Feral Pig Scat, Orchids and a Corkscrew

CURRENT LOCATION: Rock Creek RV Resort, Naples, FL, USA

Walk   Stop   Sit 

Look   Listen   Smell

SEE      HEAR     TASTE     

OBSERVE     UNDERSTAND     APPRECIATE 

Rookery Bay Reserve

We spent time at the education centre here and it was worthwhile. We also walked some of the trail system that begins at the centre. 

The photo below is typical of the landscape for this complete trail system. There's lots of signage WARNING of Feral Pigs in the area. We passed many places where they had been rooting for food and numerous Scat Piles, but didn't see any!

KAYAKING: Rivers, A Creek and Mangroves, Florida

CURRENT LOCATION: Rock Creek RV Resort, Naples, FL, USA

If you're a kayaker, you won't be disappointed by what the Naples area has to offer for day-trip paddling opportunities.

Blackwater River, Collier-Seminole State Park

There’s an informal paddling group here at Rock Creek and we’ve connected with them for this daytrip. We did about 12 kilometres on the Blackwater River today ... left Naples around 10 am and returned by 3:30 pm ... maybe 3.5 hours on the water. There is a longer loop possible here but we didn’t paddle it due to the tidal effect.  We got as far as the Old Grove location just west of Mud Bay. I had read reviews of this trip that described an abundance of wildlife, but we did not encounter it. If anything, we saw very little ... a couple of Osprey, some Anhinga, a couple of dozen flying Mullet, 2 Wood Storks and a half dozen or so other waterfowl. Regardless, it was a nice paddle ... they always are!

The Put-In at Collier-Seminole State Park ...

LOAF Unplugged and Leavened

CURRENT LOCATION: Rock Creek RV Resort, Naples, FL, USA

LOAF Unplugged and Leavened 

... separated from himself, made lighter (by about 4000 pounds) and lowered more than 4 feet.

The procedure took about 3 hours. Most of that time was devoted to offloading boats from the camper roof and then reloading them onto the truck's roof. Kayak rollers and saddles had to be removed from the camper roof bars and re-installed on Thule bars and towers that we were carrying inside the truck bed for the road trip. The actual removal of the camper from the truck only takes about 1/2 an hour. Mechanical camper services were lengthened slightly but left connected for the process. 

Happy Holidays and Welcome 2015

CURRENT LOCATION: Rock Creek RV Resort, Naples, FL, USA

Seasons Greetings One and All!                                              

Tis' Christmas Eve and we are sitting snuggly warm in LOAF (actually 27 C (or 80+ F)), so in reality we have the AC running. We turned it up to HIGH hoping to generate some snowflakes to make us feel like we're at home (NOT!).  We have been enjoying amazing weather with lots of opportunity to cycle, walk, swim and kayak.  Have eaten enough local, fresh fish to sink some ships.  Christmas dinner will be more ... fresh fish shish kebabs!  Since we didn't have an opportunity to send out Christmas cards we decided to make our first 'selfie video'.  Hope you enjoy it.  All the best to everyone, stay healthy and happy, have a wonderful 2015.  

Love Crusty and Wry

Wry reporting ...

The Escapee

This very odd fellow pulled into the campground last night, directly across from us, driving a brand new, sparkly clean and detailed, $65k Cadillac. 

CAMPING REVIEW: Nine Nights On and Around Siesta Key

CURRENT LOCATION: Turtle Beach Campground, Siesta Key, FL, USA

We broke camp early this morning ... all in preparation for service on the Ford’s power steering system. We got in to AutoNation in St. Petersburg by 10:30 and we were out by 12:30 with repairs completed (a new high pressure, power steering hose installed), then lunch at the PoFolks franchise (don’t bother, everythng is deep fried, soggy veggies, tasteless breads), then groceries & supplies and on the road to the Turtle Beach Campground by 1:30. Our camp set-up was completed by 4:00 pm, a quick beach recon, some happiness hour at a pub across the street from the CG and then back at our camper by 5:00 pm. All, just in time for a simply superb SUNSET, on the beach.

 I KNOW we’ll be content here for the next nine nights ... obviously WRY will!

I Wonder If MAE Will Ever ... Pass Herself ?

CURRENT LOCATION: Turtle Beach Campground, Siesta Key, FL, USA

MAE has been a welcome companion in several adventures in our lives and she also features prominently in this travel blog.  

We were fortunate to travel with her and 'The Duke' to Canada's Atlantic provinces, to northern Canada a couple of times and into Alaska and also to the southern USA. Here, on our blog, you can find her in About / MAE and also in Maps / MAEandering 

Arctic Circle, Dempster Highway, YT

CAMPING REVIEW: Fort De Soto County Park, FL

CURRENT LOCATION: Fort De Soto County Park, Tierra Verde, FL, USA

We leave here in two days, so I suppose it's time for a review of the area. 

We’ve camped here a few times now, over a number of trips to Florida in the winter months ... it has a lot to offer. The community of Tierra Verde is just north of the park by a few kilometres. Tierra Verde features medium to high end condominium complexes and several residential neigbourhoods with multi-million dollar waterfront and canal homes. However, Ft De Soto CP is far enough away from these residential areas to still maintain (by Florida standards) a reasonable amount of quiet. Just north of Tierra Verde are the beachfront communities of St. Petersburg, Madeira Beach, Indian Shores, Treasure Island and Pasa Grille ... all very busy. Several local, nearby restaurants specialize in fresh-caught, local fish ... there are many, but ... food at the Salt Rock Grill is exceptional & Billy’s Stonecrab, Seafood & Steaks offers good food for reasonable prices.