Exploring the Treasure Coast

On Friday February 10, I was still a little tired from traveling all day Wednesday, so I took it easy. I started the day by taking a 2 mile walk around the neighborhood, and then decided to try the morning water aerobics at the clubhouse. The morning water aerobics were more just a few women walking around the pool. It truly was just a social hour, but they were great and included me in their talk and gossip.

After lunch, I checked out the local Hobe Sound public beach. It took me 20 minutes of driving around the small parking lot to find an open spot, but I was patient and got one. After hanging out there for an hour or so, I swung by the Hobe Sound Nature Center and wildlife refuge and took one of their trails through the scrub and eventually down to the beach. It was nice and peaceful. The beach had a ton of people on it, but I was the only one to take the long way down. On my way out of the center I stopped in the gift shop and met a wonderful informative lady who gave me ideas on what to do, nature wise, during my time in Florida.

Super windy day at Hobe Sound Beach - but beautiful.

There were riptide warnings, but it didn’t keep the surfers away.

Hobe Sound wildlife refuge walk.

Saturday February 11.

I can’t lie, it is pretty lonely traveling all by yourself. My trick to not be lonely is to try to make sure that I talk to people wherever I go. It doesn’t always work, and some look at you a tad funny! Today I went to a reserved sand dune area in Juno Beach. It was going to be 84 today, so I got out early to do the hike. There is a west tract and an east tract of preserved sand dunes in a pretty populated area. I think it is great of communities to try to preserve the ecosystems that they can. Apparently, no one wants to hike in hot and humid weather through scrub grass and basically desert conditions, I was the only one! But I was rewarded when at the very far back of the sand dunes, down by a river, I saw an eagle watching over its nest. I didn’t have binoculars, so I couldn’t see if there were any chicks.

Bald Eagle in the background with red mangroves along the creek.

Walking the dunes.

Very desert looking Juno Dunes.

Trying to be artistic with the more lush area of the dunes.

In the same area of Juno Beach, I also went to the Loggerhead Marine life center. I had been there before, but because they have injured or sick sea turtles, you never know what you are going to see. There was 5 different ones there, and they said last week there were 14. A large 250lb female loggerhead was fun to learn about. She had pneumonia, but was better and was going to be released into the ocean this week. They were all excited about that! I might go back to watch it.

She is eating squid which has no nutritional value, it is like candy to the sea turtles. They put her medicine in it so she will take it.

View of the ocean from the East tract of the Juno dunes right by the loggerhead center.

On my way home, I stopped to check out a restaurant called Harry and the Natives that others have told me about. I was going to sit up at the bar and be talkative, but I chickened out and sat at a table - oh well. The food was a tad expensive, but good. The waitress gave me a book to read about Hobe Sound while I ate, I probably would have had more fun at the bar!

A little political for a bar……but the food was good.

Sunday Feb 12, I spent a fun day in Stuart Florida. It was too windy and a bit cold to go to the beach and I knew the town had music on the town boardwalk by the water every Sunday so I thought I would check it I out. Lucky me, there was also a great farmers market set up and an art festival. The town reminds me of Sagatuck MI, lots of shops, artsy and a big vacation feel. I also checked out their “feed store Museum” before leaving town. All in all, not a bad way to spend a Sunday.

Downtown mural

Art festival

Venetian water fountain in the middle of Stuart Fl.

The music on the Riverwalk is in the background.

Small and interesting local museum.

I made a new friend!

Monday Feb 13 was a day to just kick back, clean a bit and relax. I did start the day by taking a 2 hour beach walk. There is a local national wildlife refuge beach - Nathaniel P. Reed - just down a few miles from the public beach. I thought that would be the best place to find some great shells. I collected them, and then left them on the beach when I thought it through and realized that I would have to get them home somehow! The next 4 pictures are from that beach.

I still have to find out why they call it the treasure coast!

Tuesday February 14, I went on a guided kayak tour in Jupiters Riverbend park. It was called the Wild & Scenic Loxahatchee Guided Tour! We went along the Loxahatchee River starting at the Riverbend Park. This was the site of 2 big battles during the Seminole Indian wars.

It was what they called low water, but it was a beautiful and windy river. I also went over a dam and saw a couple of alligators. It was a very peaceful and beautiful place. Luckily, we were there on a Tuesday, because it could be super busy on a weekend.

Starting out from the state park boat launch.

7 people plus the guide (who was a retired state park naturalist), were in our group.

The turtles were sunny themselves and didn’t care that we were nearby, and their alligator friend was just hanging out in the background.

I was the only one that took my kayak over this historic dam on the river.

Our guide took this picture of me with a different alligator in the background.

Wednesday Feb 15

I went and watched a rehabilitated sea turtle named Rocky released into ocean. He had been hit by a boat and had pneumonia. He had been taken care of by a veterinarian at the Loggerhead Marine Life center. Afterwards, I swam at the community pool and met some great people. They gave me a lot of eating out ideas. I took their advice and went out to fun place for dinner on the ocean on Hutchinson Island.

Waiting for the turtle fun on Juno Beach. I got their early and there were only about 20 people ..........so far!

This was not the turtle that they were releasing into the wild.

There must have been about 500 people that showed up to watch Rocky make his way to freedom

Rocky hesitated for a few minutes, then hightailed it to the water.

He has a tracking device on his back, so they can follow his progress.

The restaurant was called Shuckers and had a fun mix of locals and tourists. It was right on the ocean on Hutchinson Island.

Thursday February 16, I took it easy again today - you would think that I was on vacation! I took a nature walk with a volunteer named Robbie at Nathanial P Reed National wildlife refuge. She took me through the scrub and through the growth near the intercostal waterway and talked about the ultra wealthy women on Jupiter Island who were the philanthropists that started the refuge.

Walking through the scrub with Robbie.

I saw this starfish on the intercoastal waters on the refuge.

On Friday Feb 17, I went kayaking for 3 hours at Johnathon Dickenson State Park along the Loxahatchee River. It was supposed to be 2 hours, but I got a little turned around a few times. At the farthest point that you could kayak, I stopped at the Trapper Nelson Interpretive Site, which was on a remote, very rustic and hard to reach spot on the River. At one point in the 1920's, in this out of the way homestead, city folk came out to Trapper Nelson's to see his "zoo". My own "rule" was to never kayak alone, but I broke my own rule. I probably shouldn't have because I got turned around a few times and was alone with many large alligators.

Starting off on my kayak for what should have been a 2 hour trip

Here is one of the large gators, but I got too close to it, and it slipped into the water. In the next picture it swam away from me. I didn't know, but if it got too close, I could have blown my whistle that was attached to my life jacket, or just hit the boat with the paddle. Good to know - now!

The above picture and the 2 below were from the Trapper Nelson site. It was only accessible by boat.

I know it looks the same, but this was even a little bit bigger alligator that I passed while I was trying to find my way out.

On, Saturday Feb 18, I Stayed in and chilled out. It was a windy and chilly 72 degrees outside, but the water was warm.

On Sunday Feb 19, I visited Blowing Rocks Preserve. This park had that name because when the tide was high, the water could shoot out of some of the holes in the rocks. It almost looked like a geyser.

I think this beach with the rocks and the nature center and then the trails on the intercoastal waterway is the most interesting and prettiest beach in the area. After spending a few hours here, I made my way back to the house and relaxed at the pool. Relaxing at the pool was becoming a habit and is the thing I will most miss after this vacation.