Jan
20
Written by:
chris
1/20/2008
Caladesi Island - the real Florida
As the sign says: Caladesi Island is the real Florida. Although it’s just a few minutes north of the buzz of Clearwater Beach, this State Park could be a million miles away. It’s accessible only by ferry from Honeymoon Island and the 20 minute boat trip transitions me to a world of mangrove swamps, hiking trails, and some of the most pristine beaches anywhere in the US. I spent the day with Carl, a Park Ranger who has been on the island over 20 years. Together we explored the trails, spotted tortoise, armadillo and ospreys. To my disappointment we couldn’t find one of the rattlesnakes that are common on the island. Then after a bite to eat at the little café, we took to the water to explore the tidal mangrove trails in a couple of kayaks. These arced tunnels vein the eastern side of the island and are a unique way to get up close and personal to the mangrove ecosystem. With a four hour maximum stay, my visit comes to an end much too soon, but I have been privileged to see this “real Florida”.
St Petersburg / Clearwater Sunsets
And ah!........those sunsets. One of the reasons why many Florida aficionados prefer the Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Coast are the spectacular sunsets every evening over the Gulf of Mexico.
Segways and Electric Boats
There’s some interesting ways to of seeing St Petersburg / Clearwater sights by land and water. For a sedate but fun way of touring down town St Petersburg / Clearwater I took a Segway Tour on an environmentally friendly two-wheeler. It takes a few minutes to master and then we were off on a guided route around the downtown neighbourhoods. Continuing the Green theme I then hired an electric boat and spent a leisurely and peaceful hour cruising the harbour amidst impressive yachts and around the inverted pyramid of The Pier, St Petersburg’s iconic landmark.
Tarpon Springs
No visit to the St Petersburg / Clearwater region would be complete without traveling to Greece…… at least the little bit of Greece called Tarpon Springs that is just a half hour north of Clearwater. Greek sponge divers came together a hundred years ago to form this fascinating community which developed into the world’s largest sponge industry. I took a cruise from the Sponge Docks on the Anclote River and watched as a young diver brought the valuable sponges to the surface from the depths below, using old- style diving suits. A massive and delicious Greek meal capped off the trip and a Tarpon Springs sponge now sites atop my bathtub at home.