A Palm Beach Staycation Day
Today was a beautiful day – perfect weather, nice activities, great company. The only down side is that I was on call for work, so I always know that anything fun I am doing could end abruptly with a phone call from the ER. It is always a good day when I can get to the end of it with some fun experiences and no serious phone calls – relief and happiness!
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A 4-mile beach walk
I started out the morning with a nice beach walk. I like to mix in some very low impact things with my walruns so that I don’t get injured early in the marathon training phase. Beach walks are much more challenging than just a walk on the sidewalk. Your calves will definitely feel it after your first one! One day I would like to build up to 10-15 miles a day so that I can do a walk from Jupiter to Miami. I went on a history tour at the Palm Beach Historical Society when my folks came to visit in 2017. This very preppy retired woman told us about the Barefoot Mailmen from the late 1800’s that used to carry mail from Palm Beach to Miami before there was better transportation between the cities. These men worked for the Postal Service and would walk that distance in 3 days!! She said that she is planning to do it herself sometime soon and will use Uber to get around the Inlets along the way. If this preppy older lady can do it, so can I! I would want to do it over 7-10 days for shorter walks and more tourist time. I already have it planned so that Jeff is my support vehicle. I walk from 5 or 6 to 1 or 2p each day. Then I explore the area, eat and drink some goodies, and hit the hay early. Anyone can join me for as far as they feel like and Jeff can pick people up to bring to the rendezvous point. Now I just need a time when I can have that much time off all at once!
So, back on topic. Beachwalks are really beautiful along the entire coast. One of my favorite places to go walking is along Jupiter Island. Not only is it closest to home, but it is so secluded sometimes. Once when I walked from Coral Cove Park to Hobe Sound Beach (about 8.5 miles), I only saw 1 or 2 people in between Blowing Rocks and Hobe Sound with lots of nonchalant birds who didn’t act like they see people very often. The walk takes you along the backyards of some very wealthy homes – most of these don’t appear to actually use the beach side very much. If they do, they are very good about not leaving a trace of evidence of it. You might wonder if I am even allowed to be in those areas. As long as I am on the ocean side of the high tide line, then I am on public property. I take care to be as unobtrusive as possible so I don’t tick anyone off. My favorite time to come out is early in the morning just before sunrise so I can watch the sun coming over the water. It also means I might catch a sea turtle nesting or be the first one to spot some unusual shells before all of the shellers are out. It is about one mile from Coral Cove to Blowing Rocks, so it is also an easy way to get to that park on busy weekends when the parking lot is full during high season.
**When you click on the video links above, you are being taken to my Youtube channel for this page. Check out the extra videos on my Youtube main page.
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I just love how different the beach can look on any given day. I have seen the water low or so high that I have to leap onto the 4 foot bank to keep from getting sucked into the ocean. I have seen it calm like glass or so furious that I actually had Jeff pick me up at Blowing Rocks because I was too nervous to walk back to Coral Cove. It is sometimes blanketed in billions of shells and sometimes has only a scarce few scattered around. It is sometimes full of seaweed and sometimes a blanket of white sand. During nesting season, tracks line the beach with craters scattered everywhere full of new eggs – a leatherback track is as big as a car! I have seen birds of all kinds, nesting sea turtles, dolphins, sting rays, man-o-war, and fisherman pulling in all kinds of fish, including small sharks.
This year I went out for a walk when it was 45 degrees out. The sand by the water was warm and steam was rising from the waves like a giant hot tub. It was remarkable how warm it felt right by the water. So many special days out on the beach. Needless to say, I love it out here.
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Coral Cove Park
Coral Cove Park has a lifeguard, and nice little playground, and bathrooms. There is also good snorkeling not far from the shore – just be sure to bring your dive flag. There are some rocks near shore, so swimming is better done on the calmer days.
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Blowing Rocks Preserve
Blowing Rocks Preserve was created in large part to preserve a rare area of Florida geology, but also to act as a separation between the condo end of the island and the more posh north end. This park is owned by the Nature Conservancy and has a steep $2 (I hope you can tell I am joking about this!) entrance fee. The beach side has a ridge of rock made up of Anastasia limestone. This is the largest formation along the entire Atlantic coast and the rocks will drive dramatic sprays of water to the sky – especially on stormy days at high tide. Poor Jeff was VERY upset once when I convinced him to sit close enough to the edge that a huge wave soaked us and sucked his shoes and our new kite out into the ocean forever.
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When the water is low, you get to see the caves and blowholes from the other side and it is surprisingly beautiful.
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On some weekend mornings near sunrise you may catch models capitalizing on the scenery for a photo shoot – often with some nudity. I should mention here that these photo shoots are not permitted by the park and you’ll get kicked out if you’re discovered.
As you head west across the park, you leave the beach through a shady hammock of native trees. The posting near the parking lot will tell you if there is anything to watch out for (like the annual shark migration in March) in the water. Across the street is the visitor center with a boardwalk path through the mangroves to the Intracoastal water. A free guided tour is available at 11a each Sunday, which I highly recommend.
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The Jupiter Island Intracoastal Waterway
Whenever the ocean is a little too rough for swimming, the Intracoastal water is the place to be. The water is warm, shallow, calm, and so peaceful. This is usually good water for paddle boarding, though Jeff and I did discover one day just how difficult it can be to work against the wind and the tide! I have seen dolphin, manatees, huge sting rays, fish of all kinds, sea turtles, and I have to assume shark and gators can also end up in here considering the ins and outs.
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Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area
I have passed this little park countless times in the last 3 years and have never stopped to check it out. It is actually very pretty! The trails aren’t long enough for a workout, but it is a pleasant short walk to a very pretty sheltered picnic area. I also learned that I should not approach unknown things without learning about them first! My face was about 2 feet away from this bug taking pictures, before I got home and learned it is a two-striped walkingstick that could have blinded me with a precise spray from its butt!
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West Palm Beach Food Tour
A colleague gave Jeff and me a very generous West Palm Beach Food Tour. We had a really great time walking from place to place, getting some history of the area, and eating some very tasty goodies from places that were entirely new to both of us. It also gave us the opportunity to go to the West Palm Beach Green Market (in the Nancy M Graham Centennial Square area) which I had not been to yet. It was wonderful! Tropical fruits, local veggies, orchids, crafts, and some delicious hot and melty Arepas. We also learned that new buildings and businesses are required to include an art installation on the property. No wonder there is so much colorful art in WPB!
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After the food tour, we decided to be tourists and go get a drink at the Breakers Hotel. I pulled up among Bentleys and Maseratis with my Fiat – I am proud to say that the valet sounded genuine when he handed it over, calling it a “really fun car!” The hotel is gorgeous and drinks tasty, but it is hard to want to stay there when I have such a beautiful home next to a more beautiful beach with everything I need right there.
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Finally we ended the afternoon at Tequesta Brewing for their birthday party – our third year so far!
All together today, I walked about 8-9 miles. My Fitbit was very happy 🙂