Charlotte County Press Releases 
Blueway Trails Personify The Good Nature Of Charlotte Harbor & The Gulf Islands
Nearly 230 Miles of Canoe, Kayak Trails Showcase Ecological Diversity, Eco-AdventureCharlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands, Fla. (September 1, 2009) – One of the best ways to bond with nature up close and personally is in an eco-friendly kayak. Miles of undeveloped shoreline, beaches and kayak Blueway trails, plus a host of native and migratory wildlife, all add up to a natural escape in Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands, where Florida’s “wild side” can still be found. Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on Florida’s Southwest Gulf coast, this uncrowded, slow-paced area is the perfect destination for nature lovers.
The 228 miles of Charlotte Harbor Blueway Trails (in and around Englewood, Placida, Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda) have recently become part of the Florida Greenways and Trails System, with a trail for every interest and skill level. Nearly 84 percent of its 830 miles of shoreline is protected from development, providing plenty of vistas as well as shelter and habitat for an amazing variety of species.
Here, beginners and experts can find the pristine and quiet commune with nature that kayaking offers. Down the hidden coves of Coral, and Shell Creeks, the Peace and Myakka Rivers, around Don Pedro Island State Park, Gasparilla Sound or along the Intracoastal Waterways, up-close wildlife encounters are likely to include swallow-tailed kites, eagles, herons, ibis, ospreys, Roseate Spoonbills, thousands of migratory white pelicans as well as dolphins and manatees. Out on the Gulf, experienced sea kayakers can explore deserted barrier islands with challenging forays into the wind and surf.
At 270 square miles, Charlotte Harbor is the second-largest aquatic preserve in Florida, where rivers meet the ocean and salt marshes, seagrass flats and dense mangrove beds provide nature’s nursery for hundreds of species of fish and shellfish. Birds, turtles and other wildlife feast on all this bounty.
World-class angling has put this area on the map for kayak fishing; a number of professional outfitters can equip everyone from novice to expert, and provide informative narrative during guided outings. Birders and photographers can arrange for special trips developed for photo-opportunities of a lifetime. During full moons in the winter, hundreds of birds flying home to roost are silhouetted against the sky. Wild boar can be seen rooting in the salt marshes.
“I’ve kayaked some of the best-known blueways in the world, from Baja, California to Alaska to Maine and even Scotland, and this is as good as it gets,” says resident expert Joe Mullen, member of the non-profit statewide support group, the Florida Paddling Trails Association www.floridapaddlingtrails.com. “You never know what you’ll see: mangroves in bloom, thousands of horseshoe crabs in mating season, otters, even spotted and manta rays,” he adds. Mullen recently sighted a bobcat with four kittens swimming from one island to another.
"My favorite is the Woolverton trail, named for the pioneer who really started the first trail,” says Capt. Marian Schneider, owner of Grande Tours (www.grandetours.com), a Placida-based outfitter and tour operator who grew up in the area and opened the first kayak operation here. “Around 1991 an older man came in, pulled out a well-worn map, and asked us to help maintain the trails he had created over 35 years from mosquito-control ditches dug in the 1950’s,” she explains.
Now in his nineties, Minnesota-born Ed Woolverton spent winters in Placida trimming the mangroves choking these waterways to create canopies and navigable tunnels. Today several kayak clubs work with the Department of Environmental Protection and Charlotte County to help maintain that and other trails. A hand-made sign marks the Woolverton Trail as a tribute to his foresight and stewardship. Ed still kayaks from time to time with his grandson Dan, who carries on the tradition as a guide and volunteer trailkeeper.
According to David Milligan, Parks and Support Services Manager of the Charlotte County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department, 53 of the trails have been mapped and rated. The map and guide is unique in its ranking of trails from beginner to expert, to help paddlers find the trail best for their skill level.
The Department’s excellent guide also outlines waterways rated by ease of access, length, facilities and scenic value, along with environmental habitats to be seen and paddling safety tips. The Blueway Trails Guide can be ordered or downloaded from the Charlotte County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department at (941) 625-7529 or www.CharlotteCountyFL.com/Parks/Blueways.htm.
Yet that useful information lies in one-dimensional contrast to the actual experience of “breaking water” on Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands’ Blueway Trails. A vacation here is not only Eco-friendly; many area hotels are offering “ECOnomical” packages. Guests that book a three-night stay before Sept. 30, 2009 will receive the third night free. Other hotels are offering a guided kayak tour for two along with a one-night’s stay starting from $70, based on double occupancy; these specials last through 2009. Visit www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com for details.
NOTE TO EDITORS: We have photographs and additional background and resources for your specific audience, as well as an “If You Go” list of outfitters, dining and accommodations from primitive camping to luxury hotels. Please see Media Contacts, below.
About Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands
Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf coast, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is a charming collection of nine coastal communities surrounding the state’s second largest harbor. Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands offers a pristine unspoiled beauty that has served as the backdrop for seven major feature films as well as countless memorable vacations. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands was named to SAIL magazine’s “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” ranked by Golf Digest as “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,” and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in the South.” The city of Punta Gorda was named as one of “Top Ten Places to Retire Healthy” by U.S. News & World Report. Englewood, Fla. was just named as No. 2 of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com.
For information about area events, activities and attractions, contact the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau, 18501 Murdock Circle, Suite 502, Port Charlotte, FL 33948; (941) 743-1900, or call toll free at 1-800-652-6090 for a free Visitor’s Guide; or visit the Web site at www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com.
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CONTACTS:
Jennifer Huber
Tourism Public Relations Manager
Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau
(941) 743-1900
Jennifer.Huber@CharlotteFL.com
Mary Huff
SMITH
(404) 713-3774
mhuff@Smithadv.com
David Milligan, Parks and Support Services Manager of the Charlotte County Parks, Recreation
and Cultural Resources Department, 941-625-7529, David.Milligan@CharlotteFL.com
Release Date: 9/3/2009
