ffi Loxahatchee Chapter, Florida Trail Association Volume 24, Issue 3: Bi-monthly Publication MaylJune2014 I zo14 Ocean to Lake Hike Report CHAPTERMEETINGS By Fred Davis First Monday of every month The weather gods were both kind and cruel for the February 15-20 ocean to Lake Hiking Trail backpacking hike. Twenty hikers enjoyed sunny and mild days and Topics of interest to hikers, clear, cool nights with brilliant moonlight. However, rainy weather from December outdoor enthusiasts and through February left the well groomed trail extremely wet resulting in miles of naturists held at: ankle deep water. Fortunately, hikers accepted the conditions with high spirits. unfortunately, several hikers could not complete their hike due to physical and OKEEHEELEE NATURE equipment issues. We were very lucky to be able to get all distressed hikers off the CENTER trail with the help of a land manager employee (James Elmore) in Dupuis and a good Samaritan couple !n Corbett. Scott Lunsford, who organized,all shuttles, also Social T:00 p.m. retrieved hikers from DuPuis on Saturday and Corbett on Sunday. Program 7:30 p.m. Nine hikers, including myself, who completed the enttre 62 miles from Lake okeechobee to Hobe Sound Beach were Rick Byrnes, Sally Davies, Bill Detzrer, Located in Okeeheelee Park on Nancy Frey, Suzanne Niemann, Barbara euinn, Rich euinn, and Judy Steinbicer. Forest Hill Blvd. east of the others who completed parts of the hike were Mary Aikens, turnpike. Follow the main park Jim Baxter, Bill Herr, Andrea Lowery, Kaye Moore, Jim Moore, Bobby-Jo Sargent, Narline Troll, roadfor about a mile, turn left Rosa Torres-Tumazos, Elaine Zlmsteg, and Paul Guyon. at the Nature Center sign and continue to the building. Thanls to the hiders and friends of the FTA, we raised over $500 in donations to the Loxahatchee chapter. I will ask the chapter to use these funds to improve our social media sites, produce a good comprehensive map and trail guide for the EVERYONE ISWELCOME orLH trail, and continue to improve the trail with additional bridges and boardwalks. Special thanks go to all our shuttle drivers and support people inclucting the trail IIappA lliking/# maintainers. We could not do this hike without you. Finally, if anyone believes that there are not challenging but rewarding backpacking opportunities provided by the FTA in south Florida just ask any of the hikers who participated in the 2014 hike. fl (See picture, page 4) Chopter Meetings & Barley Barber Swamp Chapter Officers Eaents Tour Chair: Margaret Brabham, 561-588- Monthly Meeting By Sarah Fisher 3077, [email protected] MaY 5 Sunday morning, March 6th, fourteen Vice/Programs : Sherry Cummings, members of the Loxahatchee chapter 561 -963-9906, [email protected] TO BEANNOUNCED of the Florida Trail Association toured the Barley Barber Vice/Trails: Bea Rogers, 561-968- Swamp. This beautiful natural area, 4864, [email protected] named for the original homesteader, part June z is of the Florida Power and Light Treasurer: psul eummings, 56 1 _963- property and preserved by FPL and 9906, cummin [email protected] TO BE ANNOUNCED the Treasured Lands Foundation. The group met Chuck Barrowclougb, Council Representative ### executive director of Treasured Fred Davis: 561 -585-6386, Lands, at the Seminole Inn in [email protected] Indiantown. A video during the short Earth Day at the bus ride provided an introduction to Committees Okeeheelee County Park the swamp. Nature Center Chuck led us on a stroll along the Me,mbership: Mary Miller, 561-391- By Paul 6ummings loop boardwalt pointing out many 7942,mhm27@,tmo.com features of the swamf. We learned Earth day was celebrated Saturday, about the bug bite protection qualities Nature Center Vol.: Marion Finch April72, at Okeeheelee Park from of clpress cones and bay lmves. We 561-967-1847, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The [email protected] free event viewed a thousand year old bald was set up to educate and inspire the cypress, and maples, strangler figs, public to preserve the natural palms, a:rd the blooming of early Newsletter: Gail kwirU 561-968- environment 3887, [email protected] and engage in eco- spring flowers. Chuck explained the activities. great effort Treasured Lands Public Relations: Warren Resen, 561- I set up the Loxahatchee chapter Foundation is expending to preserve 9 64-841,5, [email protected] display booth and was joined by the the swamp as well as its history. following chapter volunteers who We saw an eagle, red shoulder hawks, helped staff the booth: Val Johnson, Trail Section Leaders including babies in the nest, a Winnie Lo, Pat Torso, Earl raccoon, a redrat snake, and several Jonathan Dickinson: Steve Meyers, Sulzbacher, and Daisy PaLner. We great blue herons. s6r-317-3631, entertained Earth Day visitors with [email protected] tales of the trails, gave out Afterward, we enjoyed a delicious information about the trails and the brunch at the historic Seminole Inn. Corbett: Tony Rawson, 561-843- Florida Trail Association, and ### 4668, [email protected] informed them about Loxahatchee chapter activities. DuPuis: Bea Rogers, 561-968-4864, As it was the2"d Saturday of the bznest22@bellsouth. net month, the usual volunteers for the nafure center's information desk, i.e., Lake Okeechobee: Paul Cummings, Marion Finch Alan Collins, and Gail 561 -963 -9906, [email protected] kwin, were on hand to do their part. Ocean to Lake: Bea u4! Rogers, 561-968- 4864,bznest22@,bellsot:frh.net Went Walkin' (from column I) (from column 2) By Dean Drake I enjoyed flowering candy weed Then back to Wabasso for motel "Come walk with mg out in the yellow star grass, sabatia and rhexia, check-in followed by dinner in woods, out where the wild ones still hat pins, sneeze weed, sundew, pond Fellsmere at Marsh Landing. roam. There's an owl out there lillys, and yellow flowers that I've hootin', calling to you and deep in forgotten the name. There was a The next morning started like the first your heart you know that it's true." cypress tree with a lot of character in the pre-dawn hours, a country because the limbs in the crown had breakfast at Roadside Family Yesterday I parked in the picnic grown in an odd pattern. One small Restaurant was followed by a trip parking at Jonathan Dickinson State coffontail rabbit ran off. (A roaming along the Jungle Trail to Pelican Park and walked to the Kitching wild one!?) IslandNational Wildlife Refuge and Creek Overlook and along the fire the Centennial Trail. road to its junction with the Ocean to This area is all flatwoods interspersed Lake Hiking Trail. On the way a with wetlands and Cypress strands Then a stop at Mclarty Treasure baned owl hooted. It was in the and "domes." The pine are slash pine Museum followed by the nearby swamp somewhere; I always get a and somewhat scattered. The trail is hammock trail in preparation for thrill hearing them. Another talked well blazed and easy walking. lunch at Sebastian Inlet State Park. A back. I've been on that road many trip through Honest John's Fish Camp This is the flrst time I have done this times, sometimes wading. This time it for the fishing enthusiasts among us loop. Others were out with the horse was dry. was followed by the lovely Maritime concession that was transporting Hammock Sanctuary Trail. I walked the trail towards Scrub Jay people in a wagon. Campsite and walked to Powerline Then across the bridge in Melbourne Road. to the mainland and the precious Turkey Creek Sanctuary in Palm Bay. I made two rest stops on the way. The first where there are benches on the Central Florida Trip A brief stop at North Sebastian trail close to the creek and another on By Dave Cook Conservation Area and then on to alarge, dead fallen pine tree that Fort Pierce for a waterfront ice cream provided a comfortable seat. Five enthusiastic hikers met me the stop. Great way to end a fun-filled morning of March 11 where we two days. At Powerline Road, I had to decide headed for Vero Beach and the which way to go. I had walked about Sunset Cafe. 4213 miles and based on the map in my head how tired I was, how much Breakfast was followed with a woods my feet and legs hurt, and my rule walk through Oslo Riverfront that it's my job to get me back to the Conservation Area. We saw more Ltfe is like alandscape. You i truck, I chose my route. I hiked wild coffee than ever before. After a liue inthe midst of it,but can i Powerline Road to Park Road and short stop at a new native area along i describe it only fromthe walked the paved bicycle trail back to Indian River Drive and lunch at the 3 i uantage point of distance. parking I the area. I was a bit Dog Deli, it was on to Wabasso and I I disappointed because I had wanted to the lovely Environmental Learning ; -Charles A. Lindbergh, aviator do over 8 miles, and it turned out to Center. |----------i and author (1902-1974) be only 7 l/4 miles. My feet and legs were happy! Next it was Captain Hiram Foster The trail took me through one Preserve Park and a main trail that wetland with about 6 inches of water. comes out of the woods at a deserted Otherwise it was dry. stretch ofbeach along the ocean. \ MonthlyActivitS, Calendar N- May/June Date Description 5t3 JOHN PnrxcE Panr War,r. Take this exercise walk in the park with breakfast afterward at TooJay's.