When the dreary days of winter get you down
Some years, winter just goes on and on and the milder weather just seems forever in coming. This year has not been too bad as we have experienced a visit from the Polar Vortex along with a few mild and rainy spells and our normal supply of cold and snow. What gets to me is the constant stream of cloudy days that make up so much of our winter season.
Some ten years ago, a friend who had a condo in Florida offered us the use of his place for a few days. Back then, I thought Florida was for old people who hung out at the pool and played shuffleboard and took advantage of the early bird specials at the restaurants.
We quickly fell in love with Marco Island, Florida, and have been going back every year for a several weeks of vacation each winter. The weather during the winter months is perfect with day time high temperatures in the mid to upper 70s and morning lows in the upper 50s. Gone is the humidity of the warmer months along with the bugs. Winter is known as the dry season as rainfall is also scarce. Last year, we had no rain during our stay and this year just one day of rain. Temperatures this year were in the low 80s and the water temperature of the Gulf of Mexico was in the low 70s.
Marco Island is a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico off Southwest Florida, linked to the mainland by two bridges. The elevation is only 10 feet above sea level and did suffer a bit of damage when Hurricane Irma visited the island in September of 2017. A long sandy beautiful beach covers most of the west coast of the island, but our favorite part of the island is Tigertail Beach which has a tidal lagoon and is a great spot for kayaking, shell collecting, sunsets and an abundance of birds and marine life. We frequently spot dolphins on the ocean side of Tigertail and a pink Spoonbill shore bird in the lagoon. Marco Island has some of the best shelling found anywhere in Florida and each year we come home with some real treasures.
Marco Island is the largest and only developed land in Florida鈥檚 Ten Thousand islands and just short ride from the Florida Everglades. When the Island gets a bit crowded, we head off to the Everglades to see the alligators and some of Florida鈥檚 wildflowers. The ranger at the visitor鈥檚 center the day we visited advised us that a Florida panther and a bobcat had been sighted just after dawn that morning. Panthers are normally nocturnal and avoid human contact. Being so close to the Everglades brings the magic, beauty and silence of this water filled paradise right to our senses. Far from being just a swamp, the Everglades are about as alive with nature as you can get. We always make sure our winter vacation includes a ride and a hike to the Everglades.
Back in Southwestern Pennsylvania, we should see a bit cooler temperatures for the coming week, along with a good amount of sunshine. I鈥檒l take all I can get.
Marco Island is just a two hour direct flight from Southwestern Pennsylvania and a one hour ride from the airport. We just can鈥檛 wait until next year.