Visitors from the North
February, 2010
By, John Paeno
I recently had the opportunity to work with the VCB (Visitors and Convention Bureau) when they asked if I would like to take a popular radio talk show host, Benoit Legault from Quebec for a paddle of the area. He works in Mauricie/Centre-du-Quebec Region on the French Canadian Broadcasting Corporation network and does a travel report. Benoit had brought another journalist with him — Christine Lee. Christine writes some travel and destination articles for different publications. It had rained a lot the past couple of days and they were hoping for a good day with us, but they came on one of the coldest mornings so far this year. I decided to take them to Bonita and go down the Imperial River. Benoit had a little difficulty finding us because the Riverside Park is a couple a blocks long he was at the band stand and could not find us. For future reference we are across the street from the Lile Hotel in what is now called the Bamboo Park. Anyway we got together and the four of us hopped in the blazer and drove to Kent Road where we had boats waiting for us. Benoit is an experienced paddler and Christine was a beginner. We put them in a 14 foot canoe and my son Nick and I were in kayaks. The Kent Road access point brings you into one of the most beautiful old cypress forests that you will encounter. Fort a moment you go back in time and think of what it was like for the native civilization that once thrived here. Christine asked about alligators and I told her yes it was possible that we might encounter one. As a matter of fact my son, Nick had encountered them a several times on this part of the river. I told her about a conversation I had with the state alligator expert from FWC. He told me that if left alone and not fed they would maintain a healthy respect of humans. He also told me that I should report any threatening behavior they might exhibit and if they were determined to be a nuisance they would be relocated if under 4 foot and harvested if over that. He also told me that they had dens or caves in the river banks and they would spend more time in them during the cold months. The entrance to these dens or caves is usually in the bottom of the river. She was impressed but expressed little interest in actually encountering one. Because of the cold I felt we had very little chance of an encounter and in fact we did not see any. Manatee had moved up into the river but none were around that day either. But because of the sheltered nature of the river we did not have a problem with the wind (15 – 20 mph in the open) and the temperature was warm enough for me to take off my sweatshirt. The sun was nice filtering through the cypress and live oaks. Spanish moss dripped from the branches of the trees and the suns dappling affect was a beauty for the eye to experience. We paddled by large cypress knees and I identified resurrection fern clinging to the trees and explained that when the weather is dry these plants shrivel up and look dead. Then when it rains they seem to instantly come alive again. As we paddled down river I pointed out the transition from fresh water river to saltwater estuary as the plants and habitat changed. Benoit handled the canoe like a pro and Christine had it down pretty good by the time we finished. We pulled up under the bridge by the park and got out of the boats. We exchanged contact info and they told me that they had one of the best times of their visit paddling down the river.
You can read more of our stories in the, Nautical Mile Magazine and Kayak Angler Online. You can visit us at www.calusaghosttours.com email us at calusaghosttours@comcast.net and phone us for reservations at 239-938-5342 our main office in Bonita 239-949-9156
