By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost Travel Journalist scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com As many as 400 spear fishers from throughout Florida and the U.S. will gather in St. Petersburg Aug. 19-21 for the St. …
Build your own Guy Harvey Facemask or Donate to someone in Need
16 Apr 20208:40 AM
Learn how to create your own face mask some #OutpostAttitude flare. As the CDC is now recommending wearing a cloth face mask in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies)Watch our DIY video on how to make your own Guy Harvey face mask 😷using your upcycled t-shirts!
If you have an old Guy Harvey shirt the crew at the Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts Corporate office and Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina & RV Resort are ready to receive your shirts and sew them into face masks to be donated to local charitable organizations. Together we can make a positive impact on our communities and do our part to keep our families, friends and health care workers safe!
Please mail your donations to either:
1. Attn: Guy Harvey Face Mask
Guy Harvey Outpost, LTD.
1500 West Cypress Creek Road
Suite 108
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Or
2. Attn: Guy Harvey Face Mask
Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina & RV Resort
14900 Camp Mack Rd.
Lake Wales, FL 33898
*Please note: These cloth face masks (like the one shown in the photo below) are not medical grade, surgical masks or have N-95 respirators.
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![](mailto:?subject=Build your own Guy Harvey Facemask or Donate to someone in Need&body=Learn how to create your own face mask some <a class="_58cn" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/outpostattitude?source=feed_text&epa=HASHTAG&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAlDLw37UeD4BbbmKKZ5Cg_IFb9G3TKZQoQ05Hw90M8ouvDdUNoQPewc9r7MUHOqvE9CS3qRXHg3G3oVtK9RZZUzEnPIZyAoocM_tikQUdBuvT_fLI_caUzarC0Z6MJ2IcbWdBl7KvDgc_T7SRdz8FlpYa6WV-qAi-EENULOQbNFajLT-9gyi8KJngGSWTIXiAj5eWJBYamLJ9sotGYADTxh8CpWWDY7ij1JagVdWD_dxoG1yDOmzzyLrQ422FYSo_eLz2WtWh3IClGTQIBAvPHx0ObBVQB7s3dwP5NIZ26q29vtfW3Cq3SkSCHQZeSM6lbUA-39Wjb5HwtJgfAjd8MIHkRB0fwHmwegQ&__tn__=%2ANK-R" data-ft="{"type":104,"tn":"*N"}">#OutpostAttitude</a> flare. As the CDC is now recommending wearing a cloth face mask in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies)Watch our DIY video on how to make your own <a class="profileLink" href="https://www.facebook.com/DrGuyHarvey/?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARDhYeZkrdiDDg0jh1q0nwm4oVc27vJiao0bPuWnswkyQQQRpqPeVkHmFbbDeDsE428ngPQg2avGVeDf&fref=mentions&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAlDLw37UeD4BbbmKKZ5Cg_IFb9G3TKZQoQ05Hw90M8ouvDdUNoQPewc9r7MUHOqvE9CS3qRXHg3G3oVtK9RZZUzEnPIZyAoocM_tikQUdBuvT_fLI_caUzarC0Z6MJ2IcbWdBl7KvDgc_T7SRdz8FlpYa6WV-qAi-EENULOQbNFajLT-9gyi8KJngGSWTIXiAj5eWJBYamLJ9sotGYADTxh8CpWWDY7ij1JagVdWD_dxoG1yDOmzzyLrQ422FYSo_eLz2WtWh3IClGTQIBAvPHx0ObBVQB7s3dwP5NIZ26q29vtfW3Cq3SkSCHQZeSM6lbUA-39Wjb5HwtJgfAjd8MIHkRB0fwHmwegQ" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=120398390965&extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdK-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARDhYeZkrdiDDg0jh1q0nwm4oVc27vJiao0bPuWnswkyQQQRpqPeVkHmFbbDeDsE428ngPQg2avGVeDf%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1">Guy Harvey</a> face mask 😷using your upcycled t-shirts!
If you have an old Guy Harvey shirt the crew at the Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts Corporate office and <a class="profileLink" href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyCampMack/?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARA4a21bcNElZFnzM1H_vZlrdCkLyfi_KOLEKCPs9HJ29sTFNeP6N8q6qpx4gofTVMjwJjuEpVln2fW-&fref=mentions&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARC-O7dKcMFYB8SOf9Y5S5AQ693IRW__FE0PP7jMQwsLX5UOP2frKjuocN6-RQ_vtOOGOlz44jig_7ovd5K-xOnb_yAk-ncXGYL6guRh-ybg6wYirqryTT4x2JAoduQBieTVL7HHsf4qHas491HGn_q7DG7sUP_iKnaHnZP0DnE-h2vAmnaEMc6BZo2jXC0F8xN3kz8jdIvuy76lTv56L2AE5bYxkGh1_NynZV8Fr7EAaWwviTx2c3u2e3jTpfRrG-E-KUzaafc_IqUurX2-C0tiSoITIwt_HoL3WUZPKRjXmA-Kp1yjwcDZq1C5Y2tVw9Ofv9-CjuS4pyDXQ5gZyvppaQ" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=165506710213188&extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdK-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARA4a21bcNElZFnzM1H_vZlrdCkLyfi_KOLEKCPs9HJ29sTFNeP6N8q6qpx4gofTVMjwJjuEpVln2fW-%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1">Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina & RV Resort</a> are ready to receive your shirts and sew them into face masks to be donated to local charitable organizations. Together we can make a positive impact on our communities and do our part to keep our families, friends and health care workers safe!
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/01a83c875021cb1b95ed62e45e75d458db8050ec25.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5511" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/01a83c875021cb1b95ed62e45e75d458db8050ec25.jpg" alt="" width="437" height="583" /></a><a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/01d87371ebcbec0017c26d586b36ab0a5f434f2127.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5513" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/01d87371ebcbec0017c26d586b36ab0a5f434f2127.jpg" alt="" width="551" height="980" /></a><a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/01c7e6f7735c37e6e9386a71e33d527691e8b9d9ba.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5510" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/01c7e6f7735c37e6e9386a71e33d527691e8b9d9ba.jpg" alt="" width="1536" height="2048" /></a>
Please mail your donations to either:
1. Attn: Guy Harvey Face Mask
Guy Harvey Outpost, LTD.
1500 West Cypress Creek Road
Suite 108
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Or
2. Attn: Guy Harvey Face Mask
Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina & RV Resort
14900 Camp Mack Rd.
Lake Wales, FL 33898
*Please note: These cloth face masks (like the one shown in the photo below) are not medical grade, surgical masks or have N-95 respirators.
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/build-your-own-guy-harvey-facemask-or-donate-to-someone-in-need/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=World’s Largest Spear Fishing Tournament to be Held in St. Petersburg&body=By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost Travel Journalist
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
As many as 400 spear fishers from throughout Florida and the U.S. will gather in St. Petersburg Aug. 19-21 for the St. Pete Open-- the world's largest underwater hunting contest and one of the beach's biggest parties of the year.
Spearos will compete on scuba gear or simply dive down holding their breath using pole spear, Hawaiian sling, or spear gun to try to bag the biggest fish in each of seven categories. At stake are some $50,000 worth of prizes and trophies to be awarded at a huge public weigh-in party at the Magnuson Marina Cove Hotel & Resort.
"It's one day of intensive, bust-your-bottom spear fishing. Dive, dive, dive!" said Charlie Barnes, president of the St. Petersburg Underwater Club, which is putting on the contest for the 51st year. "We love the competition. We love the camaraderie and it's the biggest party in town."
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/22449399003_8ec1ba2817_b-e1471009118288.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4188" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/22449399003_8ec1ba2817_b-e1471009118288.jpg" alt="22449399003_8ec1ba2817_b" width="599" height="400" /></a>
Divers will fan out in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean hunting for mongo specimens in the categories of grouper; snapper; pelagic; hogfish; cobia/barracuda; lobster (hand-caught only; no spears); and sheepshead. New this year is a prize sub-category for lionfish. The tournament has no boundaries; however competitors must be in the weigh-in line by 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 20. Late comers will be disqualified.
Barnes, a veteran spear fisher himself, said the best strategy is to shoot fish in each of the categories, since only one fish per category can be entered. He said it's common for contestants to run 50 miles offshore to their hot spots, diving as deep as 200 feet in the hunt for big fish. Competitors must abide by all state and local fisheries laws, such as bag and size limits and closed seasons.
Entry fee is $100 per diver. Less than 300 slots remain open, so go <a href="http://www.StPeteUnderwaterClub.com" target="_blank">HERE</a> to register now!
For great deals from Guy Harvey Outpost, including the 'Suite Summer Saver Deal' at Guy Harvey Outpost in St. Pete Beach, visit our <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/specials/" target="_blank">SPECIALS PAGE</a> now!
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Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
**********
Share your photos, videos and experiences with Guy Harvey Outpost by hash tagging #OutpostAttitude to all of your social media posts. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/worlds-largest-spear-fishing-tournament-to-be-held-on-st-pete-beach/){kind=link}
 – Old Bahama Bay Resort & Yacht Harbour, a Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition Lodge has been nominated in The Bahamas's Leading Resort category in the 2015 World Travel Awards. The resort is one of only two resorts on Grand Bahama Island nominated for this award and one of nine resorts nationwide. The Wall Street Journal is among the many media that have heralded WTA as “the Oscar’s of the travel industry”.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/obbryh3.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2660" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/obbryh3.jpg?w=550" alt="OBBRYH3" width="550" height="550" /></a>
Old Bahama Bay has been nominated for the World Travel Awards every year from 2007-2015. For more details: <a href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/profile-3577-old-bahama-bay-resort-yacht-harbour">http://www.worldtravelawards.com/profile-3577-old-bahama-bay-resort-yacht-harbor</a>
Old Bahama Bay is home to Guy Harvey Outpost's up coming <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/ghofish/">Bonfire Beach Bash and Tournament</a> this June 25-29th. To make your reservations now call: 800-513-5257
PLEASE VOTE for <a href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote">Old Bahama Bay on-line</a> until August 23, 2015.
The country awards reflect the range of products and service offerings of an individual country’s travel and tourism industry. The annual final shortlist of nominees for each country award is reached via the following criteria:
The previous year's country award winner and two runners-up
Vetted and approved self-nominations
Vetted and approved WTA commendations
The winner’s will be named at the World Travel Award’s Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony held on October 17, 2015 in Turks & Caicos.
World Travel Awards (WTA) was established in 1993 by Graham E. Cooke to seek out and reward the very best travel organizations in the world – those brands pushing the boundaries of excellence and implementing ground-breaking ideas.
WTA has developed into the most prestigious and comprehensive awards program in travel and tourism, and is recognized worldwide as the hallmark of industry excellence.
Old Bahama Bay is located in West End Village, approximately 25 miles west of the city of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. With its 73 rooms, 2 restaurants and 72 marina slips, Old Bahama Bay has a barefoot elegance ambiance with an out-island remote feel, but with the convenience of an international airport and major destination amenities.
For more information on <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/west-end-grand-bahama-island/overview.html">Old Bahama Bay, a Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition Lodge</a>
For Fishing with Guy Harvey Outpost: <a href="http://www.ghofish.com/">www.ghofish.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost & their great resorts: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/" target="_parent">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/" target="_parent">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost" target="_parent">https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost" target="_parent">https://twitter.com/GHOutpost</a>
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/00-gho-logo.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2458 size-medium" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/00-gho-logo.jpg?w=300" alt="00 GHO-Logo" width="300" height="300" /></a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/old-bahama-bay-resort-yacht-harbour-nominated-as-the-bahamass-leading-resort/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Wild Hog Heaven Near Lake Okeechobee&body=<img class=" size-medium wp-image-3098 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/485221_359562297425307_134387977_n.jpg?w=300" alt="485221_359562297425307_134387977_n" width="300" height="225" />By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
[Okeechobee, FL.--] Todd Dupuis--a lifelong hunter from Ontario, Canada--has killed bear, deer, moose and other game animals for sport and food. But he had never before taken a wild hog, and it was on his bucket list.
Facing a health scare, the safety management consultant decided to take a break a few weeks ago and drive with his wife and four-year-old son Nate to South Florida for a long weekend.
When he got to West Palm Beach, Dupuis learned about a small hunting operation just north of Okeechobee that specializes in wild hogs called <a href="http://www.littlelakelodge.net" target="_blank">Little Lake Lodge</a> and decided to book a trip.
"We see it on the TV shows in Ontario," Dupuis said of hog hunting.
Wild hogs-- also known as wild pigs, wild boars or feral pigs-- are not Florida natives. They are believed to have been introduced to the state by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto as early as 1539. Since they are not designated as a game animal in Florida, they can be hunted year round with no bag or size limits. Wild hogs will eat just about anything, and they are notorious among farmers and ranchers for rooting up pastures and crops to sniff out food. Many landowners pay trappers and hunters to get rid of them.
Dupuis was excited. Gesturing toward his son, he said, "A chance to come somewhere like this.....it's about making memories for him."
Dupuis and Nate boarded a towering, lumbering swamp buggy designed to navigate the 1,100 acres of flooded, muddy pasture that make up the hunting grounds with their guide Troy Salisbury.
Departing the lodge, Salisbury deployed a pig-pointing secret weapon-- a small brown, black and white dog named Pepper. Splashing through puddles, sniffing the air and darting to and fro, Pepper got way ahead of the buggy in her search for swine. But the hunting party heard her excited barking in the distance, and Salisbury sped up.
As they drew closer, Pepper began to howl.
"Hear her howling?" Salisbury said to Dupuis. "She's got him stopped and she's looking right at him. We'll pull up there and I'll holler at her and then say, 'shoot!'"
Sure enough, the buggy rounded a bend in the pasture where Pepper had zeroed in on a stand of thick cabbage palms, wagging her tail and baying.
Suddenly, a black boar about 90 pounds dashed out of the bushes and headed across the field with Pepper in close pursuit. The hog paused when it reached a barbed wire fence and Salisbury called Pepper away. She edged away reluctantly.
"Okay," the guide told Dupuis.
The hunter aimed his rifle and fired, but the shot was high and only grazed the coarse hair on the hog's back. It barreled down the fence line out of range.
Salisbury accelerated the buggy and caught up with the hog, and Dupuis got an easy shot, downing his quarry.
"Yay, daddy!" Nate cheered.
The party headed back to the lodge where Salisbury hoisted the hog up on pulleys and dressed it. Dupuis said he would take the meat to a processor in West Palm Beach to be turned into ham steaks and bacon for the Christmas holidays. The memories, however, would be around long after the meals were gone.
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Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
**********
Share your photos, videos and experiences with Guy Harvey Outpost by hash tagging #OutpostAttitude to all of your social media posts.
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wild-hog-heaven-near-lake-okeechobee/){kind=link}
 or Facebook (www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost) with #OutpostAttitude and win a free Caribbean Mayan hammock from Natacha's Boutique.
String your hammock up in the backyard for a lazy afternoon of reading or snoozing, then check out Guy Harvey Outpost's best hammock getaways:
The Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost in Islamorada, has an array of summer scuba diving packages with Capt. Slate's Scuba Adventures. Dive with Slate's friendly moray eels and colorful tropical fish, explore sunken ships, and learn how to hunt for lobsters with your expert guide. If you prefer to stay on the surface, islanderwatersports.com offers boat and paddleboard rentals; guided personal watercraft tours; fishing charters; sailboat rentals and lessons; kayak and bicycle rentals; fishing rods; and beach umbrellas. For families with kids, the Islander conducts one-hour-long Marine Science Camps at 2p.m. on July 26; Aug. 2, 9, 30; and Sept. 13. Find out what it's like to be a marine scientist studying sharks, corals, fish and other creatures.
TradeWinds Beach Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost on St. Pete Beach, offers a Suite Summer Saver where you can save up to 35 percent (including resort fee) for a three-night stay until Aug. 31. While you're there, be sure to take the plunge in the 33,500-gallon aquarium at RumFish Grill featured on Animal Planet's popular show "TANKED". Snorkelers aged 8 and up can swim with 30 species of fish-- all equipment included-- for $35. Tours are conducted Tuesday through Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and reservations are strongly recommended. For more information, visit swimwithourfish.com.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpost.com/special/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4140 size-full" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Summer-Blog-Image-St-Pete.jpg" alt="Summer Blog Image St Pete" width="600" height="300" /></a>
The Hotel Playa Media Luna and Keen M Bluewater Charters, a Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition Lodge and Outfitter in Isla Mujeres, Mexico is conducting whale shark snorkeling trips through mid-September. You don't need to be a certified scuba diver to take the plunge with the world's largest --and perhaps gentlest-- fish in Mexico's warm Caribbean waters.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpost.com/special/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4141 size-full" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/summer-blog-image-mexico.jpg" alt="summer blog image mexico" width="600" height="261" /></a>
Isabela, the largest of the eastern Pacific's remote Galapagos Islands, is a wildlife wonderland, and the Iguana Crossing Hotel, a Guy Harvey Expedition Lodge, provides the base camp for your adventure with five-day, four-night packages. Observe numerous species of whales; scuba dive with sea lions and sea turtles; and watch giant land tortoises and penguins.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpost.com/special/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4142 size-full" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Summer-Blog-Image-Galapagos.jpg" alt="Summer Blog Image Galapagos" width="600" height="300" /></a>
To book your Summer Story, <a href="http://www.GuyHarveyOutpost.Com/specials" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CLICK HERE</a> or call 1-800-513-5257.
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Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
**********
Share your photos, videos and experiences with Guy Harvey Outpost by hash tagging #OutpostAttitude to all of your social media posts. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/swing-in-a-free-hammock-this-summer/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=No End to Spring Break Family Fun at Guy Harvey Outpost&body=If you and your family are planning an escape to Florida from the frigid north for spring break, you're probably already salivating over the prospects of sipping a cool drink on a warm beach, splashing in the waves, or catching a fish dinner for the restaurant at one of our Guy Harvey Outpost resorts. But there are plenty of other attractions and activities for vacationers of all ages to keep busy and have fun when you decide to take a break from the beach. Here are some suggestions:
ISLAMORADA, FLORIDA KEYS
Check out our <a href="http://guyharveyoutpost.com/islamoradapackages/">Spring Family Fun Packages in Islamorada</a>, or inquire with the Guy Harvey Outpost Travel Desk at <a href="mailto:sales@guyharveyoutpost.com">sales@guyharveyoutpost.com</a> for special savings at Theater of the Sea when you book a stay at the Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost. Must book at the web site or with the GHO Travel Desk for these deals.
<a href="http://www.FloridaStateParks.org">State Parks Boat Tour</a>: 305-664-9814
Visit two of Florida's state parks in a three-hour guided boat tour out of Robbie's Marina offered Fridays through Sundays through April. Your first stop is Indian Key Historic State Park where you will walk the perimeter of the 10-acre island that served as the 19th century county seat of Miami-Dade. You'll see the ruins of a once-thriving town populated mostly by 'wreckers'-- people who made their living salvaging merchant ships that got stuck on the nearby coral reefs-- and check out the tropical plants originally grown by a physician/botanist who lived there in the 1830s.
Your second and final stop is nearby Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park located only a short boat ride away where you will join a park ranger for a guided tour of the Matheson House and the surrounding tropical hardwood hammock. The house, built in 1919, looks much as it did at the turn of the 20th century, with polished wooden floors, cisterns and the remains of a windmill tower now occupied by an osprey nest.
In a walk through the woods, you'll spot the eponymous lignumvitae tree which doesn't look like much, but whose wood is so dense and hard that it was used extensively in shipbuilding. You'll also get a look at trees with weird names such as poisonwood, strangler fig, and gumbo-limbo.
<a href="http://www.captainslate.com">Underwater Easter Egg Hunt</a>: 305-451-3020
Join Captain Spencer Slate on a shallow-water dive/snorkel/glass-bottom boat trip April 16 as he dresses up as the Easter Bunny and leads the tenth annual underwater Easter egg hunt. Prizes will be awarded to everyone who attends, but there's a special surprise for whoever is lucky enough to find the golden egg.
For lodging packages at the Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost in Islamorada, <a href="http://guyharveyoutpost.com/islamoradapackages/">GO HERE</a>.
ST. PETE BEACH
<a href="http://www.swimwithourfish.com">Get Tanked!</a>
You just can't help gazing at the mesmerizing peacefulness of the 33,500-gallon aquarium at the RumFish Grill at Guy Harvey Outpost, a Tradewinds Beach Resort on St. Pete Beach. Filled with numerous species of colorful, native tropical fish, it was designed and built by the crew on Animal Planet's popular television show, TANKED. Lately it has added some new inhabitants, including two stingrays, Atlantic blue tangs, doctorfish, ocean surgeonfish, and a large French angelfish--enhancing its hypnotic appeal.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/14352097_1101744903237377_6817329903301162398_o.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4628" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/14352097_1101744903237377_6817329903301162398_o.png" alt="14352097_1101744903237377_6817329903301162398_o" width="1179" height="579" /></a>
But you don't have to be content to just admire the aquarium's residents from the restaurant. Visitors aged 8 and up are invited to plunge right in with these friendly sea creatures on guided snorkeling tours. It's safe, fun, and a lot more exciting than watching "Finding Dory" on TV.
<a href="http://www.tampabayboatshows.com">Tampa Bay Boat Show</a>
Check out a variety of watercraft from kayaks to cabin cruisers at St. Petersburg's expansive Tropicana Field March 10-12. Boats new and used will be on display indoors and outdoors. You may end up towing your new purchase back home after spring break. Admission is free; parking costs $6.
Art Shows - <a href="http://www.tarponspringschamber.com">Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival</a> and <a href="http://www.mainsailart.org">Mainsail Arts Festival in St. Pete</a>
Make plans to attend the 43rd annual Fine Arts Festival on the Bayou in Tarpon Springs April 8-9. Held at Craig Park on the scenic Spring Bayou, it will feature as many as 250 exhibitors of a wide range of juried art. The event also includes food and live entertainment. Admission is $5, with free parking and shuttle service.
Then on April 22-23, St. Petersburg will host the 42nd annual Mainsail Art Festival at waterfront Vinoy Park. Peruse paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, tapestries and many other media while listening to live music and munching on local treats. Kids will be able to create their own artworks in a special tent; adult professional artists will vie for a share of a $60,000 prize purse. Admission is free.
To arrange your stay at Guy Harvey Outpost, a Tradewinds Beach Resort, <a href="http://guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/florida/st-pete-beach/">GO HERE</a>.
ST. AUGUSTINE
<a href="http://www.floridasbirdingandphotofest.com">Florida's Birding & Photo Fest</a>
Attend workshops and lectures on birding and photography; take walking, boating and kayaking tours of scenic woods and waters; and add to your life list in this April 26-30 outdoors extravaganza.
The event will be based at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Estuarine Research Reserve, located just off A-1-A about halfway between St. Augustine and Jacksonville. Outdoors and photography gear will be on display and food trucks will be standing by to serve hungry hikers. Some of the outdoor tours already are sold out, so make a reservation now. There's a $25 registration fee. Cash and prizes will be awarded in a photo contest.
<a href="http://www.alligatorfarm.com">Alligator Farm Zoological Park</a>
This is the only place in the world where you can see all 24 of the world's alligator and crocodile species in one place-- including Maximo, a 15 1 2-foot-long, 45 year-old Australian croc. Other reptiles such as the Komodo dragon are housed here as well. An ancient, spreading oak in the middle of the park serves as a scenic rookery for many colorful local birds and provides limitless photo ops. You can tour the park on foot or take a zip line tour.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/16711474_10154845538210803_6926099617369395332_n.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4629" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/16711474_10154845538210803_6926099617369395332_n.jpg" alt="16711474_10154845538210803_6926099617369395332_n" width="583" height="418" /></a>
<a href="http://www.saaquarium.com">St. Augustine Aquarium</a>
This just-opened, 80,000-gallon aquarium holds more than 200 marine fish, and also features a shark and stingray cove. There are hands-on displays and opportunities to snorkel with the tank's inhabitants. An odd-looking guitarfish and a friendly nurse shark are among the highlights. Future plans call for a zip line and educational facilities.
More information on Guy Harvey Outpost, St. Augustine coming soon! https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/no-end-to-spring-break-family-fun-at-guy-harvey-outpost/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Great Speck-ulation on Lake Okeechobee&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/crappie.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2984 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/crappie.jpg?w=300" alt="crappie" width="300" height="225" /></a>
By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
[Lakeport, FL.--] It won't be too long before scores of pontoon boats lit up like the Fourth of July and festooned with a porcupine-like array of telescoping fishing rods will crowd northern Lake Okeechobee most nights.
Late fall through early spring is considered the height of the black crappie, or speckled perch season on the Big O. But here's a news flash to all the snowbirds arriving on the first cold fronts aiming to catch a limit of specks: the fish have been here for months now. A couple savvy locals have been catching their limit of 25 less than a mile from the boat ramp at Harney Pond Canal in Lakeport.
"The biggest myth is that you can only catch them in winter," said captain Steve Daniel, a veteran guide and tournament champion. "This summer, I caught a lot of them on Rat-L-Traps and jerkbaits the same places I caught bass."
Daniel acknowledges it's a bit harder to catch specks during warm days than at night, especially if water levels are high. That's because the fish tend to stick to heavy cover under bright conditions and there are thousands of acres of vegetation -- bulrush, Kissimmee grass, hydrilla and lily pads-- where they hide.
At night, however, crappie can be lured away from their hideouts into open water by anglers lighting up their vessels and drawing hordes of minnows that the fish love to eat. With enough rods hanging off the boat, a pair of fishermen can bag a limit of 50 in just a couple of hours in hot spots such as the mouth of the Kissimmee River, Harney Pond Canal, the Rim Canal, and Fisheating Bay--especially near an area dubbed the "Monkey Box".
A nighttime fiesta requires a bucket full of Missouri minnows, available at just about any bait and tackle shop around the lake. Anglers thread them onto a small jig head of 1/8- to 1/16- ounces or on a light wire #4 hook weighted with a split shot. They arrange their 15-foot rods or cane poles in holders in the gunwales so that the tips are low to the surface. When the rod tip dips into the water, they know they have a bite. The rods don't have reels; fish are simply lifted into the boat.
"It's not rocket science," Daniel chuckled.
Day-specking with artificial lures requires a bit more finesse. Like black bass, crappie tend to follow a pattern, Daniel said, which means they'll stick to a particular kind of cover and a certain depth, rarely hugging the bottom. Anglers need to cover a lot of ground with their electric trolling motors, prospecting in holes in various stands of vegetation with long limber rods. It's a lot like flipping for bass, except there's no reel. A length of 20-to-30-pound monofilament matched to the water depth is simply tied to the eye catch of the rod and threaded through the guides.
For lures, Daniel recommends jigs-- small bucktails, tube jigs or twister tails. For clear water, he favors white; in dingy water, he chooses yellow, chartreuse, or even black (because it creates a shadow).
The reward will be a cooler full of tasty, but not very big fish. Daniel said two-pounders are not very common on the Big O; the state record for the species is three pounds, 13 1/4 ounces caught in Lake Talquin near Tallahassee in 1992.
But the good news from biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is that Lake O specks are getting bigger. The species took a big hit from Hurricane Wilma in 2005, but catch rates have been on the rise for the past eight years or so. Sampling conducted by biologists has shown larger, older fish each year. With last year's bountiful shad spawn, numbers and size could continue to increase.
Back to the most important part: eating. Most anglers fillet and fry their specks; the health-conscious use olive oil. Or you could just take them to Tin Fish in Okeechobee to have them cooked for you with a couple of sides. Fresh and delicious no matter what.
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` Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
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