Bird imitates art

Sebastian Inlet State Park fish kill

Just a short drive up A1A north of Fort Pierce sits the barrier island state park of Sebastian Inlet. This is the area know as the treasure coast but the last week the focus has changed do to the strong smell of dead fish. A ranger explained to Gary that the kill is a result of the bait fish entering the inlet in large numbers at the time when the Gulf Stream that sits close to these shores pushed into the inlet deep sea waters that have low amounts of oxygen, killing the fish. It is a smelly situation and takes away from the otherwise great park.

It is also the area that hosts the largest turtle nesting population at 25% in the US. In just under a month the nesting will begin lasting into summer as several different species use these beaches to bury their eggs. In our explorations today we found several dolphins just offshore, chased by opportunistic pelicans.

This morning after walking the parks nature trails (where we found the very large spider) we stopped at the McLarty Treasure Museum to watch a film on the treasure coast and see some of the recovered coins. The sea in this area is still giving up these treasures today. Much of the treasure in this area comes from a 1715 Spanish fleet containing gold and silver coins and the Queens Jewels that was wrecked offshore near the campground during a hurricane. Part of the treasure included the Queens Jewels which have yet to be found, I searched the beaches for some treasure but found only sea beans, still a good find. According to history, the Queen refused to consummate the marriage until she had the proper dowry which included the jewels. Not sure if the old boy ever got any from the Queen.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park and Jupiter Island

Our move northward has brought us to Jonathan Dickison State Park near Jupiter Island. The park is large with two campgrounds that sit almost 4 miles apart. We took a long bike ride our first day enjoying the cooler weather and the many sites including the highest point in southern Florida (Hobe Mountain), a soaring 86 feet above sea level. Form the top of the observation tower you can see the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean. The Loxahatchee River winds through the park providing a peaceful retreat from the Florida scrub. The nearby Jupiter Island is beautiful and one of the most expensive areas in the country for real estate, just ask Tiger Woods the sometimes resident who owns two properties on the island. I also sandwiched in one last bird shot from the keys.

R and R in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

The last few days have been easy going with lots of relaxation, kayaking the mangroves, swimming, hiking the orchard for Key limes, biking in Key Largo and some laundry with a little help from Blue. After hunting the beaches up and down the Keys I was shocked to find a sea bean (Hamburger) at the swimming beach. The weather has been great and the water is 74 degrees. We will be sad to leave this behind in a few days. The one photo is a little hard to see but there is a Spotted Ray floating past the kayak. See if you can find it's outline.

John Pennekamp State Park and the glass bottom boat

Our first full day in Pennekamp was a beautiful 80 degrees, with just a moderate chop for our glass bottom boat ride. The ride out to Molasses reef was as good as the glass bottom boat, with a Manatee, several Spotted Rays and Hawksbill turtle sightings. I was glad to be in the boat as we toured the reef with all the jellyfish in the waters. They are a tasty treat for sea turtles and the reason we spotted the two Hawksbills which are rare in these waters.

The reef photos were in the aquarium at the visitor center, not from the glass bottom boat.