One of the most interesting things I found out on this field trip was that it is the first aquatic preserve to be established in Florida. It is also one of the most productive estuaries in the state. The Estero bay preserve has a wide variety of wildlife. Some of the wildlife includes: the bald eagle, gopher tortoises, fiddler crabs, slash pines, and live oaks. This preserve includes the water, inlets, and islands the surround the area. The preserve was beautiful and I hope to go on a bike ride that ends with a water front picnic there soon. But my favor part of this field trip by far was listing to the elderly lady talking about the way Fort Myers Beach used to be. 
She made me realize how much damage and reshaping of land a hurricane can do. It did make me worry though about how much more damage a big hurricane can do to the current Fort Myers Beach. There is so much more growth and homes and people to be affected if a storm was to hit our area. 
It also disappointed me to hear how clear the water used to be on Fort Myers Beach. Hearing that along with seeing the old houses reminds me of my grandparents’ house in the Bahamas. All of my mom’s family lives in the Bahamas and in my time since a kid I have watched the water progressively get dirtier and harder to see through. This has a lot of consequences for the sea plants and animals that depend on the sunlight for survival. I found this while research more about the early days of Fort Myers Beach. "This land is free..." so the rumor ran."Come to Florida, come to Estero Island. Live on this land five years; clear it; farm it; improve it---and it is yours."
Learning about the history of the island was much more interesting hearing it from someone who actually lived in that time and remembered it for how it was, rather than reading about it in a text book. The sea grape jelly and lemonade was much appreciated too. The only thing I would have changed was that I wish I had taken your advice and used the mosquito wipes.
No comments:
Post a Comment