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| Find the dolphin? |
Collier Seminole State Park is an old, OLD state park. Remember our last visit here? We wrote about the HUGE black “walking”
crane that was built in Grand Rapids Michigan and was used to dig the miles and
miles of deep, wide canals that were dug for the fill dirt to build the Tamiami
Trail as it crossed the swampy Everglades.
The crane is still there – welcoming visitors to the park. The boat ramp and picnic area seems to be
the newest and best-kept space with shelter covered picnic tables and spacious parking
lot. The cement boat launch and
adjoining canoe/kayak launch are used a lot. Except by one particular couple
from Ohio – we watched them unload their armload of canoe gear and head to the
stack of up-upside down canoes. Just about the same time, we noticed a slim
dark shape slither into the water and move away from the shoreline. After a very short “discussion” – they
gathered their gear and returned to their car.
A teeny, tiny, 4-foot alligator kept them from a sunny afternoon
exploring the waterway? Sheesh!
While the boat area was welcoming, the campground was still
overcrowded. There were at least 6-8
campsites squeezed into an area that would be considered one at EG
Simmons! Luckily we had a corner
site! The “facilities”, while clean,
were slipping in their conditions. And
the dump station stunk!! But - - we were near to the beaches on Marco
Island and Naples! On Marco Island we
found our parking spot at the hotel complex where we’ve parked in the
past. This year there was an attendant
and we just told him that we were going to “Stilts” the bar and grill there on
the beach. We strolled thru the open
bar seating area and calmly opened the gate leading over the dune to the
sprawling white sand beach. The beach
was full of sun worshipers from the north, piles and piles of white shells and
a splattering of Fighting Conch Shells.
I tried my best to only gather the empty ones but I must confess – some
that were still occupied ended up in my bag.
Besides all the beach walkers and sunbathers we passed a mammoth flock
of “bad haired” terns with their
windswept look of black head feathers. Another group of strange looking birds
sat huddled in the soft sand. There
were hundreds of Black Skimmers - strange looking birds that have red bills
that are tipped in black. Their lower
beak is longer than their top beak.
Too bad that H forgot to bring his camera. In Naples we found the fishing pier but the parking spot we
located was at least a half-mile up the beach.
We needed the walk and it was a beautiful afternoon.
A pallet of bright colored beach umbrellas
populated the white sand, along with a plethora of even more sun worshipers -
all facing the brilliance of the hot sun.
The fishing pier stretched far out in the gulf, over ever deepening
shades of aqua blue water.
It was lined
with hopeful fishermen and several dolphins danced and dove all around the long
wooden path. Pelicans floated near the
collection of bobbers, hoping for a bit of a snack. Up on the roof of the shelter was a lone “bad hair” Tern who
didn’t seem concerned about all the folks passing so close to his perch on
high.
