Fun in the Boca Grande Sun

Day 254  |  Punta Gorda    

Mid 60s and sunny sounded pretty good to us for exploring Boca Grande. We were out waiting at 10:15 for Enterprise to pick us up. They arrived at 11:00. From this experience we learned that it really wasn't too chilly in the sun. Finally on our way to the barrier island at 11:45 in a white Dodge mom-van, we paid $6 for the privilege of passing over the Boca Grande Swingbridge which opened for Crossroads without cost yesterday. We headed straight to the Loose Caboose, a highly recommended local spot that occupies the historic train depot in downtown Boca Grande. While enjoying our grouper and shrimp, we took in our surroundings in this resort community with just as many golf carts as cars.

We drove to the southernmost tip of the island to check out the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse which has been in operation since 1890. There was a small museum inside where Barry met a local alligator in the children's touch trough. A small chapel sits adjacent to the lighthouse. The Amory Memorial Chapel is the former home of Shiloh Baptist Church, but now serves as a wedding venue.

The white powdery sand drifts shoveled from in front of the doorway reminded us for a fleeting moment of snow back home. The real accumulation in this area is seashells. The beach is covered an inch deep in shells and we enjoyed walking the surf in search of a treasure. We are more attracted by color than the perfect form.

Apparently we were going about this all wrong as the professional shellers brought buckets and pickers so they don't have to stoop over. Folks have been decorating this piece of driftwood by hanging shells with holes on them upon the branches. Deciding that we'd had enough shelling for today, we turned around and walked to the other end of the beach. Now this image is why we made the trip ... sand, surf, sun, and palms. It was a happy day in Gasparilla Island State Park.

We reached the rocks and watched the waves splashing up over them before we returned to the van. About a mile up the road stood the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse which is actually an operational range light maintained by the Coast Guard. We arrived back at Crossroads with enough time to put on sweats before walking to the end of L Dock to watch the sunset over Charlotte Harbor.

It was another great light show. The sound of multiple conch shells being blown echoed between the condo buildings and signaled the end of a very good day.