Southern Camping Trip 2026 (aboard "Elsie" the land yacht). cont. 31

13 February 2026

Collier Seminole State Park 

Naples, Florida    

A day visiting the local National Preserve and National Park.

Marc-  We spent the day with our friends who live in Bonita Springs: Donna, Frank and Donna's brother, Steve.  Our main visit concerned the Islands of Everglades City and Chokoloskee in the Florida Everglades.  Both islands are primarily privately owned and were mainly developed by Barron Collier when he was building the Tamiami Cross Florida highway.  Everglades City was turned into a seaport for the highway project.  Both Islands are subject to extensive damage when hurricanes pass through the area.  

We visited the Everglades City Welcome Center and the Everglades City Museum.  Both contained a treasure trove of local history and artifacts.  We had lunch at a local cafe.  The annual Seafood Festival Weekend was due to start this evening and really livened up the town with many booths and a carnival right in the center of town, but we did not get in on that.  Finally we visited the new National Park Visitors' Center.  This is a marina and a fantastic two story structure designed to withstand major hurricanes.  It was wiped out by Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and just reopened 2 days ago. 

Chokoloskee Island is a fisherman's paradise.  There are several very nice campgrounds as well as several hotels.  We visited the famed Smallwood Store and Trading Post established in 1906.  It is as much a Museum of this island's traditions as a store.  Lastly, we signed up for a guide to take us out for a tour of the 10,000 islands that surround the store.  Our guide told us that there are really about 40,000 islands if you count them all the way down to the Florida Keys.

Will, our guide, pulled up on the beach beside the store with an 18 foot Carolina Skiff with a 60 horsepower Yamaha outboard.  He backed off the beach without tilting the engine and off we went at about 20 knots down the channel.  He asked what we wanted to see and we answered dolphins and birds.  He delivered in spades.  He knew where the birds gathered and he knew where the dolphins fished.  He knew how to get the dolphins to come near the boat (no he did not feed them).

Our group of travelers.

Smallwood Store & Trading Post.

Traditional Seminole Indian design work boat.

Night heron among the red mangrove trees.

An island shared by brown pelicans and cormorants.

Pelican above "Bird Island".

A pelican taking flight.

Dolphin following us.

The dolphins can swim faster than this boat but they seemed to be enjoying the boat wakes, so they stayed with us.  There were three and four near us at times.

Large Osprey nest on one island.  Captain Will thought there were eggs and at least one Osprey in the nest.

Southern Camping Trip 2026 (aboard "Elsie" the land yacht). cont. 30

12 February 2026

Collier Seminole State Park 

Naples, Florida   

Dormant cypress trees at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers.

Marc- We spent our last day in Fort Myers visiting a forest swamp preserve and two quilt shops.  Roberta also made sure we were well fed on delicious pizza from Uncle Rico's.  We also walked a lot.  

The area is in a drought but the cypress trees are normally dormant this time of year (the dry season) and regain their leaves in March.  The Preserve we visited has a lake and a swamp that you can visit care of an extensive boardwalk.  There is ample wild life if you take the time to look.

Turtles enjoying the sun.

Great egret hunting.

Muddy ibis looking for food among the cypress knees.

Squirrels sleeping in the trees.

Alligator lurking in the swamp.

Portion of a colorful quilt at PJ's quilt shop in North Fort Myers.

Another interesting quilt design.

Southern Camping Trip 2026 (aboard "Elsie" the land yacht). cont. 29

11 February 2026

Collier Seminole State Park 

Naples, Florida  

Famous Captiva Island Restaurant has re-opened.

Marc-  Another day visiting the Ft. Myers area with our friend Roberta.  We had a blast and lots of exercise (walking 7 miles mostly on beaches).  Whenever we were in need of refreshment or nourishment there was plenty of availability on Sanibel and Captiva Islands.  When we returned from the Islands we walked around Cypress Cove where Roberta lives.

First our our list on Sanibel was visiting a beach condo that we had stayed in before the last two hurricanes: Ian and Milton. 

We stayed in the second floor unit now fully restored.

Path through the protective mangroves to the beach.

Sandy beach at the end of the path and warm clean waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Sanibel Beach inhabitants.

Beautiful eh.

Captiva Beach inhabitants.

We enjoyed lunch at the Green Flash Restaurant and had dessert at the Bubble Room.

If you misbehave you may end up here.

Almost out.

Alice in Wonderland decor in the dining area.

Bubble lights lit up the room where we were having dessert.

We shared delicious orange cake, soft chocolate cake and ice cream pie before heading back to Fort Myers.

Strangler fig looks like it has taken over this oak tree.

Model "T" Ford touring car on Captiva.

Cypress Cove sunset (Roberta's residence).

 

Southern Camping Trip 2026 (aboard "Elsie" the land yacht). cont. 28

10 February 2026

Collier Seminole State Park 

Naples, Florida  

Wood stork along Route 41 this morning.

Marc-  Today's plan was to travel up to Fort Myers and visit and explore with our friend Roberta Parillo.

The excitement started soon after getting on the highway near the campground when we spotted numerous wood storks both in the trees and along a small side road.

Wood storks in the trees.

Wood storks along a side road.

We headed off to Fort Myers Beach in the afternoon to explore what had been a disaster zone after Hurricane Ian in 2022.  Some damage remains.  The beach is currently quite beautiful.

Houseboat still tied to the dock in Ft. Myers awaiting repairs.

The mangroves still hold on to wrecked boats apparently abandoned.

The beach has been cleaned up and the sand has been screened for broken glass 

and other hidden dangers.

Happy parasailors offshore.

The Ft. Myers pier has yet to be rebuilt.  Many of the small hotels are gone.  The larger hotels are rebuilt and thriving.

Kids just want to have fun. 

Pirate ship cruise off the beach.  Kids on board were saying "walk the plank".

Entrance to the Pink Shell hotel.  See the black sign on the wall noting hurricane Ian's

 water surge of 16 feet. 

New beachfront home construction requires being prepared for a sixteen foot storm surge.

These homes are made of reinforced concrete.  Even the upper part is made to look like wood but is in fact poured cement.

Recompense for a 6.5 mile walk on the beach today.

This boat is a new Boston Whaler with 1600 horsepower on its transom. 

(Seems a bit overpowered to me.)