After my Weight Watcher's meeting this morning, I came home and grabbed a yogurt and a cup of coffee while I checked my email and FB messages. After awhile, I looked over at Butch who was reading his paper and asked, "How about getting out of here for a walk at Wall Springs?" His reply: "Want to keep those pounds coming off, huh?" I laughed and said, "Yes, but mainly I want to enjoy this pretty day."
So we changed into walking shoes and hopped into the car and headed south on Alt. 19 to Wall Springs Park. The place was packed! I think everyone was tired of all the clouds and rain this week. There were families and couples biking and walking every where. We headed for the map to look at the trails:
The park trails are a combination of paved walkways, boardwalks over the marshland and bridges over the waters of Boggy Bayou and St. Joseph's Sound. Some paths end at fishing piers. We decided where we wanted to start and almost immediately, I saw two cabbage palms that I just HAD to have pictures of.
There are over 2500 species of palm trees in the world and most of them can be grown in Florida. The cabbage palm is one of the most striking and we have a lot of them in this area. I love them. All of them.
Not far up the path from these palms, we walked up onto a bridge overlooking Boggy Bayou and the springs can be seen in the distance. The viewing area overlooks the historical natural springs once used as a spa and bathing area. They are the centerpiece of the park.
Other views from this bridge:
Boggy Bayou is large and the park boardwalks take you over to an island in the middle of the bayou. No fishing from these particular bridges, but we could see them from the bridge in the shallow water below.
We continued our walk through the marshes and over to the island.
Once we were on the island, we came upon the first of some really unique benches. They looked like sharks and were positioned at various places along the winding trails.
Butch couldn't resist grinning devilishly behind one of them.
Right next to that bench, I noticed a lovely plant. The color attracted me to it.
It is some type of autumn fern, I think. I had not seen one before so I spent some time looking at it. I looked up and the Spanish moss caught my eye...my camera's eye...
Around the bend and to the west we came upon a boardwalk over to a fishing pier so we walked out to look at the water.
The little dot on the water in the picture below is a boat being poled across the water toward the island...
Looking back from the pier...
We had watched these people poling their boat across the bayou toward the island in the distance. I had to use my telephoto lens to get this and then enhance with my computer.
We reluctantly left the pier and headed back up the path where we saw the another bench.
We were totally fascinated by these artistic creations.
Then we ran across something we had read about but had not seen. There WAS an observation tower you could view the Gulf from. Some vandals burned it down. As we headed up a board walk to another pier, we saw the boardwalk to the tower blocked by a gate and sign.
We met another couple at this turn and talked about what should be done to the person or people who did this. The tower cost $315,000 when it was originally built. Park rangers are working with architects on the plans for a replacement tower.
Around the bend, I was able to take a picture where the boardwalk drops off because it and the tower burned.
We walked on out to the pier and I got more water pictures:
And we saw a big bird in the distance. I used my optical zoom and then enlarged here at home. We thought it might be an eagle since they are numerous here, but I think it's an osprey.
He's pretty, isn't he?
We walked back from the pier and got back on the path which was now heading back to the mainland. And we saw our last bench before getting back on the boardwalk back across the bayou.
We thought this one might be a manatee.
When we got back to the car, we decided to continue down to the Dunedin causeway.
I could see the sea fog forming in the distance.
We headed back up Alt 19 to home and made our normal detour to our parks before we drove home. Living right between these parks reminds us every day of why we live here.
Sunset Beach:
Fred Howard Beach Park:
View of Sunset Beach from Howard Park causeway:
Our pretty park trees and paths:
It was a great day enjoying nature on the Gulf Coast. We got to 72 today, I think. Very comfortable walking. We rode around with the moon roof and windows open and enjoyed the fresh air after being cooped up so much of this dismal week. Felt years younger when we got home!
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