backwater - Seashells by Millhill

Boating the Florida Backwater, Fishing and Shell Collecting

Three of us in one tiny boat isn’t ideal, but it gets us out on the water. We go boating in the Florida backwater where my son Nick tries his best to catch a nice Redfish.

My younger son caught some catfish (picture) and I didn’t fish this particular day. I took the photos, because my goal was to find some awesome seashells.

Since I’ve moved back to Florida, it’s been mostly work and not much play. Summer in the sunshine state is for tourists, in my opinion. The rest of the year, when the weather is not as stifling, is for locals to enjoy. But tourists are here all the time, and the only way to get away from the crowds is to go boating – during the week.

Below: Yes, that’s our little Gheenoe, and it does hold three people! It can’t move very fast when it’s loaded down, but it’s fun to go out and explore. We have to keep an eye on those building cumulus clouds. Storms can build and move in fast. It’s not fun to try to outrun a Florida thunderstorm! (We’ve done it.)

low tide on the Indian River — Low Tide Treasure Hunt

The day I took these photos it was terribly hot, over 100 degrees, but there was a breeze. Even the water was hot, and I mean very hot. I half expected that if we caught a fish it would be partially cooked already! The tide was out which made maneuvering the shallow channels a bit tricky, but my son fishes this area frequently and was pretty good at not hitting the sand bars.
Finally we stopped at Three Sisters, which is a set of three islands, one of which has a long sand bar on the northern side when the tide is low or out.

bivalve cockle shells — Atlantic Giant Cockle Shell

I found this giant Atlantic cockle shell (it’s name is “Giant”, it’s not really all that big) while walking in the hot shallow water on Three Sisters. Both sides of this bivalve were connected and it was upside down and filled with mud. Since then, I have found a few more of these beauties, in exactly the same state – upside down in shallow water. In my experience, shells that are attached eventually dry out and come apart, but it’s fun to find joined bivalves.
I also found my prized big horse conch on Three Sisters.

Combing the Shallows of the ICW Backwater

intracoastal waterway backwater — The Shallows

A day out on the water is always so wonderfully relaxing. When I lived in Florida we owned a pontoon boat and would get over to the ICW as much as possible and cruise up and down the waterway. These days I am land-locked in New Hampshire, but I did get a chance to visit my son in Florida over the summer and we headed to the east coast four times to fish off his little boat. Two of those days turned out to be wash outs with storms chasing us off the water early in the day. One of those days was a very close call. As the super dark and threatening sky Continue reading “Combing the Shallows of the ICW Backwater”

Florida Waterways, Lakes, Backwater, Ocean and Gulf Water

Sunset from the Intracoastal Waterway in Hobe ... — Sunset from the Intracoastal Waterway in Hobe Sound, Florida. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Florida is not only surrounded by water, it is full of water. There is literally water everywhere in this state that sits barely above sea level in many places. That little lake in your backyard may dry up and become a shallow hole when a drought hits, but it will fill up again nicely when the rains come.

Florida is a very touristy place. The state lives off it’s tourism and has no problem getting vacationers to visit. There are plenty of things to do, both indoors and out, and many revolve around water, or include water. Tanning, swimming and (awesome) fishing can be done just about everywhere. Even Disney World has a fireworks show that takes place on the water.

But the different types of water are something to be familiar with, especially if you are planning to buy a home “on the water”. Small lakes or ponds are generally very shallow and can completely dry up at certain times. Larger lakes and rivers can hold unwanted, nasty creatures such as alligators and poisonous water snakes. I would never want to live on a lake or river in that state after seeing the news stories I have over the years. (By the way, the small ponds can contain these things too!)

The Atlantic Ocean side of the state has beautiful beaches, many of which can be driven onto with your vehicles, and the water has waves and occasionally rip currents. In certain places surfing is allowed. Some beaches have lifeguards and some don’t. The water is not very clear most of the time, but some days are better than others, and the temperature is quite nice in summer months being in the 80’s.

The eastern side of the state has calmer gulf waters that are also warm. The waves tend to lap at the shore rather than crash, and the water is clear and beautiful for the most part.

All around the edge of the state the islands and outer land areas that separate the mainland from the ocean contain shallow waterways and canals that are brackish and are known as “backwater“. Brackish water is part saltwater and part freshwater. It is the water between the land and the sea, and Florida has a lot of that. Part of the east coast Intracoastal Waterway runs along this inner area. And yes, you can find seashells there.

When talking about Florida’s abundance of water and it’s variety, lets not forget the thunderstorms. Water will pour as if from buckets from the sky, flood roads in an instant and shoot lightning bolts like you have never seen. If the sky looks dark anywhere near you, get inside. It’s not called the lightening capital of the world for nothing!