Tuesday, January 29

Sharon talking with our tour guide, Randy

This morning Sharon and I were out of the house by 8:45 and headed to the Rookery Bay boat launch for our kayak tour. (Well we were heading out but it was closer to 8:55 by the time we actually got to the car with all of our stuff!)  We arrived at the launch site and met our guide, Randy, who assigned us to our kayak and fitted us with our life vests.  Randy also had a volunteer to help and there were also two women who were also volunteers that were observing the tour.  I think there were 7 of us that had paid for the tour.  Once we hit the water we were given some basic paddling instructions before we headed out to the bay.  The Rookery Bay Preserve is 110,000 acres of native habitats including pristine mangrove forest, uplands and protected waters. We only saw a very small part of the preserve but what we saw was quite impressive.  Our tour was 2 hours with the first hour going out with the wind to our back.  Coming back was a bit more work paddling into the wind and going against the current.  But we both really enjoyed the trip.

Paddling instructions

Heading out into open water

Entering the mangrove forest

After lunch we took Betty and Andy with us and went back to visit the Rookery Bay Learning Center.  It was a state-of-the-art visitors center with great hands on exhibits, lots of aquariums with local fish and a theater with an ongoing video showing the preserve.  Sharon and I did the Snail Trail, a short 1/2 mile trail through a scenic upland habitat next to Henderson Creek.  Andy and Betty found some comfy rocking chairs in the learning center and said they would wait for us.  To our surprise, as we were getting back we were met on the bridge by our companions.  Betty told Andy they should go take a walk on water.  So they walked across the bridge at the beginning of the trail.

Rookery Bay Learning Center

A Polka Dot Batfish (10X larger than life)

Another oversized exhibit showing the use of the curved bills of several birds in the area 

Kayaks:  Past and Present

The Observation Deck

The board walk over Henderson Creek

Henderson Creek

After we left the learning center we decided to have dinner at Mel's Diner again and try one more time to see a good sunset at the beach.  Dinner was a good one again and this time our sunset was better but it was a little cooler and windier.  We are watching the Buckeyes back at the condo.  The score is a pathetic 24-24 against the Wisconsin Badgers.  GO BUCKS!!

Sanderlings on the beach

Naples Beach at the end of 7th Avenue