One never knows what they’ll find on the beach. Shells are a given. Along with driftwood. But what about shells on a tree? One of a couple of trees adorned with seashells at Stump Pass Beach State Park, Manasota Key, Fla. (more…)
I realize the primary topic of my blog is solo travel because I’m a single gal and end up traveling solo because if I waited around for someone to do what I want to do, I wouldn’t travel anywhere. This week I’m going on a little girlfriends getaway within the Sunshine State. Not my first choice to use vacation time but a friend from high school who’s never been to Florida will be visiting. I asked her what she wanted to do and got the response, “I don’t care, everything’s new.” (more…)
Last year I ventured out to Fort Myers Beach for the American Sandsculpting Championship and was truly wowed by the sandy masterpieces sculpted by sand artists. Somewhere I have video (but guess I didn’t get around to making a flick out of it!) but check out some of last year’s sand sculptures. (more…)
Paranormal Researcher Erin Broemel Reads a Headstone
We’re having unseasonably warm temperatures here in Southwest Florida, in fact, Punta Gorda, Fla., had the nation’s high on Thursday (I think it was 92 degrees). Getting into the Halloween spirit while melting is a little difficult but nothing says spooktacular holiday like a good ole’ fashion ghost tour through a cemetery, which is what I did yesterday with my friends Lindsey and Jim. We joined Punta Gorda-based Danse Macabre Productions for a Fright Night Tour in Indian Springs Cemetery.
The tour began at 5 p.m., not a traditional time for a spooky tour, but was dictated by County permitting. Indian Springs Cemetery is believed to be the second oldest in Charlotte County with burials dating back to the 1800s. A small section called Babyland is easily identified by the angel headstones. It’s where infants are buried.
Our guide was Erin Broemel, a paranormal researcher and former investigator (and journalist by trade), who’s been studying the “other side” for more than 15 years. Her family has spent the past 25 years studying Charlotte County’s paranormal scene so the stories she told were either based on paranormal activity or historical research.
Babyland in Indian Springs Cemetery, Punta Gorda, Fla.
Although the sun couldn’t be any more brighter (or hotter) she encouraged us to keep our eyes open. Despite the witching hour being between midnight and 3 a.m., she encouraged us to keep an eye open for little “shadow people” running from headstone to headstone or from tree to tree. She said most activity, at this cemetery anyway, is during daylight hours. Little shadow people are spirits appearing as dark figments about the half the size a human because it’s very energy draining to manifest into a full-size person. Looking at my photos, don’t think I captured any shadow people, only that of my own shadow!
Broemel’s stories were entertaining, historical and some were plain right creepy. This was a special Halloween tour and a ghost tour of downtown Punta Gorda is offered every Saturday night for $10 per adult. Other tours are offered throughout the year, check out my article “Historic Ghost Tours of Punta Gorda, Florida” for additional information. Perhaps the folks will be interested in a tour when they come to visit this spring.
Looking for more Halloween-esque things to do? Be sure to check out my life blog, Quirk Kitsch Girl, to see the Gone Rogue Island scare crow.
No sleeping in for me and I don’t count 7:30 as sleeping in. Decided it was time for me to hit the beach and do what other tourists do, the Sanibel Stoop, the act of stooping over the beach hunting for seashells. I live in Florida and collecting shells is so…touristy…but this was my vacation so I indulged in the activity but first sprayed down with my 22% DEET repellent.
I encountered one little bird, a plover of some sort, maybe? He’s pictured below.
Shore Bird, Sanibel Island, Florida
A little bit further down the beach came across a flock of seagulls. No, not the ’80s band. There were maybe hundreds of my new feathered friends. Turns out I disrupted their breakfast, check out the video:Breakfast with the Birds of Sanibel Island, Florida.
Between slapping no-see-ums (as I later learned on my journey, these gnats with teeth laugh at DEET) I found some gorgeous shells. One of the coolest things I found were these bird prints on among the shells on the sand.
Bird Footprints in the Sand, Sanibel Island, Florida
After cleaning up was a trip to J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Was going to save it for a Friday visit but remembered the Wildlife Drive is closed on Fridays in order for wildlife to get back to nature, so to say. It’d been a very long time since I last visited yet it still seemed new. Although there were amazing birds and loads of mullet jumping, the coolest thing was this hole in a tree on the Shell Mound Trail. This boardwalk trail was somewhat interesting not just for the foliage and shell mound but the odors. It smelled of skunk, coffee, orange blossoms and jasmine. Indeed, an interesting mix of aromas.
Hole in Tree, J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
The afternoon consisted of yummy lunch at Captiva Island’s The Bubble Room, lounging in the pool - in which the tiki bar was tuned into the unfolding Balloon Boy saga - followed by dinner at the hotel. Work was interspersed with down time (just couldn’t escape it). Sanibel dining deserves its own posts so stay tuned because The Bubble Room was a trip! Can’t believe I’ve never been there and can’t wait to share? Check out “Budget Travel Tips for Bird-watchers to Sanibel Island.”
“Head to Jerry’s and in aisle six you’ll find the repellent.”
The front desk clerk of the Holiday Inn Beach Resort, Sanibel Island, Fla., did precede this with, “Welcome” but followed the salutation with, “You’re from Florida, you know about no-see-ums.”
Um, yes, I live in Florida but didn’t think I needed to worry about biting insects once I left the Everglades almost a decade ago.
I checked in around 6:45 p.m. just as the sun was setting and the mosquitoes and no-see-ums (tiny beasts related the gnat and carry an itchy bite) were ready to feast. The hotel map showing where my room was located had a Sanibel Island map on the back and the front desk clerk wrote out directions to Jerry’s and gave me an FAQ sheet about mosquitoes and no-see-ums. (Bottom line, pest control is kept to a minimum for the environmental protection of Sanibel Island.)
Sunset on Sanibel Island, Florida
Before heading to Jerry’s, a local grocery store, I unloaded the car and luckily found my Everglades repellent with 22% DEET which meant, no trip to Jerry’s (at least not that night). After a spray down it was off to the beach to do what every other tourist was doing: watching the sunset, engaging in the Sanibel Stoop (the act of gathering shells in a bent over position) and swatting bugs.
Dinner followed at the Mermaid Restaurant & Bar (Tel: 239/472-1242, 2055 Periwinkle Way; formerly the Mermaid’s Kitchen & Cake Factory) and driving in what seemed like congested traffic along Periwinkle Way, I questioned my choice of Sanibel Island for a quick getaway to decompress. My doubts diminished upon arriving at the Mermaid and being the solo diner, at least for the first half-hour or so. While I felt bad for the restaurant since empty seats anywhere isn’t a good thing, I reveled at being the only patron and the serenity.
Mermaid Restaurant & Bar, Sanibel Island, Florida
From that point, I did my best to disconnect from the world – poor Internet service helped with that – and tried to decompress, which completely happen on the third and final day, but that’s for another time.
Planning a Sanibel vacation? Check out “Budget Travel Tips for Bird-watchers to Sanibel Island.”
Christopher Elliott spoke at TBEX last month about using video and when he speaks I (and everyone else) listen because he’s the guru in travel social media - among his other talents. He said he experiemented with video lengths and found 30-second videos were the most popular so here’s my go around at a 30-second 47-second video from last weekend’s scalloping trip in Homosassa Springs, Florida. Enjoy!
Would you like to go scalloping in Citrus County, too? Check out “Scalloping in Citrus County.”
Snorkeling for Scallops
I’m back from a trip to Homosassa Springs and Crystal River, Florida, for scalloping. More to follow (hopefully this week - including photos and video) but enjoy this self portrait of me with my bag filling up with sweet, Florida scallops.
Check out, “Scalloping in Citrus County: Why Hiring a Crystal River or Homosassa Guide is a Smart Idea.”
