We did a return trip to Matlacha because it was such a pleasant trip the year before for mid-winter sunshine. This year the weather was even warmer (but not uncomfortably hot). Temps during the day were from 75-85F (23-29C). It rained one night and that was it -- otherwise it was sunny or mostly sunny. What's really nice is that at that time of year there are no mosquitoes and only a very few no-see-ums (similar to Scottish midges).
This year there were a few stressful and almost stressful moments. With terrorist threats and the threat of war, everyone is on edge. Two days before we were due to depart, London's Heathrow Airport was partly closed due to terrorist threats. London Gatwick, our departure airport, had a terminal closed the day before we left due to a passenger being caught with a live grenade! The day after we arrived in Florida (which was a transfer through Philly) a huge blizzard hit the northeast, closing Philadelphia airport (among others) for a few days. Whew!
We rented kayaks for 5 days and paddled in several local places off Pine Island, and a couple of times off the dock behind our accommodation. Kayaking in that area is unique due to the shallowness of the water (we ran aground a few times) and the number of mangrove tunnels to explore. Birds are a prominent feature of this area. We spotted dolphins a couple of times but not from the kayaks.
For links to information on this part of Florida, see the above blog for 2002.
No comments:
Post a Comment