"Hiking" in the Oxbow

May 28, 2008 Wednesday
It's the end of the school year and everyone is winding down. Getting classes cleaned, booked stored and students ready for the summer. I asked other teachers if they wanted to take a walk into the Oxbow after work but had only one taker. Cathy joined me for the second day into my "practice". She didn't mind the heat, the pace or the length! She probably could have continued walking, even after 6 miles, but she was sans 30 pound backpack.

We had a lovely chat and good camaraderie. Those other people don't know what they're missing!

Walking along the River

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

This past weekend was High School graduation and very little walking was accomplished. A little bit of biking was done and a lot of socializing.

I do have an opportunity to join a small Florida Trails group which will be hiking on the AT into the Great Smokey Mountains starting June 14. I've pulled out my pack and equipment, and now I need to get ready. Walking on the soft, flat, sandy beaches just won't get me ready for the 4,000 foot+ mountains. I needed to get a little challenge, so I headed for the Oxbow Eco-Center after work. I have a lovely route that takes me around the elementary school into the back entrance of the Oxbow. This trail is a rolling, root infested path along the St. Lucie River.

I then walk out the other end of the Oxbow to the Riverpark complex which has a wide chip covered path around the perimeter. After completing the loop around the neighborhood, I return back to the Oxbow and heading straight through the middle come out next to the canel close to where I have my car.

5-6 miles

2 black snakes

Sunrise on the Beach

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Today I woke up early and when I looked outside the sky was amazing, so without waking up the other inhabitants of the house, I grabbed my camera and hightailed it to the beach. I didn't even stop to put in my contact lenses. 6:30am

As I started across A1A, I waved to the elderly gentleman who rides his three wheeler down the sidewalk at least two times a day. He yelled at me to be careful; I looked both ways and trotted over to out run the bugs. There was no one on the beach and the colours were phenomenal. The air was cool. I played around with the camera for a little while and the best and most interesting photo, above, includes our boardwalk, where all our neighbors meet for evening chats and comaraderie. I then discovered that I actually knew how to take a video, sorta, kinda. So in the spirit of Roxie, I tried to present my first beach video. You're going to love the end. But, alas, I couldn't get it to download. I'll have to work on that.

Later in the morning I did get a short walk to Avalon Park and a short swim. There were very few people on the beach. The water was cool and fairly flat. Lounging after my swim, I didn't have a book or a person to talk to. It's called relaxing.

In the afternoon Tatiana had her final piano recital as a young girl. If Boris makes a video of the pieces, I think it will be something you will thoroughly enjoy. Maybe someday I'll learn how to combine Tatiana's music with beach videos.

A Hawaiian Beach walk

Saturday, May 17, 2008
This time of year gets really hectic and not much beach walking is getting accomplished. Today I had a end of school year training class on using technology in the classroom, how apropo is that?

Earlier in the week I found a really cool website that I'm going to keep my eye on. Beachwalk with Rox at first seems to be a commericial site because she is promoting herself as a motivational speaker (and successful podcaster, blogger) BUT what a fun way to do it. Every couple of days she, her dog, Lexi, and her husband, the Secret cameraman, put together a video podcast of Roxanne discussing something as she walks on a beach in Hawaii. Interesting topics, beautiful scenery and what an inspiration! If you love dogs, you'll really like Lexi.

Roxanne says, "...most every day that I am here in Hawaii, I go to the beach to walk and swim with our dog Lexi, and Secret Cameraman comes along so we can share it with you. (Other days I am on the road or we do something special here in Hawaii!) We've had over 2 million downloads and have some of the smartest and kindest people in the world watching our show - which was started by accident, by the way!"

They also have a blog at barefeetstudios.com, which I have yet to investigate.

Don't spend too much time on line, you here? And do let me know what you think about "A Walk On the Beach".

As neighbor Wallace says, "It's better to live life than write about it."

Section: To the beach and return...I did ride my bike to Fort Pierce North bridge and back, swimming in the pool.
Water temperature: 74
UV: 10 at noon
Wind: From the South
Tide: Working toward high
Time: Boardwalk time, before sunset
Length: 1/2 hour at the boardwalk/beach, 10 miles on the bike
Marine animals: none, but the mosquitos are out and so were the no-see-ums
People: Neighbors are Great!
Beach litter: very little

Swimming the beach?

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Another lazy day, though I did walk south less than a mile and back. There was hardly anyone on the beach, where are all the people? After the short walk I went into the water to swim. Normally when I walk longer distances I haven't been going in the water because sometimes it's not so comfortable to walk while you're wet. But after I started to swim I realize swimming, of course, is another form of moving down the beach. For me it would be tedious to swim longer distances; I went about 1/2 mile, breast stroke, crawl, side stroke. Mixing it up with back swim, underwater, running. Other people have been known to swim the english channel and additional large bodies of water. I think I'll stick to walking. The water was almost crystal clear and only a little choppy.

As I was swimming I could see a few neighbors arriving to enjoy the beauty and I thought to appear out of the water as close to Kerryane as possible, to give her a surprise. I don't realize people on the beach are very aware of people swimming in the water. Mary (another walking neighbor) returned from her walk and pointed out to the water, like she was watching something. I swam closer to shore and suddenly...

"Get out of the water!" yells Kerryane, practically throwing her phone (she was talking to her mother).

I was already close, so a few quick steps took me out. There was a large ominious dark shape, moving rather quickly through the water. Then the whiskery nose rose to the surface. It was a manatee.

Later, after lounging and talking, Kerryane and I watched two larger fish swimming quickly south in the clear water. And then a fin broke the surface. Yes, there are sharks. These sharks were small. Watch for bait fish and cloudy water, that's when there is more danger.

Today and yesterday the outside temperature was soaring! It was at least 93 or 94. Blasts of hot air hit me in the face as I rode my bike to the north bridge in Fort Pierce. Florida summer is getting closer!

Section: Home- Breaker's Landing
Water temperature: 74
UV: 9 at noon
Wind: From the southwest
Tide: high Time: 12:00p-3pm
Length: to the home beach and back
Marine animals: fish, manatee, and baby shark
People: a few
Beach litter: very little
photo credit: http://www.manatees.net/

Mother's Weekend

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Not much walking today because I spent the morning at a Mother's Brunch and tea party with my Girl Scout buddies (and my daughter).

Afterward I went on a short walk to the beach, with the beach chair. I spent the rest of the afternoon lounging, enjoying the water and sand, talking to Marco and Boris, and swimming. The wind grew more fierce as the day progressed, and the water became more choppy. I did find a tiny seahorse while swimming. (This photo is NOT the seahorse but rather another found years ago-thus the quality of the photo. Today's seahorse was also half this size) Doesn't he look like a piece of seaweed?

Section: Home- Breaker's Landing
Water temperature: 74
UV: 10 at noon
Wind: From the South
Tide: high
Time: 2:00p-4:45p
Length: to the home beach and back

Marine animals: fish and a seahorse
People: a few
Beach litter: very little

Sunday Saunter with a Friend

May 4, 2008 Sunday

I had planned to travel north to Sebastian for two days in a row but received and unexpected phone call from my friend Lee, who was finished with her college final exams and was ready to do some walking. She lives close to the north Fort Pierce Inlet, so I headed over to her house on my bicycle, and we walked to the beach entry. The tide was low and the beach was wide. It was just like summer with tidal pools filled with clear, warm water. It was fairly busy with people walking, surfing, and playing. We hadn’t seen each other for months and we had plenty to talk about: school, classes, children, summer plans and future plans. We went at a leisurely pace, without time restraints or worries. Lee has on her agenda to hit the beach more often this summer, taking her young son to become more comfortable with the ocean waves.

Upon returning to Lee’s house I continued on my bike to the north bridge. The bridge gives a view of the Indian River Lagoon, South Bridge, Fort Pierce and north, on a clear day, the 17th ST Bridge in Vero. I count it a very lucky day if you see a dolphin or two. (But I didn’t see any today)

Section: Access off of south to south Fort Pierce Inlet, Inlet Park
Water temperature: 76
UV:9 at noon
Wind: From the South
Tide: low
Time: 2:00p-4:00p
Length: Marine animals: none
People: Many
Beach litter: very little

Beautiful May Day

May 2, 2008


Back to Sebastian Inlet and another set of long private beaches. I went north over the Sebastian bridge and counted miles from my last Archie Carr beach access, which held mainly surfers. I kept driving and driving, looking for public beach access. Well, I finally found a couple of spots but panicked as large rain clouds scooted overhead. I needed something not too long in miles, but not too short for the time I spent getting here. I attached my bike to the Archie Carr Beach sign at the start of the path to the beach, then drove back to the surfer's beach.


I attempted to park at the surfer’s beach access but it was massively full, so I drove a mile north to Bonseller Park, which had plenty of spaces and a toilet. I felt like I was racing the storm clouds but it was nice to have a little relief from the sun. The wind was to my back and pushed me along the flat, open beach. There were hardly any people due to the “privacy” of the beaches for the next 4 miles. The sand was fine beneath my feet. I observed the lovely beach houses as I marched by, daydreaming about their owner’s and who took care of their gardens. I passed an appealing beach hut that enticed one to lounge in the two available chairs, but I didn’t stop; it was too early in the game and I was still eyeing the storm clouds. The clouds did eventually dissipate, moving faster and further north. I didn’t think I would have much trouble locating the beach entry where I had positioned my bike because there just weren’t any other entry places.

When I came to the entry I really wasn’t ready to stop walking but I had another 2 miles to make up on the other end, since I hadn’t been able to park at the surfer’s access. On the path away from the beach, which wound around the vegetation, I passed a tiny tortoise. He wasn’t happy for the interference and literally ran away from the paparazzi and the camera. Look at the cute little fellow!

The return four miles on the bicycle route passed through Floridana and Sunnyvale. The mailboxes were a treat. Two manatees (one without his head), two seashells, we’re talking big mailboxes, and a barrel. The barrel mailbox had numerous other keg type barrels outside the house, which had barrel shaped turrets attached to its walls. It was very unique house theme.

As I approached the Bonseller Park, I heard a familiar chirping sound. Could it be? It was my car alarm, disturbing the peace! I managed to turn it off and packed up the bike but the chirping started up again, and though I wasn’t completely finished walking, I high tailed it out of there. I will return to this part of the beach soon.

Section: Bonseller Park(? forgot to write down the name-I'll get it next time) north to another Archie Carr beach access
Water temperature: 76
UV: 10 at noon
Wind: From the South
Tide: low
Time: 12:45p-2:35
Length: Marine animals: none
People: a few
Beach litter: very little