I’ve done it again; I’ve stumbled into another one. I knew it was a great spot to park my nest/camper. There are long beaches, good restaurants and HHs with plenty of reasonably priced cold ones, and I used to come here when Jimmy’s Bs, a condo casualty, was still here and close there near the bridge to Ft. Myers is where Becca (formerly of MR Ducks) tends bar at the Mermaid Bar. I was here last December, but I didn’t realize it was this good. I refined it a little this morning and now it has all the elements. It’s in a gorgeous natural area, has one of the best views from my picture window of any place I’ve been, is just a short walk to the beach, a mile or so bike ride or walk to restaurants, and close to a resort with a great little bar with food, and lobby with a comfort station and computer to check the weather and send email. That’s what I found this morning. Then I discovered I could drive through the mud hole to the beach without sinking and found the view.  I was leaving tomorrow, but no, this is way too good. I can kayak in Estero Bay, walk Ft. Myers’s Beach or in Lover’s Key State Park (http://floridastateparks.org/loverskey/), and never move the nest. Wow! I wasn’t sure if it was OK to park here, but I wasn’t bothered last night or the night I was here last year. I’m parked between the jurisdictions of the State Park, Bonita Beach, and Ft. Myers Beach, but I could throw a stone to each, but the fuzznics from any one of them can’t reach me. I won’t make any noise, leave any trash, or make any problem, so leave me alone!
    I awoke to shrill osprey calls. I’d parked under their nest. I could’ve slept more, but it was getting light, I could see it was low tide revealing about 50 yards of Estero Bay bottom that is usually water covered. What critters are exposed? Up I got to find out, made coffee, and out the door and stepped onto the beach with my first step from my nest, where I’m parked about 20 yards from the high tide line.  Wonderful! Will I sink in the muck or will it be sandy enough to support my weight?  I didn’t sink; I’ll be able see the bottom’s exposed critters. There’re conchs, hermit crabs, and of course, stuff I have no idea what it is. (If you can ID the stuff in the photo, let me know.)
    Here comes the sun rising out of the water at the horizon. I take some photos of the critters and sun rise, Wow! Every day gets better. Time to visit my comfort station on the other side of the mangroves from where I’m parked. Then, across Estero Blvd., Rt. 865, to the State Park beach by the Carlos Pass Bridge. The Park’s soft sandy beach goes on for miles with lots of collectible shells, birds, including oyster catchers, and people fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.
    On the way back I walk towards the parking lot and visitor center, out the entrance, across Rt. 865 and along the shore portion of the Park on the Estero Bay. On the walkway next to the road I see a sign that describes manatees. I thought, they’re pretty common in south Florida, but I rarely see one. I look in the water and there’s a manatee swimming around!  Great place for a sign! No, it wasn’t on a leash. Gee, sometimes things just work out!
    When I got back to my nest I made my brunch of whole grains; when cooked it’s a lot like oatmeal’s consistency, but much tastier and better with some fruit mixed in. As I sat by the bay and ate, I decided the 20mph wind was too much for kayaking, plus I’d seen others struggling to paddle into the wind. It would be pretty much the same with the bike, so I packed my bag with cold ACBs, selected some camera gear, and walked towards Ft. Myers Beach. I crossed the Carlos Pass Bridge watching to see if the fishermen will catch a whale or something; boats, and people on the beach. I leave the road as I step off the bridge and walk the beach toward the Holiday Inn with Pincer’s Bar and the shopping center, where there’s several eateries about a mile and a half away, but I look at birds, plants, debris that has washed up and other stuff, so it takes most of the afternoon to get where I’m going; plus I have my refreshments.
    I get good food at the Sand Bar Restaurant and Pincers has 1⁄2$ ACBs from 11am-6pm. About half way the walkway goes through water where there’s oysters and conchs. One of these days I’m going to collect a mess of them to eat. There’s an inlet that cuts through the beach, where the water is about waist deep, too risky for my camera gear, so I head towards the condos and road, which is about where the shopping center is. The inlet may feed a lagoon where I used to see a flock of spoonbills, but haven’t seen them there for years now. 
    I’m enjoying the 1⁄2$ ACBs by sunset time, so I carry one to the beach a couple hundred yards away. I’ve seen some astounding cloud color here, which I think makes the sunset. The big orange/red ball sinking over the horizon is a little boring, not what I’d call perfect, like lots of people.  Back for another ACB. In conversation a local tells me about a secluded island beach with no bridge to it in Estero Bay near Big Hickory Pass on the Bonita Beach side of the State Park, where I’d enjoy the scenery.  He said this after looking at my book of bikini contest photos I’d accumulated in 2010. I’ll check that out (I didn’t get that photo op here in OC in 2011), another reason to return here! I think if I ever decide that my westward swing of my meandering Adventure from January thru April is too strenuous, the spot under the osprey nest may be a place to be for weeks rather than days, and is now on my Don’t Miss List.