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The real Florida in a unique island

Cayo Costa, off Fort Myers' coast, offers secluded nature with ospreys and snakes.

BOCA GRANDE - Cayo Costa, an early 20th century pioneer fishing village where boats flocked to the docks and talk of the day's catch filled the air, is now an ecological treasure devoid of concrete.

Shorebirds now chase the surf, and travelers can hear the rustle of sea oats while sugar-white sand tickles their toes.

The 2,416-acre state park is a popular destination for day-trippers and weekend campers because of its secluded, back-to-nature atmosphere. Cayo Costa has seven miles of trails, powder beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, mangrove forests, pine upland habitats and cabins and campgrounds. The park is also full of native animals, including ospreys, snakes, gopher tortoises and bobcats.

Hurricane Charley, which devastated some southwest Florida areas, actually uncovered more of the island's natural glory.

"Cayo Costa is one of the most unique barrier islands left in Florida because it is really unpopulated and you get the feel of the real Florida the way it used to be before condos and construction," said Ken Troisi, 30, assistant park manager. "You can stop and hear the ocean, and that is the feeling that people want when they come out here that they are alone. I think the fact that you have to get on a boat to get here and it is an island makes it special, too."

The state park was established in 1976. The state of Florida owns 95 percent of the island.

There are a number of private residences on the island, and many can't be seen because the majority are on the southernmost end of Cayo Costa. The island also has no utilities.

The island is a popular winter destination, and weekend reservations for the cabins and campsites fill up months in advance. Troisi said spots should be reserved as early as possible.

"That isn't to say you won't find an open date here and there, but the weekends book up pretty solid beginning in late October," he said.

The Juranek family from Orlando discovered Cayo Costa a few years ago, and they now make it a regular family vacation destination.

"We get to escape the mouse (Disney World)," said Kyle Juranek, 43, smiling. "It's getting away from the ordinary, and you don't have to worry about crowds.

"It is real quiet, no TVs or phones, well, almost," he added, smiling at his daughter, Megan, 9, and son, Matthew, 12. "Someone brought a Game Boy, and I hope the batteries die real soon, and then life will be good."

The park's campgrounds and cabins took a hard hit from Charley. While the storm hurt the camping, Troisi said it did wonders for the native foliage.

The canopy of Australian pines that shaded the camping area and littered the ground with pine needles is no longer there, but Troisi said there is now a spectacular view of the gulf, and campers can see the native plants thriving.

"Before, the sea grapes couldn't outcompete the pine; now they are doing great," Troisi said. "This was the area most impacted by Charley due to the loss of the canopy, but it is better this way in the long run for the park.

"A lot of campers comment about not having the trees here anymore, and I ask them if that will alter their mind about coming here, and the answer is always, "No way,' and the other half are glad the pines are gone. Most (visitors) are really educated in the native ecology and know the park is better off without all the exotics."

But as many Cayo Costa visitors come to the island for the beaches and environmental immersion, they soon learn the historical value of Cayo Costa. Besides being a hub for Cuban fishermen in the 1800s, it was home to about 20 fishing families in the early 1900s, with a school, post office and grocery store. It also served as a port for international ships entering local waters.

Two trails, Cemetery Trail and Quarantine Docks Trail, tell the story of two marks Cayo Costa made in local history.

Troisi thinks the Quarantine Docks Trail is the prettiest out of the five trails because a native tree canopy shades the lush walkway. He said Quarantine took the hardest hit of all the trails from Hurricane Charley. It also took the longest to clear. The trail opens on the waters of Pine Island Sound with a picnic table perfect for a lunch stop.

"In the early 1800s, when a ship came in from overseas, they had to dock here and wait for the doctor to come aboard and make sure everyone was healthy and not bringing any diseases to the area," Troisi said. "The docks don't exist, and if there ever was a house or structure that held the people waiting for quarantine, it doesn't exist either."

Cemetery Trail cuts through the heart of Cayo Costa State Park. Along the trail is a small, marked cemetery where members of the Coleman family and Capt. Peter Nelson are buried. Troisi said there also are a number of unmarked graves throughout the island.

It seems visitors come to Cayo Costa to revel in nature's glory and get a history lesson as an added bonus, but whatever may draw visitors to Cayo Costa, rangers such as Troisi and Greg Martinson, 47, know it's about escape.

"Ahhhh, I'm on a low-stress diet," Martinson said. "I am out here, not sitting in traffic in Bonita (Springs), and any day I don't have to sit in traffic is a good day."

[Last modified October 30, 2005, 01:12:10]