Saturday, February 16, 2008

Lets Go Canoeing in Estero, FL

The Estero River Outfiters is a great place to rent canoes and kayaks for a fun day out in the sun with friends and family. They also carry bait for fishing and all types of books from fishing to the history of Florida.

The trail goes by the Koreshan State Historic Site up to the Estero Bay. You can go as long as you want, but be sure to remember the time you spend going up the trail, is the time you’ll spend coming back.

While you are canoeing you can take pit stops to venture through the turn of the century, religious settlement the Koreshan State Historic Site. The trail makes an interesting and easy one-day trip exploring mangrove coves and islands. The trail leads through subtropical hammocks that give way to mangrove swamps as the water becomes more brackish. This is a great place for lunch if you want to have a relaxing picnic.

Getting back on the rivers trail you can see some wildlife such as… great blue herons, hawks, spoonbills, eagles, manatees, and anhinga's these are a few I’ve seen. You can also look for mangrove cuckoo and black-whiskered vireo.

The trails are full of historical pit stops. After traveling through the Koreshan State Park the river will take you to Mound Key Archaeological State Park, this was said to be the ceremonial center of the Calusa Indians up until 1566, when the Spaniards brought disease. The bay is shallow, and the trail ends at Lovers Key State Park on Black Island.

Have any of you been canoeing before?... And if so when, where, and did you have an enlightening experience?

2 comments:

Christine M said...

Canoeing is a lot of fun. You just have to remember to hit the tops of your legs with sunscreen before you set out!

TNLogan said...

Thanks for the tip, Babz! I can't wait to try this place! Sounds like a great outdoor experience!

Thanks to Christina also for the sunscreen tip! Definitely need to remember that one.