TRAVEL COLUMN

On our first day of no rain, with sunshine when we got to the coast, we ventured south of Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico. The Tampa Electric Company (TECO) has established a sanctuary for manatees. As a byproduct of generating the electricity, TECO discharges vast quantities of hot, clean water into an estuary of the Gulf, which is adjacent to the power plant. During the colder months, manatees are drawn here for the warmth. The waters are about 87F.

This is a very family oriented activity. Parking and entry to the park are free. There is a very nice observation deck area, with a cart manned by very knowledgeable staff who provide information on the manatees It was very pleasant chatting with these ladies and my takeaway was that manatee bones are very heavy.

Also known as sea cows, they offered a comparison between a cow and manatee bones. The manatee’s bones were significantly heavier, which helps to keep them submerged. They can sleep on the bottom of their habitat for up to 2 hours Viewed from the deck, manatees strongly resemble a very large, floating baked potato

Hours at the site are from 10 am to 4 pm. Even though it as during the week, it was a pretty busy place. The park also offers very scenic trails and an observation tower, with 78 stairs to the top! Views of the Gulf are great from here.

Next up was the Myakka River State Park. Just over an hour southwest of us, it was a great drive through flat, palm tree covered plains, bordering on being swamps. During the drive, we spotted huge hearts of cattle, which is a big industry in Florida there are huge herds filling fields during the drive. The park was easy to find using google maps.

The entry fee is $6 per car, not per person so it’s good value and easy on the budget. The park offers camping and day activities. Day activities include a boat tour of Myakka Lake with an up close look at alligators, turtles and birds The park also has a tram tour, bird walk and a canopy walk It was the first day for the boat tour and we were excited to be going. The tram tour wasn’t running, because it was the driver’s day off.

The cost of the boat tour is $22 per person but for a guided trip of just over an hour, it is still a good deal.

Myakka Lake is very shallow 2-3 feet in most places, with the centre coming in at about 8 feet The boat has no propeller; it is jet propelled and the ‘gators seem to enjoy lounging in the water jet In the dry season, you can walk out in the muck and fish in the middle of the lake. The lake has an abundance of Tilapia and there are no limits on what you can take. It’s considered an invasive species.

Another invasive species are the wild hogs (pigs). These animals are capable of decimating extensive areas leaving the land looking like it’s been bulldozed.

Of course you may have to share your catch with locals (alligators) Humans are the biggest predators of alligators and generally, unless they feel threatened, they will keep their distance. Surprisingly, they can jump the length of their bodies. This can be up to 13 feet!

There was a small food truck for lunch. The main cafe is still under renovation from hurricane Ian in 2022. The weather was perfect for this and we ate lunch at a picnic table across the channel from gators and turtles After lunch it was off to the canopy walk

Built in 2000, the Myakka Canopy walkway is suspended 25 ft in the air, with a 75 ft tower at one end and a lower one at the other. You climb up the shorter tower and after travelling the walkway, you can choose to go up the taller one or back down to the ground I chose to go to the top. The view is spectacular! The weather was clear, with a sun cloud mix This also made for great reflection pictures of the river.

…..to be continued next week, stay tuned!