Blowing Rocks Beach - Hobe Sound

I have been to most of the beaches in Florida over the years. The beautiful white, ice cold sands of Pensacola, Siesta Key, and Lido. The shell strewn sands of Captiva and Sanibel. The crowded, relaxing, family friendly beaches of Naples and Fort Myers. The hot body beaches of South Beach and Fort Lauderdale. The blazing hot, crushed shell beaches of Pompano and Palm Beach. Even the fine grey sands of St Augustine and Fernandina beaches.

This week I visited the most unique beach in Florida. Blowing Rocks Beach in Hobe Sound.

Where the sea meets the land, you find rocks instead of sand. Actually limestone or ancient coral. Most of us who live on the coast know you don't have to dig down in the sand very far to hit coral and salt water. This is one of the very few places the coral is exposed at the shoreline. The ocean slowly eats away and undercuts this rock and in several places drills a hole to the surface. At high tide or stormy days, geysers shoot from these holes up to 50 feet I hear. Of course I timed my visit at the lowest possible tide so all I managed to capture was a bunch of wet rock.

Jupiter beach is completely build up and the entrance to this preserve is well hidden. I passed it even with my GPS telling me I was right on top of the entrance. I discovered this 73 acre preserve was set aside back in 1969. Natural treasurers are rare on the Treasure Coast. I was very happy to learn this natural wonder was not simply paved over like so much of the Florida coast during the last century. Next visit I'll plan a bit better and bring an umbrella, picnic basket, and tide chart to enjoy this nature show.

Blowing Rocks Beach - Jupiter FL

Downtown Stuart

I have been spending an increasing amount of my time recently in Downtown Stuart. The more time I spend, the more I like it. My parents retired to the area some fifteen years ago. Back then I considered Stuart a sleepy town bordering on nearly comatose.  In the last few years, I've been making the drive up from Fort Lauderdale with more frequency and  Downtown Stuart has become a regular part of my visit to the area.

Downtown Stuart

I write this blog mostly for my local friends and family but my real life has taken me to twenty five states and eleven countries. I prefer the small town experiences and the little out of the way, seldom visited attractions. Considering all the places I've been, I would sum up Downtown Stuart in one word - Comfortable.

According to the Downtown Stuart web page link above, there are 50 shops, galleries, and restaurants. Every time I think I've seen them all, I find one more to enjoy it seems.

On my last visit, I decided to take a few early morning photos for my Flickr collection. As expected, downtown was deserted when I arrived but I was surprised by the number of joggers out to greet the dawn with me and my camera. Shortly after sunup, I was further surprised to see the morning breakfast crowd had already rolled into town. I think of Stuart as primarily a retirement community but certainly not one that sleeps late.

There are plenty of attractions in the area such as Blowing Rocks Beach, the Jupiter Light House, and the Elliot Museum.  My last posting from Stuart is my 3rd most popular ever. There seems to be more interest in Stuart than I originally thought. And now that my family has relocated to the area it's time I took a closer look.

Roosevelt Bridge - Stuart

Florida Supercon - Miami

Katniss and Poison Ivy

Cat Woman

I am not all that comfortable with large crowds in small, confined, and enclosed spaces so what am I doing at the Florida Supercon Miami. Fighting my fears for my fans like a true super hero. I'm not a gamer or a comic book enthusiast but I've made a lot of new friends writing this blog and my two favorite, Katniss and Cat Woman, invited me to the show. Reason enough. I also have a brand new $500.00 camera lens and it only makes sense to blow that much cash on a toy if I take it out and play with it.

Trey - FacePalm Comic

After a thrilling and action pack drive to the Miami Airport Convention Center, I plunked down the twenty five dollar admission fee and seconds later was floundering in a sea of bodies. It only took a few minutes to realize this is likely the only place in the world where the crowd is more afraid of me than I am of it. I lifted my camera to check my settings and when I looked up there was a beautiful costumed character posing for me. Oh yeah - this is going to be fun.

Has anyone seen the comic books?

So what does this convention offer. Well the obvious thing is comic books. For some reason I had a tough time finding any. There were just too many distractions. I took a few minutes to talk to Levar Leo of FacePalm Comic.  It was right after he was done acting out a scene from his graphic novel "Trey". Based on the enthusiasm level I am looking forward to the movie.

Steampunkfunk

There were so many booths it was impossible to visit them all. I'm not really that excited about cartoon sized weapons or fluffy little creatures but if your needs are more geared to the Hollywood style horror makeup or Steampunk like mime, this show would certainly have been for you. I was ogling the goggles at the Streampunkfunk Bizarre when something else caught my eye and totally derailed my steam engine of thought. Luckily I found the name of the company buried deep in my photo and can continue shopping online.

Aya Knight

After hours of walking up and down the isles I found a small, quiet booth with a lone woman sitting in a chair. She didn't seem to have a lot of product, just a few books so I asked her what she was selling. Books.... that she wrote. Ok - totally missed the giant posters behind Aya Knight. She's a South Florida author just like me.... except that she's a real author and I write this blog but she was so much fun to talk to I'm buying her books right after I post this.

So let's see. I met writers, illustrators, makeup artists, bands like SML8, gamers, costumed characters, comedians, Remy Conner magician and mentalist.  Oh right, the real reason I came - Cupcake Burlesque. Now does that sound like something the Supercon crowd would be into? Only about 500 of them and so enthusiastic they must have been chugging 5 hour energy shots all day. I know you are going to want to see more so check out my photos on Flickr. Feel free to tag them. I always like to know if anyone is looking.

Cupcake Burlesque

Florida EcoSafaris - St Cloud

When those of us in South Florida are looking for a quick getaway packed with fun and adventure, we generally head to Central Florida. I know what you're thinking. Theme parks and mouse ears. This time I was looking for something a little different.

My destination - Florida EcoSafaris in St Cloud near Orlando. I was looking for something with a lot less waiting in line and a lot more dangerous. When I signed a waiver at the front desk stating serious injury or death could be the possible outcome of my visit, I knew I was in the right place.

I could write a book on this trip and it would start with me being born with an over active fear gene. Fear of heights happen to be high on the list. So why would I spend a day up to seventy five feet about the ground and the bulk of that racing along a wire? There are two ways to live - curled up in a safe ball in the house or pushing past my limits. Way past in this case.

The first thing you need to do is harness up from head to crotch. I've zipped before but this harness was serious business. That's because there is a full course of fun ahead and zip lining is the easy part. The harness is used for all six activities at the Eco Safari Park.


If you have never tried zip lining before, this course would be a great test drive. The towers start at 104 steps or seventy five feet high. There are spacious landing decks cleverly engineered to not end in a solid pole. Plenty of railings and lightning rods. The course consists of nine towers, seven zip lines, and two suspension bridges. Intimidating but not paralyzing. You can start off with a 1,300 foot zip to the ground if you are not sure. That's how I did it. The rest of our group chose the zip line roller coaster. I needed to think about that one a bit.

We had a great group of traveling partners and two very entertaining guides. Some of the younger ones flung themselves from the deck. A few had some reservations. As far as I could tell, I was the only one with a serious fear factor but the fun factor was getting me past it. We took about an hour and a half to make the tour which dropped us off at the same tower we started at. Just a mere 104 steps away, the only zip line roller coaster in the US, The Rattlesnake. If you are out to conquer your fears - this ride will do it. If you think it looks easy from the video - I urge you to try it. With the full Eco Safari pass you can ride it all day. Not many in our group went twice.



Now for something a little more relaxing. The Cypress Canopy Cycle. If you can ride a bike on a hill - something we don't have in Florida - you are ready for this ride.  Once you leave the station, you are on a wire twenty five feet above the ground on a self guided tour of the tree canopy. It would probably have been a good idea to take a bottle of water but for the most part, it was an easy ride. One I could take every day.

If none of this high adventure interests you, check out the coach safari or horseback safari. We rode the big swamp buggy on the hard road to the zip line area but as we were heading back I was wishing the driver could take us through the swamp on the way back. Now that I know it's possible, I want to go back for a wilderness adventure.

Riverwalk - Fort Lauderdale

Riverwalk 

I have lived in several places in South Florida over the years but I have lived my life on Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale. It has been the go to place to share special moments with family, out of town guests, old friends, new acquaintances, as well as first dates, dinner dates, events, and even breakups. Sometimes a text message is really not enough on that last one.

How long have I been visiting this part of the New River? I bought a $50.00 personalized brick for the renovation a few decades ago so long before that even. Riverwalk is one of those South Florida locations that just gets better with age.

Jungle Queen

This past Sunday it was just me, my camera, and a flood of memories. I remember dinner and a walk before shows like Stomp, Rent, Wicked, and Beethoven at the Broward Center. There is a free Jazz Brunch the first Sunday of every month and I've been to about two dozen.  Special events like the Glam Doll Strut are held here. I watched the Boat Parade from this spot one year.

Water Taxi

When my daughter was young we would spend an entire day going up and down the river on the Water Taxi. They run the boats on used cooking oil and every time I think of those trips I'm hungry for french fries for some reason. For something a little larger and a whole lot more touristy, there is the Jungle Queen. It's been decades since I have been a passenger. Maybe it's time to get a group of friends and go again.

Crossing the river you will find draw bridges, a train draw bridge and the most unique way to get to the other side, a tunnel. Since this part of Florida is only 10 feet above sea level you would think a tunnel would be more or less impossible. Even more impossible considering the size of the boats that pass over the road.

I have more photos on my Flickr site. If you are wondering where all the people are, I went at 2:00 pm on the hottest day of the year so far. Unless you work in a blast furnace or weld in a ship yard for a living, you may want to choose winter or the morning and evening hours for your visit.

Pirates in Fort Lauderdale

I bought a new lens for my camera a few weeks ago but have not had the time to take it out until this past weekend. My first stop - to shoot pirates.

A couple of hundred years ago that phrase would have had a whole different meaning. These pirates happen to be from the
South Florida Pirates and the event was World Ocean Days at the Museum of  Discovery and Science. Who knows the ocean better than pirates right? The South Florida Pirates also know a lot about special events, causes, and kids. Check out their link above to see where you might find them. For many events they bring their artillery. Pistols, muskets, and very loud and impressive cannons. Nothing went bang while I was at the museum. Must have been a rule or something. Unlike a few centuries ago, these modern day pirates are pretty well behaved. Captain Hook even performed a magic show for the kids.

I was tipped off by a friend about another group of pirates permanently stationed near Fort Lauderdale beach. BlueFoot Pirate Adventures caters to the tiniest of pirates for a little fun and adventure on the water. You can find them at Bahia Mar when they are in port. When I was a kid, we made our pirate ships out of cardboard in the back yard. This real live boat can hold nearly 50 passengers. Now that's a birthday party. Check the link for details.

After leaving my pirate friends, I took a stroll down new river and found a new restaurant on the water. The Pirate Republic. I'm starting to sense a theme here. Back when I had a boat, I remember this place as Shirttail Charlie's. The name may have changed but the crowds of boats and patrons did not seem to take notice. I would have stopped in but I was on the wrong side of the river. I've never navigated a car there before but it's a pretty safe bet I will soon.

Robbins Park - Davie

My typical weekend bicycle ride takes me through Robbins Park in Davie. Normally I pop in the front entrance on Hiatus Road and pedal out the back directly behind Flamingo Gardens on Flamingo Road.

This weekend I thought I would explore a little. Robbins Park is small but probably one of the most under utilized parks I visit. Unless there is an event or major holiday, you can expect to find the parking lot completely empty. There are a few pavilions and some play equipment. Mostly an open field. I've never seen a wedding at the wedding gazebo but I have seen some photo shoots at Robbins Park. This little park is about the only nature in a sea of monster houses. When I was a kid, it was a real treat to head to a park for a picnic. I guess kids today would rather text and Facebook then throw a Frisbee or a football. Of course some of the back yards I pass on my ride would qualify as a mini water park but even there I never see anyone venture outside their air conditioned mansions.

One thing you will find at Robbins Park are horses. Nearly every weekend I share my travels with one or a dozen riders of the four legged rather than two wheeled variety. Much of the horse trails are well shaded and only occasionally cross the bike path like at the bridge on the west entrance. There are several places in the area offering rides and lessons. I'll stick with biking. I'm always surprised by the amount of people who own a bicycle compared with the ten or so I pass on any given weekend. I guess the rest just decorate their garages with them.

Flowers From Around Florida

I've been roaming Florida a long time. I have plenty of travel pictures using a variety of inexpensive digital cameras and along the way I've snapped a few shots of interesting flowers. Now that I have some really expensive cameras and lenses, I have hardly taken a single flower photo. After combing through my old pictures, I'm beginning to rethink that. Even though these photos are from across the state, you can take pictures of flowers year round and about five feet from your front door no matter how in town you might be. I won't pretend to know the names of these flowers or even care. From what I hear the most popular flower in Florida is the "Invasive Species". For some reason the native flowers are not all that popular. I'm sure there are readers out there that do know the names of these flowers and care very deeply about helping me identify them. That's why they are numbered. If you think you know what they are and where they are from originally, feel free to leave me a comment. At least I'll know someone is reading. For me it's more about the special memories of where I was and what I was doing when I snapped the shots and that's what I'm planning to share. If you want to visit the places I've been, click the links I so cleverly leave in bold type.

(1) Flamingo Gardens

This first flower is for Red Nomad Oz who has yet again thrown down a challenge.   Australia and Florida share a similar climate it seems. Well at sea level anyway. Red recently posted about flowers from downunder and then asked me to do the same. Challenge accepted. This Red beauty was found at Flamingo Gardens in Davie. Not only are there unusual flowers but also a small zoo and bird show. Any business in South Florida that can claim an 85 year history is doing it right and a must see. Be sure to have a friend feed the flamingos while you take a picture of their expression when they strike.

(2) Anne Kolb Nature Center

I found this prickly beauty at Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood. Don't let those whispy purple flowers fool you. There are three inch spikes right behind them. My favorite feature of this park are the elevated walkways through the mangroves. I have been there numerous times and frequently walk the paths. For some reason they don't seem all that popular with the visitors. You will find more folks at the kayak launch.There are plenty of kayak trails through the mangroves but be careful of the tides. Large portions are actually above the water line at low tide.

(3) Fairchild Gardens

This one will keep the botanists guessing a while. Give up? It's glass. Chihuly glass to be exact. Dale Chihuly brought his unique glass work to Fairchild Gardens in Miami a few years back. Not once but twice which was a first. I actually went to both presentations and was astounded both times. If you have never heard a Chihuly glass, click on the link above. He transforms glass into the shapes of nature. I've seen his work all over the world so it's very likely you have seen a piece or two. His exhibit at Fairchild consisted of hundreds if not thousands of pieces and were intermixed with the live outdoor plants, in the green houses, and floating in the ponds. Truly an unforgettable experience. 

(4) Fairchild Gardens

As far as the living plants at Fairchild Gardens, they have those in abundance. Most are outdoors and the place is enormous. I've been with friends who could simply not endure the summer heat so be careful. They have a variety of events during the year but I prefer the free weekends so keep an eye out for those. On the day I took this photo the sun was not really an issue but it broke through a cloud just long enough for me to get this shot. 

(5) University of Florida

When my daughter was looking into colleges, we paid a visit to the University of Florida in Gainesville.  She was not that interested in the college but we had a great time exploring the Butterfly Rainforest right on campus. It's part of the extensive Florida Museum of Natural History. After a quick tour of the campus, we spent the rest of our visit in the museum.

(6) Markham Park

This entire bouquet is no larger than my thumbnail. This was one of the first successful attempts at using the macro setting  on my old Sony Mavica. I was with some friends riding bikes around Markham Park in Davie when we stopped for a little break and sat in the grass. I fiddled with the camera setting and took this shot not realizing how awesome it was till I got home. Markham is better known for it's gun ranges and mountain biking trails than it's tiny flowers. As exciting as biking and shooting can be, I always like to stop and notice the little things in life. Tiny in this case.

(7) Micanopy

I came across this flower in Micanopy. This is one of the most unusual spots in Florida and I had one of the most unusual visits. Micanopy was built near the shores of a lake. A lake that was once so vast, steamboats would cross it. In 1891, a natural drain opened up and the whole lake disappeared. The area is now known as Paynes Prairie.
I had journeyed to see this marvel not realizing the town is a postage stamp. No hotels, no food, nothing close by and it was getting late. If I didn't spend the night, I was going to head on past it. I lucked into finding a bed and breakfast that was once a mansion and they had an open room due to a cancellation. The next morning I had the most extraordinary adventure spotting a buffalo and watching a pair of eagles feed their enormous chicks for hours. Between flights I took this picture.

(8) Morikami

One of my favorite local spots is the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. If you want to fill your camera with beautiful images, this would be the one stop place to do it. Not only flowers but sculptures, water falls, zen rock gardens, and a museum with changing exhibits. There are plenty of events if you like a crowd or on non event days visit for a quiet stroll. They also have the best Bento Box lunch in town at the Cornel Cafe.

(9) Morikami

As many times as I've visited the Morikami, and all the photos I've taken, a surprisingly few are of flowers. I have an abundance of walkways, bamboo, tiles, bonsai, bridges, water features, drummers, a dragonfly, and a turtle. Next visit I will try and round out the collection.

(10) Silver Springs

Silver Springs in Ocala is better known for their glass bottom boats and crystal clear spring water rivers. They also have a wildlife park, botanical garden, and a few rides for those of you who want a little more out of a nature park than nature. I took this shot soon after my daughter was handed a baby alligator to hold. I remember decades ago Silver Springs was pretty much a boat ride. Now it's a full day experience.

(11) St Augustine

St Augustine is one of those magical places that once you visit you are always drawn to. I've been several times for the "romantic getaway" visit but my last trip was all about exploring. Starting with the tram to get the entire overview of the city, proceeding to the lighthouse, carriage ride, fort, and museums. A non-stop weekend totally worth the drive up and back. If you are forced into an afternoon of shopping, be sure to negotiate for an evening ghost tour as payback.

(12) Edison House

I think everyone will guess this is a rose but since it was found at the Edison Winter Estate in Fort Myers it may be a special breed. Thomas Edison was certainly a breed apart. His invention engine defined our modern world. Some 100 years ago we were still lighting our homes with whale oil. We have Edison and his lab to thank for the light bulb, recorded music, film, and thousands of other inventions that set our future on the path it has taken to bring us this amazing present. The grounds and museum take a look back at those early days and how it all began.

(13) Fairchild Gardens

Back to Fairchild Gardens. When I think of ponds I don't really think of flowers. I'm not sure where this beauty is a native of but it didn't seem to concerned about the blazing Florida sun. Most of it's fellow flowers were not holding up as well so I'm going to guess this was a very recent bloom. I have plenty of flower pictures from this visit but only a few floating on the water.

(14) Butterfly World

Butterfly World in Coconut Creek is one of those must see once places that you will likely visit again and again. It's been a while since I've been last and since then my camera collection has improved vastly. Although the butterflies are interesting, my favorite exhibit is the hummingbirds. I have a few good photos but with my new lenses I'm betting I can get some outstanding ones.

(15) Butterfly World

Of course Butterfly World has an outstanding array of flowers that the butterflies use for food. Since I was distracted by the butterflies, humming birds, and lorikeets I took very few flower pictures. If you don't know what a lorikeet is, you will be in for quite a treat when you have one on your finger, shoulder, or landing on your head.






Yet another fun challenge and chance to sort through ten years of photos with all the associated memories. Now a challenge to my readers. If you know the names of these flowers, pick a number and send me a comment. Remember Blogger is a Google product and comments work best with Google Chrome. If you have trouble leaving comments, send me an email and I'll post it for you.