Amazing, beautiful wonders waited for me around every turn. We glided upriver with the ease of sharp skates on ice, paddling just enough to keep our canoe’s forward momentum steady. It only took a few minutes on the river to forget unfinished chores, dinner plans and upcoming jobs. As the thumping road noise from the highway faded away behind us, so did my routine cares and concerns. At first there wasn’t much to see. In the middle, where passage was easy, the river was deep and dark. The brewed tea color water hid any aquatic life that might be lurking beneath our canoe. Wildlife that might have been along the riverbank, was hidden in the murky shallows, or guarded from view behind tightly clustered congregations of cypress knees.
Right in my own back yard, a short drive from my home, is a small minimally appointed park. It’s a secluded treasure brimming with a wealth of exotic wildlife and lush, tropical landscapes. You won’t believe the incredible number of mysterious creatures that thrive just fifteen minutes away from downtown Tampa.
I missed the entire thirty-minute drive from home to the park because I was nose deep in my cell phone. I was checking important emails and staying up-to-date with social media. When the truck bounced off the pavement onto the gravel road, I looked up. The dirt road was uninspiring. One side was fringed with spotty patches of thin grass and the other side was fenced with a dense stand of sand pines. There was a lot of green and the angular spikes of random palmettos, but nothing of interest to capture my artistic eye.
When you pull into the Trout Creek parking lot, you’re struck by the starkness of the park. At first glance there’s nothing to do. There’s not a playground, or picturesque view in sight. This park, like many in Florida, requires deeper investigation to see their true and unique beauty.