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By Susan Mate, Alberta Parent
Bradenton, Florida – Judging from the jumbled flotilla of lettuce heads bobbing in his massive water tank, Snooty™ the manatee is not going hungry.
A steady diet of fresh greens and high-protein monkey biscuits may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but South Florida Museum’s most famous resident adores them. The 1,000-pound sea creature nimbly sidles up to the rim of his aquarium tank when Jeff Rodgers shows up with a bag of fresh strawberries. “If there ever was a spoiled manatee, Snooty is it," laughs Rodgers, education director of the museum and Parker Aquarium in Manatee County. “He eats not just romaine lettuce – he’s very finicky. He eats the HEARTS of romaine lettuce. And he will only be hand-fed."
Here on the coast of southwest Florida, tucked alongside the cities of Tampa and Ft. Myers, sea creatures such as manatees are an important part of the ecosystem – and an engaging tourist attraction for the thousands of winter-weary Canadians who travel to Florida every month. While many snowbirds visit the state in search of sandy beaches and sunshine, others head for the neighbouring regions of Sarasota, Charlotte and Manatee counties to seek out a captivating array of family-friendly attractions such as the museum and its famous manatee.
Today, Snooty is sharing his 60,000-gallon indoor pool with a second manatee named Whittaker, who unlike her tankmate will be released back into the Gulf. Thus, Whittaker and other wounded manatees that are rehabilitated at the aquarium are never hand-fed to ensure they retain their ability to survive in the wild. “It’s a tough life for manatees in the Florida waterways these days," notes Rodgers. The massive mammals – which look like a cross between a whale and a sea lion – have no real predators due to their size, but they increasingly fall victim to injuries caused by an increase in human activity such as boat traffic. Snooty, believed to be the oldest living manatee in the United States, was born in captivity in 1949 and could not survive outside the museum’s Parker Aquarium.
Aside from Snooty and his pals, the museum (www.southfloridamuseum.org) boasts a quirky array of exhibits that depict the region’s natural and human history dating back tens of thousands of years to a time when dinosaur creatures like house-sized mastodons and giant reptiles roamed the earth. The museum’s Bishop Planetarium is also a popular draw, luring kids of all ages with its state-of-the-art, digital technology that turns the domed ceiling into a spectacular light show rivaling anything you’ll see in the night sky.
“This is the Florida that many travelers overlook in their zeal to experience its legendary sun, sand and surf." Indeed, these coastal pleasures are a big part of life on the sunshine coast, but you can only hit the beach so many days in a row before the boredom sets in. Thankfully, the three counties have evolved into the premiere cultural, historical and ecotourism centre of Florida that, even during the peak winter months, rarely see the teeming crowds that flock to better-known tourist attractions such as Orlando’s Disneyworld or the Florida Keys.
You might start your visit on the Gulf, perhaps in the historic village of Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, an eleven-kilometre stretch of coast in Manatee County rimmed by sandy beaches, cafes and inns. The nearby city of Bradenton is home to numerous attractions including the funky Village of the Arts, a vibrant collection of restored cottages and bungalows that have been turned into more than 40 galleries featuring art, crafts, antiques, furniture and jewelry. Formerly a rundown district of dilapidated homes, drug addicts and prostitutes, the area (www.villageofthearts.com) boasts monthly artwalk events but is also easily explored on your own.
For a walk on the wild side, book an informative journey through the county’s natural assets with Around the Bend Nature Tours (www.aroundbend.com). Trips are run by naturalist Karen Fraley and her guides and include field experiences such as birdwatching, mangrove walks, Native American historical tours (visit the site of an ancient mound where Indians lived prior to arrival of European explorers) and “critter-catching."
Ecotourism also takes centre stage in Sarasota County at the renowned Mote Marine Laboratory, which is toured by more than 400,000 people each year. Mote (www.mote.org) is home to injured animals such as manatees, giant sea turtles, sharks and dolphins, and includes numerous hands-on exhibits. Feel the bumpy flesh of a live starfish, or stroke the slippery skin of a stingray as it glides past in its tank. Mote scientists are conducting research to help sustain and protect marine animals and plants, and their role in the delicate ecosystem.
If retail therapy is what you need, head over to St. Armand’s Circle – a trendy island with eclectic art shops, designer boutiques, restaurants and galleries. Check out the gorgeous white-sand beach at nearby Lido Key, then hop over to nearby downtown Sarasota to explore it s quaint collection of painted life-sized clowns (similar to the artsy cows dotting downtown Calgary), a popular local hospice fund-raising project.
Nature’s back on the agenda at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (www.selby.org), yet another research centre and a world-famous orchid showpiece and garden set under the towering banyan trees on Sarasota Bay. A quick hop over the county line takes you to Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Islands (www.pureflorida.com), an outdoor lover’s paradise. Bird-watchers flock to the old fishing village of Placida, where you can take a guided kayak tour through the mangrove forests and coves of Coral Creek with the longtime operators of Grande Tours (www.grandetours.com).
Sun-seeking travelers can take a nature cruise of Charlotte Harbour – or travel inland by boat along the alligators, dolphins, wood storks and snakes of the Peace River – with King Fisher Fleet (www.kingfisherfleet.com). Naturalists with the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Centre are always onboard to narrate; when your cruise has ended there’s shopping, accommodations and great food at the Fisherman’s Village waterfront market (www.fishville.com).
When it’s time to kick back, take the short ferry ride to Palm Island (www.palmisland.com), a secluded barrier island resort dotted with pretty condominiums and cottages. Vehicle traffic is largely confined to minivans and golf carts – if you’re lucky enough to visit after a rainstorm blows through, you can spend hours strolling the beaches in search of shells.
Don’t head home to Alberta without one more nature experience, though. Babcock Wilderness Adventures (www.babcockwildnerness.com) features 90-minute guided swamp buggy nature tours that travel through diverse territory including prairie, cypress swamps and freshwater marshes. The area teems with wildlife such as alligators, wild pigs, southern cougars and wild turkeys – an experience that, like much of the region, defies the expectations of many Florida visitors.
For more information on these and other attractions, check out www.visitflorida.org
Did Someone Say Seafood?
Seafood is obviously a big part of the Florida experience, but so are local specialties such as Key Lime Pie, Key Lime margaritas, Key Lime cheesecake and so on. From fried grouper sandwiches to fresh-caught stone crab, Floridians know good food. Here’s a sampling:
Sun House Restaurant (Bradenton Beach): Funky third-storey eatery next to Bridgewalk, a landmark resort that serves fine pasta, seafood and dessert.
Gulf Drive Café (Bradenton Beach): heaping breakfasts are the specialty of this local hotspot.
Beach House Restaurant (Bradenton Beach): Killer sunsets, just-caught fish and shellfish and gooey, giant desserts.
Island Creperie (Bradenton Beach): French cuisine with a twist – especially the breakfast crepes (try your bacon and eggs in a buckwheat wrapper).
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