While Phipps Park and the surrounding areas are not new to
us – H always manages to find new places for us to explore and learn
about. But first we had to test our
little bikes - across the wooden
bridge and on the grassy path on the small
island in the middle of the pond that is also in this park. H even found an alligator hiding in plain
sight and a small blue heron stalking his next meal. Past the pond, at the end of the park is the boat launch, which
is conveniently located in the shade of the turnpike bridge.
The Atlantic coast is lined with barrier islands and dotted
with expansive beaches - between all the massive mansions and
conglomerates of
high-rise condos. Hutchinson Island
stretches from Stuart and has the “refuge” with its New England looking rocky
shoreline at the southern end and the Ft Pierce Inlet Jetty and beach on the
northern end. The pelicans still sit
and preen and wait for a fisherman to catch fish for them to swipe!
To the south is Jupiter Inlet and Jetty! It was our first time to visit and explore
this delightful park with plenty of people watching benches, picnic areas and a
continuous
parade of boats coming and going and the Jupiter Lighthouse in the
distance. At the ocean end of the jetty
the ocean waves caused such a turbulence in combination with the outgoing tide
it was especially amusing to watch as some boats wallowed in the swells and
others just gunned it and charged on thru!
One beautiful sailboat came in the whole way under sail and at a good
tilt to boot!
Further south from that park was Carlin Beach Park – another
first to visit! There was ample free
parking and cool, shaded picnic areas.
Out on the beach was a bright red flag with the word “ROCKS” waving in
the breeze. As we strolled along, we approached a weather worn area of pinkish
orange rocks being attacked by crashing waves.
Unique formations for sure and by placing the camera almost on
the wet
sand – I got a good shot of this “Florida Arch”! What do you think?
We even explored Jonathan Dickinson State Park, which is
also down RT 1 near Jupiter! While
we’ve never stayed there, the park is massive and interesting! It claims to have the highest spot in SOUTH
Florida! And we climbed the 86 ft high
“mountain” and the sturdy wooden tower atop it to view the surrounding vista
below! We should have counted the
steps!
10-mile long Jupiter Island sits between the town, also
called Jupiter Island, and Stuart. The
majority of mansions are behind high concrete walls with ornate wrought iron
gates, or 10 ft high manicured hedges that are at the narrow roads edge. We’ve
been told there are only 900 people who live on the island. We passed Tiger Woods 12 acre estate,
complete with practice golf course and 60 million dollar, 10,000 square ft.
mansion but we never knew which one of the mega mansions was his! Nor did we know which one was the Bush
estate, or the home of Jack Nicklaus, or Alan Jackson or Michael Jordan! The Island’s website boasts of seclusion and
privacy!
Our early mornings are spent watching the collection of
various boats pausing behind our temporary home - coming and going, up and down
the river, riding our bikes and trying to keep track of all the different birds
we’ve encountered – all the herons – blue, green, tri colored and white, osprey,
the murder (flock!) of crows, the committee of vultures, the squadron of
pelicans or even the
pandemonium of bright green Monk Parakeets we saw at one
of the parks we visited! I even got out
the binoculars to inspect the tiny flitting Swamp Sparrows that hunted for
seeds in the dry grass outside our doorway!
Our “happy hour” afternoons and early evenings have been
dutifully spent watching wispy clouds gather, join together and then disappear
again before the sun finished setting over the darkening lock and dam. Attendance gets taken almost daily in this
stretch of trailers, 5th wheels and motorhomes that like us, line
the rivers edge. From the usual
Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, to Delaware, New York, Connecticut, New
Hampshire and Maine, there is also New Mexico, South Dakota and even
Alaska! Talk about diversity!
On our last day in Stuart we found and visited the Treasure
Coast Wildlife Animal Hospital and Sanctuary.
We were allowed to roam around each of the enclosures for the
“residents” of the park – the ones who cannot be released back into the wild
because of different disabilities and are now used for educational
purposes. Among others, there were
turtles, owls, hawks, eagles and even Crested Caracara! The young woman there brought several of the
disabled birds out and introduced us to them and told of how they each came to
be at the Sanctuary. Very interesting
and VERY informative!
It’s time to go. West this time – back across
the state to Collier Seminole State Park and Marco Island! Come along!
