Kayaking on the Estero River

Bernice and I rode over with some friends to a yoga center wilderness center located on the Estero river this morning. The day was damp, warm and cloudy. We found the Happahatchee Preseve down a narrow dirt lane with overhanging palmetto palms. When we arrived there was a scattering of cars and a bunch of boy scouts painting an out building as a project. We met the elder owner who has lived there all her life but has opened her home and land to yoga participants, gardeners, native ceremonial quests and kayakers. We each picked out a kayak, paddle and life jacket. Our guides were a young couple of naturalists. We launched in ankle deep mud into the brown salty river about 5 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The river is covered by overhanging Live Oaks, Spanish Moss and huge tropical plants and trees. The sun began to shine through the canopy. The temp was about 70. There were about a dozen paddlers and canoers. We paddled up creek as far as possible then reverse direction and paddled toward the Gulf to within about 2 miles of the mouth. We saw a Green Heron with a frog in it's mouth, a large green turtle sitting on a log and a little Blue Heron hunting along the shore. The flora and fauna was very beautiful.

After returning to the camp, we shared a potluck picnic lunch with our new found friends. My friend Maureen made black bean brownies that were great. Her husband, Art, made super deviled eggs. Bernice and I made fruit salad. There were Italian meat sandwiches and a green salad.

I came back to the coach and continued waxing and buffing after a much needed nap. Tonight there is a lovely breeze blowing and the temp is still 72. We may get some showers in the night.

It feels good to make the Native American connection here. The day before I found a natural food store that has beautiful organic veggies nearby... I also discovered a farmers mkt at Dolly's restaurant where they sell local organic fruits and veggies. I bought a couple of Temple oranges and the lady put a red (blood) orange in my bag. What an incredible tasting fruit it is. Very juicy and sweet right off the tree.

We made some new friends who like to do many of the things we do. We went to the beach with them, played cards and biked.

No luck selling the bus as of yet. Still have to have the windshield fixed again. Don't know where this all ends financially. I just keep dumping money into this big hole.