Memorial Day is on the horizon as a tried and true sign that summer is upon us and the warmth of vacation season is in the air. What a great time to teach the Leadership Flagler class about tourism in our spectacular county! For those unfamiliar with the program, Leadership Flagler is one of nearly 700 programs nationwide whose goal is to shape high-profile community leaders. The Flagler County Chamber of Commerce and the Alumni Council create the three-month program which focuses on Flagler County's past, present and future – paving the way for Tomorrow's Leaders. As part of the tourism department, this insider was lucky enough to have an "in" to participate in this informative and fun-filled session.
The tourism segment is created to help these individuals learn about the importance of tourism in Flagler County through conversation and a glimpse of what the county has to offer its visitors. This year the group was invited to have breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn at Town Center, with a brief presentation by Milissa Holland, Chair of the Tourist Development Council (TDC) and Peggy Heiser, Vice President of Tourist Development at the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce. Coffee was brewed, pastries were had and the discussion flowed. We then moved on to the River to Sea Preserve for an interpretive nature walk lead by Ripple Effect Ecotours.
The tour began in the parking lot of the preserve and quickly moved across the street to the coquina lined beach. From here the class was taught about the varying ecosystems abreast in the county and how they transition from our local beaches to our estuarine system. As luck would have it, we had the opportunity to view a sea turtle nest and some least terns migrating back up north. The diverse ecosystem of the barrier island goes from sandy coquina beach to coastal scrub and the maritime forest. This is where our journey through the River to Sea Preserve comes into play.
The entrance to the preserve is sandy and the walk is pleasant. Our first stop was the large covered picnic area overlooking the lake which was once the focal point of the marine land campgrounds. We ventured to the lake and looked on as small and large turtles swam up to the dock in a festive and hopeful manner. It is clear that these particular reptiles are used to seeing humans and even more so, are used to being fed by them.
The walk through the maritime forest was pleasant and covered by a shady hammock of live oak, magnolia and long leaf pine. The trail is comprised of one large loop with a path in the middle dividing the path in two. No matter which way you chose to go, eventually the river will be in view. This particular part of the Matanzas River is a manatee zone and my hopes were up to see one of the magnificent sea calves in action. Unfortunately no manatees were seen by this adventurer, but I did have the chance to witness the wonder of nature with the mimosa pudica, a sensitive plant that closes its leaves when touched and will reopen minutes later.
Our trek back took us through the trail less traveled which meant ducking under banana spiders and the intricate webs they had created amongst the trees. The tour came to an end back at the lake with a guest appearance of the resident alligator wading in the water in hopes of being thrown a treat or two. I watched in awe as the turtles swam around, up and over the gator with ease and without fear of impending doom. Nature never ceases to amaze me. Until next time!
