Fort De Soto

2 Chicas Fortify the Camp

At the far end of St. Petersburg, FL is Fort De Soto Park, often ranked as one of the best beaches in the United States by Dr. Beach! 2 Chicas don’t know Dr. Beach, but we have been coming to Ft. De Soto for quite some time and agree with his assessment.

Pristine water, beautiful views of the bay and the gulf as well as incredible panorama of the Skyway Bridge make this the place to come decompress. The fact that it isn’t real crowded is an added benefit.

Fort  De Soto is also a prime area to fish, sun, bike, kayak, swim, birdwatch, hike, explore an old fort, and camp.  This chain of five interconnected islands has parks, beach areas, two fishing piers, and a ferry to Egmont Key. 2 Chicas decided to stay close to the action and set up camp for a few days worth of adventures! There are no hotels or other accommodations here, but St. Petersburg Beach and Pass a Grille Beach are quite close nearby if camping is not for you.

Chica 2 has become quite the camp designer and set up expert. She had the tent pitched in just a few minutes and this is no small abode.

She waterproofed it a few days before and also checked the seams to secure our temporary home from traditional late summer storms. It’s so nice to find Chica 2’s true strength. Tee hee he

Sure enough, early in the morning, a storm rolled through and we didn’t have as much as a single drop of water inside our tent.

She placed the tent so we had a perfect water view. It was a million dollar scenic overlook from a hundred dollar domicile!

Then a few critters from the wild came lumbering up the path to our campsite. A group of raccoons who were all too comfortable around humans rolled out the welcome wagon.  It was obvious they were looking for any invitation to join. Chica 2 said they were so cute, until one sat down and started to scratch.

Please don’t feed the wildlife! They become dependent on human handouts, which only invites danger. After a few loud “gits” (get), they quickly scurried off to another campsite, but they weren’t done with 2 Chicas.

Setting up camp made everyone hungry. Chica 1 always cooks a traditional cowboy steak for dinner on the first night. Paired with potatoes and broccoli, these happy campers are satisfied.

2 Chicas Reach the East Beach

Time to explore! Outside of the camp, 2 Chicas took the kids down to explore the East Beach, a much quieter and secluded area. There was one fisherman wading out to try his luck at catching dinner.

2 Chicas captured a tricolored heron looking for dinner as a snowy egret seemed to watch the fisherman in hopes that he would generously share his catch.

Chica 1 looked out at the Skyway Bridge and marveled at the how gorgeous the pointy sails looked in the distance. Like a large sailboat frozen in time. Chica 2 said it looked like pointy Mickey Mouse ears; two very different perspectives wouldn’t you say?

Back to the campsite to tell stories and roast marshmallows over an open fire. No s’mores tonight because Chica 2 forgot the graham crackers.

It wouldn’t take long for us to move to no campfire stories, because Chica 2 is so scary, but the kids purified small palm fronds over the hot firewood then roasted marshmallows.

They felt so special making their own skewers. Tomorrow would be filled with adventures that would fill the day and exhaust the evening!

Chica 2 took the kids to the beach to swim, but Lil’ Chica discovered a new passion, searching for sand dollars. A kind lady on the beach taught her how to wade in chest deep water and shuffle her feet to find these beautiful creatures of the sea. Lil’ Chica spent the better part of two hours blissfully in search of her new best friends.

2 Chicas Cannonball!

A short hike to another portion of the beach brought exploration of part of the fort. Chica 2 threatened to call an ambulance if Chica 1 didn’t stop breathing so desperately after climbing to the top. The hike up really wasn't that bad.

Chica 2 could not imagine early Spanish explorers in full armor marching around this fort. Neither could anyone else Chica 2, as this installation wasn’t constructed until almost 1900. You were only off about five hundred years (Tee hee hee)

The canons were large and stationed all over the fort. Fort De Soto was only active for twelve years from 1898 until 1910.

Chica 2 said she knew a few girls from home who saw more action than this fort! Chica 2, we do have a young audience too! Many of the rooms in the fort are open and mostly empty.

Explore the fort, climb to the top and enjoy the views, and take a picture by the cannons. Don’t forget to yell cannonball!! If anyone complains, tell em 2 Chicas told ya to do it!

2 Chicas and the Case of the Daring Bandits

After hanging out at the fort, we headed back to the campsite. We briefly stopped to see how much it would cost to take the ferry over to Egmont Key. It was reasonable, but the return trip was four hours later. 2 Chicas had too many plans, so maybe next time.

As we came down the driveway to our campsite, we noticed something was awry. A head quickly peeked out of our food cooler, then another head, and yet another!

Chica 2 I thought you put the cooler away. Chica 1 I thought you stored the cooler! Oh no!! Those little bandits got away with fajita wraps, hamburgers, and some butter.

We rounded up as much as we could and placed it in the garbage cans onsite. Those little thieves didn’t go far, waiting in the bushes for us to make another oversight and leave something out. Ughhh, it is a good thing we had bleach spray to clean everything! 2 Chicas made sure the coolers were hereafter stored in the trunk!

2 Chicas Fishing or Floundering?

Soooo, Chica 2 decided she was going to take the kids fishing. Off the team goes to a picturesque canal to cast fishing rods out into the deep and see what we would catch.

Almost immediately, the fish were biting. The group spent hours casting and reeling! At times the fish were small and other times they were even smaller.

The kids learned the importance of preserving resources by returning the little ones to their home to hopefully grow bigger.

Chica 1 caught a sizable flounder, which provided much joy for the entire group. For hours, the entire group enjoyed feeding the fish shrimp and every now and again, getting a fish to bite on the hook.

There is something about the anticipation and hope of fishing that reaches deep into the soul. Often we feel we could never get a child to spend time doing something that may or may not reap an immediate reward. 2 Chicas were thrilled to see so many children out with their parents fishing. Some were catching, some were not, but

2 Chicas caught some serious bug bites. In our excitement to fish, we forgot to spray ourselves with bug deterrent. What a major mistake. Days after leaving Ft. De Soto, the remnants of the fishing excursion lived on in itchy, scratchy skin.

It was finally time to leave our little bit of paradise. Chica 2 broke down camp and before you could say hop skippity wobble, we were back on the road to home.

2 Chicas are so lucky to know that Ft. De Soto will be around for another much needed respite visit. Bring your bike, fishing pole and swimsuit. You’ll be glad you did!

Cedar Key

This rustic village sits at the tip of Levy County.  It is a step back to Florida as it used to be; a quiet town with a lot of old simple houses.  Of course there are new Mcmansions, but don’t let that distract you.

One thing really sticks out – you won’t find any Holiday Inns here.  There are no chain hotels. There are a lot of old Florida cottage like motels and a few upscale condos.  Nice and simple; just the way the 2 Chicas like it - sometimes.

The main strip is nicely preserved with old buildings and there is a dock area with lots of restaurants as well as an overlook area.

Check out the lighthouse and be sure to walk, bike, or golf cart your way through the handful of blocks.

Grab a fishing pole and spend some time fishing and when you get tired of that, do some bird watching at the Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuge. 

Cedar Key has a large protected sanctuary that is home to all kinds of birds.  Some are rare, but there is no scarcity of birdwatching.

While out and about, check out the lighthouse.  It is customary to see huge osprey flying overhead, and Chica 1 spotted a barn owl sitting on top of a pier.

By now you’ve got to be hungry, so make sure to eat at one of the local restaurants. 

They all specialize in serving different gulf seafood dishes.  Clams are really a big deal here; they're a local speciality, so try some!

Don’t overlook the biggest draw in town – beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  Be sure to have your favorite drink in hand – preferably non-alcoholic and enjoy the free show!

The 2 Chicas checked out the Blue Desert Café. It was a really eclectic spot, decorated with a variety of items. There was money posted up on the walls, as were maps, rock and roll memorabilia, license plates, and different old replica metal posters. The food was simple and tasty.  Try the clam linguini.

Get out and explore the island.  There's a state park area that has artifacts from early settlers in the area. 

There are some interesting pieces like a cannon, an old home, a fishing boat, and a large salt kettle. 

There are informational markers sharing key facts about each item.

You never know what is around the bend so don't take this little island for granted.  Cedar Key is a real hippee, yippee place and don't you forget it!

Shell Mound Archeological Site

The drive out to the shell mound is quite solitary.  After exploring the boardwalk area, and waving to a solitary pelican, the 2 Chicas set out to find the mound.

So off we went, admiring the marshy plains and the expansive beauty of the gulf.

It is really something to stand right at the edge of the water and realize how small you are in relation to all you see.

It is also some kind of awesome to make a footprint in the sand and watch the water repetitively wash it away.  We are all a part of something so much larger.  

Anyhoo, if you are anything like Chica 1, you will look everywhere for the mound.  Eventually, if you stop for a minute, you will realize you are standing on it! 

The shells from this large mound at one point were being used for street surfacing, until other antiquities were discovered.

The mound was made from the shells discarded by the ancient folks after eating their meals. 

You’re walking on 6,000 years worth of dinner.  Umm....

There’s a fishing pier, boat ramp and hiking trail. It's a really neat area so if you get a chance, check it out.  You won't believe the beauty and serenity.

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REDINGTON BEACH

2 Chicas Reach the Beach

There’s nothing like listening to the sound of the water crashing on the beach, birds calling out over the water, and Chica 2 running down the beach crunching seashells under her flip flops. Redington Beach is truly the place for quiet.  Shhh Chica 2!

Back to the beach – like all the beaches in Pinellas County, the water is really clear and there is a chance you will see a dolphin swimming close enough to play play touch! 

The creamy white sand makes this a great place to build a sandcastle or other fun sculptures. 

There are also lots of seashells to gather and compare the taking from day to day.  Round that out with fishing, boating, parasailing, or just bird watching and you are going to find the times flying by. 

2 Chicas never get enough of wading in the bathtub temperature water.  Although, Chica 2 frequently gets that creepy feeling when a school of pin fish swims around and in between everything.  

She swears one day she is going to shower and fifty fish will fall from her bathing suit.  

Hopefully she would feel something moving around before she got to the shower.  Tee hee he!

2 Chicas take a Long Walk on a Long Pier

So off on another adventure – Redington has a fishing pier and 2 Chicas feel like fresh fish for dinner.  After paying the $12/person fee, the 2 Chicas set up shop under a shelter at about the halfway point on this 1,200 ft. pier.

Twelve yucky saltwater catfish later, 2 Chicas are tired!  I guess there will be fresh restaurant fish tonight! Thank goodness there were restrooms and a snack bar.  You can bring a cooler and your own bait, but both are available onsite.

Others on the pier had moderate success.  A guy caught a pretty large tarpon and Chica 2 tried to pose conspicuously behind the fish for a picture.  

She probably has it posted on Facebook as her "catch of the day".  Chica 2 is really funny! 

It was an enjoyable day; we met some interesting people and had a good time.  

Beware of the birds!  They have a great racket stealing your bait and snacks while you are distracted fishing! 

Little Manatee River State Park

The 2 Chicas were headed south of Tampa to the Little Manatee River State Park, a quaint little park that allows for equestrian camping and easy living. 

Chica 2 emphasizes that it is really a little place on the prairie kind of location.  In her big momma voice, "You in the boondocks now baby."

Unlike the larger Hillsborough River State Park, there is no concession area, so purchase wood for a fire at the Ranger Station and bring just about everything else with you.

Of course, there is a Wal-Mart about five miles away so again, don’t worry, be happy!

There’s an area for fishing, hiking, horse riding trails BYOH (bring your own horse), and solitude.  The site was very sandy, so be prepared with the right kind of stakes.

There really isn’t a lot to do here but camp so bring things to keep you and the kids busy. The kids really enjoyed riding their bikes and throwing the frisbee in front of the camp area.

A little tip, don’t camp here in the summer in a tent.  Our tent held up like a charm, but the daily thunder and lightning storms were scary! 

At one point, Chica 1 thought she was Noah and Chica 2 and her crew were the rest of the family on the ark.  2 Chicas felt like it rained 40 days and 40 nights!

Obviously Chica 2 did everything right in terms of water proofing the tent, and she did a wonderful job of staking the tent against the winds, but we were trembling with the thought we would blow or wash away. Someone left our cake out in the rain, but it was still ok in the morning....

On a more positive note, we had a visit from “Timothy the Turtle” (a gopher tortoise) who was somewhat perplexed that we had set up camp on one of his frequented routes. 

We moved a rope out of the way so that he could pass and off he went on his journey.  What a joy to see this protected animal in his natural habitat!!   

Chica 2 took the kids fishing at the little dock area and they got to witness a giant sturgeon slumbering down the river. 

The 2 Chicas didn't think sturgeon were found this far south, but what a fun thing for the kids to see.

Chica 1 reminded Chica 2 to wear covered shoes while exploring the wilderness, but in true beach bum fashion, Chica 2 wore flip flops. 

After two dozen red ant stings, she decided that maybe just this once, Chica 1 was right.

After a final night of whining and applying a soothing, cooling lotion to Chica 2, the 2 Chicas tore down the camp and tore up the road to the next adventure!

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