What a beautiful week on the out islands. The May weather never ceases to amaze me. This week on Cayo Costa Island, the water looked like the Bahamas. A good friend from Colorado finally made it down here to southwest Florida. Capt. Brian finally put his long pants away and wore shorts for the first time since January. The last time I wore shorts was in January on my excursion to the mesmerizing Everglades.

Today I took a long time client out to look at the characteristics of boats on Boca Grande. This client is looking to have a custom boat, built in the Bahamas. I was able to run the Muspa out in the Gulf of Mexico along the shoreline of North Captiva then continuing North past Cayo Costa into Boca Grande Pass. The long stretch of beach on Cayo Costa brings back fresh memories of sea grape leaves, jelly fish, picnic tables, strawberries and finding old bottles. Cayo Costa holds many special memories and thoughts, both past and hopeful future. Oh, how I relish the month of May. I look forward to being there tomorrow, walking on the sand, feeling the air, seeing old trees and smelling old memories.

May is my favorite Month in Florida. This week was spent enjoying the beautiful waters around Cayo Costa Island and North Captiva Island. Between the two Islands is Captiva Pass where the water flows from the Gulf of Mexico to Pine Island Sound . The new moon was this past week and the tides have been super low towards sunset. Two days I spent watching the sunset, drifting on the tide with the engine off, observing the wildlife and listening to the sound of the tide take me out into the Gulf of Mexico. Spotted eagle rays jumped out of the water, osprey flew by with fish in their talons, loggerhead turtles swam by the boat, small blue crabs clung to the floating sea grass and 6 foot tarpon gulped air as they rolled by. May is a magical month in Southwest Florida.

P.S. I mentioned in the last blog that sea turtle nesting has started. There is currently one nest on Cayo Costa Island.

A Pleasurable May Evening At The Mound House

This year the 62nd Annual Florida Anthropology society held its annual meeting in Fort Myers, Florida. The opening reception was held at the mound house on Estero Island. Construction began on this mound in 100B.C. The ancient Calusa occupied this mound as well as the Spanish and Cuban fisherman. A great time was had meeting new people, visiting with old friends and former students. A highlight was discussing the possibilities of going to Cuba in the future with a volunteer group from St. Augustine. The great thing about this historic site is you can reach it by land OR by water. The back dock is 45 minutes from Captiva Island. The pictures here were taken on top of the mound.

Turtles

Jeffrey Gaines acoustic guitar played over the boat speakers as he sang "In Your Eyes". Lost in thought as the second verse started. I noticed a dark round object off the port side of the boat. I grabbed my camera in hopes that it might be a sea turtle. I took several pictures and ended up with one great shot. The water was a magnificent blue. May through October is turtle nesting season in Florida. Last year on Cayo Costa Island there were over 200 nests on the beautiful, curvy eight miles of sandy beach. Tomorrow I will be walking the south end of Cayo Costa looking for turtle tracks. This picture of turtle tracks was taken last year at the south end of Cayo Costa on a hot July day.

Sunset

Sunset's always get me. This was a good one.

The water has been beautiful and extremely clear around Cayo Costa Island. I spent four wonderful, starry moon filled nights on the island last week. The days were spent exploring barefoot through mangrove swamps looking at old forgotten trees and isolated Osprey nests. Paddling my kayak allowed access to remote regions of the

island. I observed little green heroins, mangroves crabs, and listened to the sounds of Osprey catching fish. New secret spots were discovered.

Today I adventured alone on a fossil expedition. It started with light rain which turned heavy. I was more than glad to have Jim Morrison talk me through the rain. "Keep your eyes on the road, and your hand upon the wheel." The fossil expedition was in progress. I traveled north of Fort Myers to a place near the Myakka River, just south of Venice, Florida. A true fossil haven. Nothing but the sounds of killdeer lurking by some forgotten barbed wire fence.

Fossil finds of the day:

• Shark vertebra
• Shark teeth (some extinct)

• Sting ray barbs
• A puffer fish upper mouth plate
• Large vertebra from a small whale
• Crab claws
• Manatee rib bones
• Petrified wood
• Tooth plate of a stingray
• Many other pieces of bone big and small that are yet to be identified.

The heavy rain slowed to a light drizzle as the poet, Jim Morrison, sang about swimming to the moon on a Moonlight drive. A great day exploring Florida's fascinating past.