Coastal Breeze News

By Natalie Strom [email protected] In honor of the Second Annual National Everglades Day, April 6th, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (RBNERR) was ready to throw a party. Just last year the date was chosen as it is the birthday of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, a champion of the Everglades, known best for her book, “The Everglades: River of Grass.” She was at the forefront of the fight towards redefining the Everglades as a treasured river rather than a useless swamp. Much has been learned about “The River of Grass” since Douglas wrote the book in 1947, but the devastation to ... Read More »

Native to Brazil, Bougainvillea is truly one of the showiest shrubs we have during the fall and winter months here in South Florida. Its spectacular color comes from its heart-shaped papery bracts. The tiny flower itself is usually white and located in the center of the colorful bract. A sprawling shrub with long thorny branches, Bougainvillea is commonly mistaken as a vine. Unfortunately, it lacks the tendrils that allow it to attach itself onto fixed objects. Bougainvilleas come in myriad colors including orange, pink, purple, red and white. Bougainvilleas begin blooming after the rainy season; when the length of days ... Read More »

“Scientists from around the world have come to Rookery Bay to study the batfish. They are a relatively little known species worldwide,” explains Renee Wilson of Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A bottom feeding fish with fins that help it “walk” across the sea floor, it uses an “esca” or fake lure attached to its forehead (think “Finding Nemo”) to lure fish for food. Chosen for its rather rare worldwide status, but found frequently in the waters of the Reserve, the batfish is the mascot of the Friends of Rookery Bay’s annual fundraiser. The Fourth Annual Batfish Bash for ... Read More »

Collaboration is a beautiful thing, especially when it gives people a chance to see beautiful things. The United Arts Council of Collier County has teamed up with Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for the “Seventh Annual Florida Juried Photography Exhibit.” The exhibit runs through March 21st, at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center. “Close to 100 entries from 62 photographers were received,” explained Elaine Hamilton, Executive Director of the United Arts Council. All photographs entered represented either flora or fauna of Florida’s unique landscape. Twenty-five Florida-based photographers were chosen by internationally acclaimed photographer and juror for the show, Clyde ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom [email protected] Saturday, January 12th, marked the start of The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 2013 Python Challenge. The month long hunting competition aims to both educate the public and better understand the invasive Burmese python. Senator Bill Nelson joined the hunt alongside FWCC Commissioner Ron Bergeron on January 17th to bring awareness to the devastation of the Everglades caused by the constrictor snake. Before heading out on the hunt, Senator Nelson and Commissioner Bergeron addressed media alongside I-75 at the Mile Marker 41 Boat Ramp. Senator Nelson discussed the urgent need to control the ever-growing python ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie [email protected] It is common knowledge on Marco Island that Florida Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) are present, popular and so abundant that they are found in almost every neighborhood on the island. Not only do our residents enjoy these charismatic birds of prey, but people travel from all over the world to see them. Professional photographers charge top dollar to school the amateur how to photograph them in the “best light,” though any ol’ camera will do. One can’t go wrong when the subject has big yellow eyes, long downy legs and attitude that could take on ... Read More »

FOLLOW THE FISH Capt. Pete Rapps [email protected] Wintertime here in Southwest Florida is synonymous with the arrival of huge flocks of snowbirds, but did you know that convicts arrive here in big numbers too? Yes it’s true, but these are much welcomed convicts…AKA Sheepshead fish. These fish begin to arrive in big numbers about this time each year to spawn. They inhabit many of our near shore structures, oyster bars and the deeper mangrove pockets in the back county river mouths. We call them convicts because of the black and white stripes they “wear.” In addition to being called convicts, sheepshead ... Read More »

By Danielle Dodder Major beachfront cities like Miami are banning them outright. The resort empire that is Walt Disney World in Orlando has replaced them with paper versions. The small bits of plastic straws and drinking cup lids discarded by people quickly accumulate into a giant toxic mess on beaches globally. The unsightly litter not only ruins the beauty of a pristine beach, but also strangles the birds, turtles and fish who mistake it for food. Straws and lids are the most widely and easily littered items along most beaches, but here on Marco cooperation will hopefully trump the need ... Read More »

PROTECTING & PRESERVING Nancy Richie [email protected] Something is going on. Razorbills, an alcid bird or a web-footed, diving seabird, have been seen all over Florida by avid birders and beach goers. A few have been reported on Marco Island’s Tigertail Beach as well as in Caxambas Pass. Being a peninsula with one of the longest coastlines in the country, Florida has seabirds, so why is it so unusual to see the Razorbills? Historically, there have only been 14 documented sightings of this species in Florida. But since early December, there have been over 20 reports from Jacksonville to Marco Island of ... Read More »

FOLLOW THE FISH Capt. Pete Rapps [email protected] Looking for something different to do with your Florida Spiny Lobster tails this season? Yeah, it’s hard to beat grilled tails drenched in seasoned butter, but you are going to need an appetizer to wash down those cool bevies while the tails are cooking right? Let me show you a quick and easy way to make a cool and fresh appetizer that will knock your guest’s sombreros off. First off, get your tails split and seasoned up. Take a large knife and split the tops of the tails and crack them wide open. Now ... Read More »

LADY ANGLERS Captain Mary A. Fink islandgirlscharters.com The first three articles of the “Lady Anglers Corner” in Coastal Breeze addressed the many benefits sport fishing provides, tackle selection and what conditions and structure to look for when seeking fish. Now it’s time to start fishing using the skills mentioned in previous articles to your benefit! This author suggests testing your skills with local mangrove or gray snapper fishing. Mangrove or gray snappers are quite common around mangrove edges, reefs, rocks, docks and other structures. This is one reason why starting with snapper fishing is a good idea as your likelihood of ... Read More »

Get wet? You bet! That’s the whole point of the famous swamp walks in the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. The Friends of Fakahatchee have spaces available in their two remaining January Swamp Walks on Saturday, January 12 and Saturday, January 19. The walks through knee to waist high waters of the park are led by naturalists who are experts in the flora and fauna of the 80,000 acre state park. Fakahatchee Strand is called the “Amazon of North America” and is home to the famous ghost orchid and many other rare plants and animals. The walks begin promptly at ... Read More »

– Target Dates of January 10-17 – Resource management staff at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve have released plans for their firstprescribed burns in 2013. Weather permitting, prescribed fires will commence around 9:00 am Thursday, January 10 through January 16 along Shell Island Road and the Tower Road/Barefoot Williams area. For a map of the precise locations please clickhere. Residents of adjacent areas will see and possibly smell smoke from the fire, and fire activities may temporarily inconvenience motorists along Shell Island Road. Fire personnel will contact visitors in the area to ensure their safety while traveling near activity areas and will carefully monitor the fire throughout the day until ... Read More »

Join us for a really unique “Olde Florida” treat. The Friends of Fakahatchee are hosting Coastal Cruises through the mysterious mangroves of the Ten Thousands Island. On the way, you will probably see dolphins cavorting with the tour boat. When you arrive at Fakahatchee Island, a naturalist will point out unusual plants on the path up the ancient shell mound to the old cemetery. On the return journey, the boat passes by a famous rookery where the birds will be settling down for the evening. We might think of “Fakahatchee” as a swamp with Ghost Orchids and Florida Panthers but to ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom [email protected] In an effort to develop a statewide trail and paddle system, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Division of Recreation and Parks recently updated the overall vision for the Florida Greenways and Trails System (FGTS). The new five-year plan lists the River of Grass Greenway as a priority. In early fall, the Division of Recreation and Parks launched the new plan, calling for public comment on what specific trails and paddle ways should be considered areas of initial importance. After hosting six public meetings throughout the state, opportunity and priority maps were developed. This ... Read More »

FOLLOW THE FISH Capt. Pete Rapps [email protected] Our typical weather patterns are here as December rolls into January, and we are seeing some of our first 40 degree mornings here in the 10,000 Islands. It is certainly our coolest period of the year, however the days when the fronts are absent, the sun is shining, and the thermometer gets up into the mid 70’s, can make for some awesome fishing! January is another month that you should keep an eye on your tide chart before planning your day on the water. We have some extremely low tides around both the Full ... Read More »

from The Enthusiast Newsletter by local John Scott There is no question that one of the cardinal points of successful living is paying attention to the details of any undertaking; and no better lesson can be offered in the art and science of paying attention to those pesky little details than the story of our perfect evening on Keewaydin Island that unfortunately extended late into the night. We anchored in a little over two feet of water just a short distance from the beach. Keewaydin Island is a little used paradise that can only be reached by water. It is ... Read More »

Marco Island Marriott announces Scott Lien as new Head Golf Professional Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa is pleased to announce Scott Lien as the Head Golf Professional at the resort’s award-winning Rookery at Marco Golf Club. Lien will be responsible for the supervision and direction of the day-to-day golf operations of The Rookery’s par-72 resort private course. With over six years of industry experience, Lien has earned great recognition for his accomplishments in successful golf management. Most recently Lien served as Head Golf Professional at the Marriott Stone Mountain Golf Club in Stone Mountain, Georgia. In ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom [email protected] “In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation… even if it requires having skin as thick as the bark of a pine.” – “The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations: The Great Binding Law” The Native American creed reminds us that everything that we do has consequences for something else. What we do today will have an effect as far into the future as seven generations. An idea long forgotten by the hustle and bustle of the modern world has once again begun to pick up speed as today’s society is ever more ... Read More »

LADY ANGLER’S CORNER Capt. Mary Fink  [email protected]  In the mangrove maze of South Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands, fish are plentiful. The key to productive fishing, however, often depends upon your ability to find the fish and to use the existing environmental conditions to your advantage. Among these conditions are factors like water temperature, depth, wind direction and strength, tidal exchange, moon phase and structure. This author believes that, of these factors, tidal exchange and the presence of structure are most important, as structure provides habitat and tidal movement provides forage or food for fish, especially during an incoming tide. Structure ... Read More »