing a road.
You go, Leo!!!!

Sylvie, our Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris):

Out for a walk, just on the edge of the Glades, we met Silvia, who was altogether too busy snacking to pay any attention to us. Sylvie did look familiar and yet her little ears and smaller dimensions left us wondering. Was she a pica or a rabbit?

In fact, she's a small cottontail you find in marshes and swamps here. Being a strong swimmer, she prefers to be close to water, and around the Everglades, that's not a problem.

Thank you!
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And now, a huge word of thanks to Barb and Dwight for their wonderful hospitality. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope you did as well. Thanks for introducing us to this marvelous little piece of paradise too. I'm sure you'll have more to show us next time.


Now we're Miami-bound:

Until next time.