Barrier Island Bliss: Sun, Surf, and Service at Cayo Costa, Florida

The Trip

The island paradise of Cayo Costa (Key by the Coast) is located off the southwest coast of Florida about 30 miles northwest of Fort Myers. The seven-mile water taxi ride from Pine Island takes you back to the undeveloped Florida of yesteryear to enjoy and help preserve it for others.

Cayo Costa, a jewel of the Florida State Park system, is about seven miles long and three-quarter miles wide, with exquisite white sand beaches, acres of pine and palmetto wilderness, hardwood hammocks, mangrove swamps, and freshwater marshes. There are over five miles of bicycle trails and infinite hiking and kayaking opportunities. The island and its waters teem with a spectacular assortment of birds and other native wildlife, including manatees, dolphins, gopher tortoises, crustaceans, alligators, and even occasional otters.

This seven-day service trip will include four work days and one free day for a group kayak excursion, with the first and last days set aside for travel and camp set-up and breakdown. The workdays will end early enough for optional exploration, swimming, shelling, kayaking and bicycling, or just relaxing on the beach.

The Project

The primary work project is ongoing exotic invasive plant removal under the direction of the Assistant Park Manager, but we may also do trail work, endangered species habitat restoration, or facility maintenance, repair, and restoration.

Getting There

The nearest airport is Southwest Florida International Airport east of Fort Myers, located about 37 miles from the Pineland Marina, Pine Island. Transportation to the marina is the responsibility of the participants. Pine Island Taxi & Limo Inc. (among others) provides shuttle service from the airport to the island. A participant roster will be provided in advance of the trip to facilitate carpooling. Personal kayaks and bicycles can be transported to the island for a modest additional fare, by pre-arrangement.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

We will be staying in the park campground, so bring your tents and lightweight sleeping bags. (There is a possibility of a limited number of bunk beds in the kitchen cabin; please contact the leader for information.) Participants who do not wish to tent may be able to rent a cabin for the week at their own expense; search Cayo Costa at ReserveAmerica.com (or call 1-800-326-3521) for fees and availability. The campground has restrooms with flush toilets and freshwater showers. Bring a solar shower bag if you prefer a hot shower.

Our meals will satisfy both physical appetite and the need for social gathering after a day's work or play. The menu will be healthy, nutritious, high-energy camp cuisine. Meals will be mainly vegetarian with some opportunities for meat or seafood during the week. Meals often include protein in the form of dairy and soy products. It’s best to come with the attitude that food is part of the adventure. Food weight and quantity must be carefully calculated, as there is no opportunity for shopping once we are on the island. We will not have refrigeration, a factor that will be considered when the menu is planned. In addition, our food must be protected from animals. We will have a group commissary with everyone taking turns in meal preparation and cleanup afterward. Before applying for the trip, folks with food allergies, dietary restrictions, and/or strong preferences need to contact the leader and cook to see if reasonable accommodations are possible within the limits of our island commissary. Our first meal together will be Sunday evening, April 24th and the last meal will be breakfast on April 30th.

Trip Difficulty

We will be doing moderate to moderately strenuous physical labor. You will be using loppers, machetes, and similar tools to remove Brazillian Pepper and Beach Naupaka. You will also be lifting and pulling, bending, crawling, hiking, and sometimes even wading. Although temperatures are still benign in late April (up to the mid-eighties during the day), working in the sun and high humidity is demanding, so it is important that you be in good physical condition. Your ability to follow leader and agency staff directions and to work as a team member is crucial in this project. No one will be asked to work beyond his or her capacity, and there will be plenty of opportunity for resting and hydration. Due to fire danger, the hosting agency is requesting no smoking on this trip.

Equipment and Clothing

Tools and instructions will be provided by the park staff, although those who have hand cutting tools may want to bring their own. Come prepared to work with sturdy boots or shoes, long and short pants, long-sleeved shirts, and leather gloves to protect yourself from insects, sun, and thorny plants. There is poison ivy on the island. (Some work may be done while wading, as well, so bring water shoes for the warm water.) You will need a daypack to carry your lunch, water containers, light raingear, sunscreen, insect repellent etc. You should have clothing that you can layer to keep you comfortable in temperatures from 70 to 90 degrees. A full list of equipment will be provided to participants. Questions about equipment should be directed to the trip leader.

References

Websites:

• https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Cayo-Costa
• floridasnature.com/index.htm (Search Invasive Exotic Plants)
• floridabirdingtrail.com/ (Search D.27, Cayo Costa State Park )
• defenders.org (Search Florida Manatee, sea turtles, snowy plover, gopher tortoise)
• http://friendsofcayocosta.org/

Book:

• Witherington, Blair and Dawn, Florida's Living Beaches.

Conservation

The Florida State Park Service will give a nature hike explaining the importance of barrier islands and estuaries and why they need to be protected.  Daily “conservation moments” will focus on the wildlife and plants of the island and conservation experiences will be shared among participants.