Christmas Spirit on an Island

approaching Egmont

Despite the fact that American Thanksgiving (24th) has yet to arrive, Christmas has come to town.

Last Saturday we drove to Fort De Soto to board a ferry to Egmont Key -  a Florida State Park located at the mouth of Tampa Bay accessible only by boat. Our purpose was to work with the Egmont Key Alliance to decorate the lighthouse.

No jumping Mini me even with lifebouy!

We saw cownose rays on the way out and leaping dolphins on the way back - it is about a 15-20 minute ride depending on the sea conditions and the busyness of the channel into Port Tampa which we cross.

too high for mini me!

Down on the ground, Mini me helped out testing the light strings and replacing bulbs (about as big as she is!) - life sized me had lots of practice doing this in her youth (along with skimming swimming pools)!

Built in 1848 and top chopped off in WWII

We were fortunate to be given an island tour by Alliance President, Richard, which included seeing the 'ghost town' from the time Egmont was Fort Dade (turn of the 20th century). The Union Army also held the island during the Civil War (1861-1865) to observe the shipping movements of the Confederate Army at the Port of Tampa.

The brick roads and a small piece of narrow gauge railway are still intact along with the foundations of a number of buildings.  About 300 men were stationed on the island.

Today Ranger Tom lives on the island on one end and several Port of Tampa boat pilots on the other end. This shrinking island also hosts a bird sanctuary on the southern tip which is off limits to the public. Egmont is owned and managed by a number of federal, state and private agencies  with the labour being done by Alliance volunteers (a charity)!

ghost town brick road

On a finger of Hillsbourgh County extending unusually out from Tampa, Egmont Key is a designated National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)

established in 1974 (with 392 acres) to protect its significant natural, historical, and cultural resources from the impending threats of development. Egmont Key NWR is the only refuge island open to the public and has been traditionally visited for many years as a primary recreation destination.

In addition to the federal NWR, other government agencies managing the now eroded island (down from 392 to 244 acres now), include the US Coastguard (lighthouse), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (rangers of park service), and the Tampa Bay Pilots (private land & dock). Confused? So are we!

A July 2016 lightening strike started a fire on the island - but Florida's natural flora and fauna are made for fire and green shoots appeared within days of the flames. During the fire, water inside the native cabbage palms boiled and exploded vaporizing the trees and leaving only these holes.

burnt trunks of the palms

perfect hole; all remaining of exploded palm!

Tonight the temperature here is down below 50F (10C) and we had to turn on the heating plus get out our fleecy pullovers!  A front came through Saturday night, bringing cooler, dryer weather and sadly none of the much needed rain. Very low humidity (read dry skin; rare in Florida) and a rising ERC value (energy release component indicating fuel component) brought us a Red Flag Warning. A Red Flag signifies a Fire Weather Warning alerting conditions are ideal for wildland fire combustion and rapid spread - with with concerns about high/erratic winds including possible lightening strikes.

This is not the red flag on the beach which warns of serious hazards in the water such as high surf/strong currents and red over red means no swimming. Purple signifies dangerous marine life such as jellyfish.

sponges on sand fort

Back on our own beach, this cold front also whipped up the Gulf, creating cliffs south of the jetties and dredging up sponges and stone crab bodies from its depths.

stone crab washed ashore
but not my T-day dinner!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends! Remember it is a celebration of survival through tough times. It feels very autumnal here, the 50 F thermometer belies how chilly it feels.