My Great Calusa Blueway, Pine Island Sound-Matlacha Pass map indicated two launching spots. Pineland Marina, and the Pine Island Land Monument. I found the latter, which had five cars parked. I had the sixth, and final spot. The monument is this adjacent Calusa mound.
It was low tide. Egrets fed in the mud flats as I walked a long way before the yak would float with me inside. The map showed the route to Cayo Costa running west by northwest between several islands. One, Useppa, I knew had large homes, so that would help distinguish it from the others when I came to it. The map showed a boating channel and something labeled " Wilson's Cut" I saw what appeared to be a tour boat headed west, what appeared to be a marina, likely the Pineland Marina, and an artificial channel- riprap leading to the Marina. That had to be Wilson's Cut. I was on my way, pushed by a 10-15 mile east wind.
Wildlife viewing opportunities are not as good in open water as they are on a narrow creek. The exception was the flock of white pelicans. At low tide many areas of Pine Island Sound were quite low. After I passed Useppa Island, I saw another island with a few structures and a large metal water holding tank. Was this Cayo Costa ? Seeing no brown Florida State Park sign, I gathered it was not and kept paddling. Oyster bars surrounded this island. On the return paddle, the bars were under water.
In one shallow section, a dorsal fin. Not a dolphin. Could it have been a small shark ?
I arrived at Cayo Costa about 11:45. Vultures and this osprey perched in the trees of this long island, located between North Captiva Island and Boca Grande Pass.
It was still a long paddle up a long bay, Pelican Bay, to the Park's landing area. I saw a group of paddlers coming out of a channel south of the distant docks. Was there a paddle craft landing there ? I went in, there was a dock on small cove, but it was private. So, on to the Park docks.
I talked to the other paddlers, one said he saw an alligator in the cove. Later a ranger told me a manatee lives in the cove. I wonder if that is what the paddler really saw, just the nostrils out of the water, perhaps.
I took this path/road to the beach. A section closer to the Pine Sound side has a many live oaks. It seemed like a very long walk. I noticed some areas where the the dirt on the side of the trail was disturbed. Looked like hog rooting to me. When the park tram, a tractor towing a long trailer with benches along the sides stopped, I gladly hopped on, joining the other passenger. The trail is not even a mile, .9 mile according to a sign I noticed later at the landing area. A second sign warned against feeding wild animals as "raccoons and feral pigs can carry disease" I was correct about the hogs.
The unspoiled Gulf beach is worth the trip. There are tent camping site just off the beach and a few "rustic cabins". They look like trailers to me.
I began the walk back, this time a Park worker in golf/utility cart asked if I wanted a lift. Sure. Nothing beats the service at an isolated, only accessible by water, Park.
I had lunch in the shade of a sea grape tree, then was back in the water. I though of revisiting the cove to see if I could spot a manatee or gator, but that would require extra paddling and now the east wind was in my face. I wondered how the same forecast that predicted 10-15 mile winds could also have a light chop. In addition to the seas, I kept a eye out for power boats, using caution when crossing boat channels. Still, I failed to time one crossing correctly, coming to close to a wake and took on a bit water over the bow.
The wind was perfect for sailors.
I landed at 4:30, no long walk across mud flats to the car now. It took three hours to make the crossing.
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