Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Return To Oz...OZELLO, FLORIDA


jr








(The ramp at Ozello...very basic)

Last week, before the big family fandango reunion, Jr. and I slipped away to explore a tiny coastal community named Ozello. Previously we had driven down the twisty, turny "mountain" road that snakes from the clutter of Highway 19 to the edge of the Gulf. The two lane road slithers through clusters of palm islands set in a vast spartina marsh and the drive alone is worthy of a visit, but we are aquatic and this time we planned to get wet.

When you read any article about fishing or boating around Ozello, the one consistent theme is the area's shallow rocky bottom and it's negative impact on any type of propeller...that and the fact that there's a maze of tiny keys and little in the way of channel markers.

So we came by canoe to scout the area and make decisions about possibly bringing the boat.


nice
form









We launched at the single lane boat ramp (there's a steep drop at the end of the ramp...beware) and paddled out over a clear outgoing tide. The water was absolutely beautiful and for most of the morning we were accompanied by a momma dolphin and her tiny newborn.


FL
Keys
?











With the clear water, rocky islands, and red mangroves, it really felt like we were paddling down on the Gulf (west) side of the real Florida Keys. Posted by Picasa

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is all remarkable, and not the least is the solid father/son relationship you have. By that age my boys were thoroughly embarrassed of their dad and probably wouldn't acknowledge having one if the same guy didn't continue to pick them up after school and from practice.

robin andrea said...

I was thinking the same thing as Pablo. Nice father-son relationship you have there, FC.

R.Powers said...

Pablo and Robin,
Ahhh come on...I know you are exaggerating teen angst.
We are pretty close. Maybe it's growing up in an isolated location. Your kids learn tolook to you as the source of entertainment from a very young age. Or maybe it's the constant beatings...JK. Whatever the reason is, I'll take it.

TUFFENUF said...

Thanks for the lovely tour and beautiful photos!

Ava said...

Wow, what beautiful scenery.

threecollie said...

Hope you are having a wonderful coincidental vacation as well! Sure looks like it.

R.Powers said...

Tuff,
Thanks, it is a beautiful place.

Ava,
It is gorgeous, I'm going back.

roger,
right on both accounts :)

Threecollie,
Hope yours was fun too.

Thunder said...

I tried to resist, but I have to say it: "We're not in Kansas anymore!"

I don't know about the isolation part FC, sometimes I think we might be brothers of different mothers. You've met G-nerve before and we have a good, somewhat relaxed relationship too, and we're both basically city boys.

I think it must have been the exposure that I had to you and your family while I was growing up (you know college)! ;-)

R.Powers said...

Thunder,
It's probably because we're so immature that they feel we're one of them....