Outdoors Archives - Page 4 of 6 -

August 22, 2021August 3, 2021

Beautiful Japanese gardens right in our backyard

After I moved to South Florida last summer, I heard about the numerous wetlands walks, nature preserves, and wildlife parks in the area. I was planning to explore many of them, especially if they were all outdoors, as it was still the middle of the COVID pandemic.

One place that was recommended to me often was Morikami Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach. So I decided to go there with relatives when they came to visit. And I liked it so much, I went back again a couple months later with other visiting family members.

The first time I went, I was floored by the beauty and tranquility of the park. I’ve been to many botanical gardens and similar lushly landscaped parks, but I hadn’t been to one like Morikami before. They call it “Roji-en: Garden of the Drops of Dew,” and it was designed by Hoichi Kurisu. The park comprises six distinct gardens that are inspired by significant gardens in Japan.

After arriving, you go through a large building that houses the museum, gift shop, and café, and once outside, you descend down a wide staircase to a utopian setting below. There is a gorgeous pond in the center, with walkways that lead to the left and right of it, which make a large circle meandering through the different gardens around the pond.

In addition to the abundant trees, topiaries, plants, flowers, stone structures, and bubbling brooks, we enjoyed peeking over bridges and seeing fish, turtles, and even an alligator sunning itself in the pond. In the various quiet oases we found, one highlight was the traditional bonsai garden. And we discovered other peaceful green corners where we could immerse ourselves in the serenity and zen of the place.

Being from out of state, I was surprised to learn about the century-old connection between Japan and South Florida, where “a group of young Japanese farmers created a community intended to revolutionize agriculture in Florida,” according to Morikami literature. My mom and I were fascinated to hear about the rest of its history:

“In 1904, Jo Sakai, a recent graduate of New York University, returned to his homeland of Miyazu, Japan, to organize a group of pioneering farmers and lead them to what is now northern Boca Raton. With the help of the Model Land Company, a subsidiary of Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railroad, they formed a farming colony, Yamato, an ancient name for Japan.

“Ultimately, the results of their crop experimentation were disappointing and the Yamato Colony fell far short of its goals. By the 1920s the community, which had never grown beyond 30 to 35 individuals, finally surrendered its dream. One by one, the families left for other parts of the United States or returned to Japan.

“In the mid-1970s, one of the last remaining settlers, George Sukeji Morikami, then in his 80s, donated his land to Palm Beach County with the wish for it to become a park to preserve the memory of the Yamato Colony.” Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens debuted in 1977, as a living monument and a bridge of cultural understanding between George Morikami’s two homelands.

After we learned about the history of the place and strolled through all its verdant gardens, my family and I walked over to the open-air terrace café and had delicious Bento Boxes for lunch.

It was quite a day enjoying what are the most authentic Japanese-style gardens outside of Japan and then topping it off with an equally authentic Japanese lunch.

To visit, go to https://morikami.org.

Jennifer Merrill is a recent transplant to South Florida from northern states.

August 15, 2021August 3, 2021

The co$t of owning a horse

“A pony is a childhood dream; a horse is an adult treasure.”

—Rebecca Carroll

Many people dream of one day owning a horse. The allure is even greater in a place like Parkland, long known for its equestrian community. But before diving in headfirst, there are a number of factors to consider, especially given that the average lifespan of a horse hovers around 30 years, making them long-term companions.

Aside from the initial purchase investment, horses require costly ongoing care.

Tack and Grooming

According to Ellie Scofield, owner of Spectrum Saddle Shop in Coconut Creek, essential grooming supplies average $50, and tack (saddle, bridle, girth, and pad) can range from about $350 for the essentials to thousands for show-level equipment.

Boarding

If you don’t have property equipped for horses, then you’ll need to board yours at a nearby stable. The following facilities offer monthly rates that include a private stall, bedding, feed (both hay and grain), stall cleaning, water, and turnout.

Millpond Stables, Coconut Creek — $1,000 monthly
Wattland II, Coconut Creek — $900 monthly or $300 monthly for stall only
Jump On In INC, Parkland — $850 monthly
Galloways Farm, Parkland — call for a customized quote.

Lessons

To refine your horsemanship skills, you’ll want to continue training in the discipline of your choosing. Millpond Stables teaches English and Western at a rate of $75 per hour.

At Wattland II, lessons are $60 per hour and include instruction on grooming and tacking, a beneficial feature for new riders/owners.

Jump On In INC teaches Hunters, Jumpers, Equitation, and Western. All lessons include basic horsemanship skills and are $65 per hour. At Galloways Farm, dressage lessons run from $65 to $80.

Equine Vet and Farrier

Your horse will require annual vaccinations, dental care, deworming, and hoof trimming/shoeing. Treatment for medical emergencies can cost thousands, though there are insurance plans available to help offset some of these costs.

Even if you can afford the cost of upkeep, horses also require a significant time commitment. Boarding rates do not include grooming and exercising, which you’ll need to do regularly, not only to maintain your horse’s health and happiness, but to develop a bond as well.

For those unsure if they’re ready for horse ownership, there are alternate options available to see if ownership is right for you. Many barns have leasing opportunities, and horse rescue ranches offer sponsorship programs and riding privileges.

For those itching to jump in, here’s some takeaway advice from the experts:

“Make sure you get help. Watch and learn. Horses are very, very delicate.”
—Dawn Watt, owner of Wattland II

“You don’t become a rider in a day. Horsemanship takes time to learn. This is the only sport in the world where you are dealing with something that has its own mind.”
—Amanda Myman, owner of Jump On In INC

“Listen to your veterinarian, trusted trainer, and professionals, as well as good, experienced friends. Having horses is hard work, expensive, and one of the best experiences in a lifetime for both kids and adults!”
—Ellie Scofield, owner of Galloways Farm

August 15, 2021August 3, 2021

Now’s the time for dolphin fishing

It used to be that May and June were the best months for dolphin fishing in South Florida, but that has changed. August and September are now the best times for catching the colorful, delectable fish from Palm Beach to the Florida Keys.

“I think the last few years, August is the peak,” Capt. Abie Raymond said. “September usually has some big ones, but not as many numbers.”

Raymond is a Miami Beach native whose Go Hard Fishing (gohardfishing.com, @abie_raymond) offers offshore and inshore charters as well as trips in Miami-Dade County’s freshwater canals for peacock bass, largemouth bass, and clown knifefish.

In addition to witnessing firsthand the transition from a springtime dolphin bite to a summertime bite, Raymond has come up with a couple new techniques for catching what is considered one of South Florida’s favorite saltwater fish to eat.

For starters, he uses minnow-sized pilchards that he nets before he heads offshore to attract dolphins to his boat around weed lines, weed patches, and floating debris, which he searches for from the tower of his 28-foot C-Hawk center console.

“It fires the dolphins up and it gives you more opportunities,” said Raymond of the inch-and-a-half-long baits. “They keep the dolphins around your boat. You don’t have to worry, ‘Oh, where’s my rod? Where’s my bait?’ while the dolphins are swimming by.

“You just grab a scoop and throw it overboard. The baits swim back to the boat for shelter and the dolphins bust them all over the place for 10 minutes while you’re taking your time, rigging your rod, tying a new plug on, a jig, whatever you want.”

Raymond said the idea came from seeing dolphins spit out little baitfish as they jumped or hit the deck of his boat. He also saw the baits after filleting dolphins.

“Their stomachs are packed with them. That’s the kind of stuff they’re picking out of the seaweed,” Raymond said. “So I figured they’ve got to eat the heck out of them and they’re not going to get full on them. That’s the beauty of it. You’re not going to overfeed them like you would with big bait. Even if the fish shut off, you throw a scoop and they start blowing up. It turns them on immediately.”

The tactic worked to perfection on a trip with Raymond and his father, David, out of Bill Bird Marina in North Miami Beach.

After Raymond spotted a couple of dolphins near a weed patch from his boat’s tower, he climbed down, dipped up about eight of the little baits, and flung them into the water. Those two dolphins and a bunch of their schoolmates quickly surrounded the boat.

Raymond baited several lightweight spinning outfits with small pilchards as well as with some bigger pilchards.

At one point, David Raymond and I were both reeling dolphin to the boat and a third fish was on an outfit that Raymond had hooked while he was trying to reel up the bait to get the line out of our way. He stuck that rod in a rod-holder so he could gaff our fish.

Raymond’s dolphin outfits — a 10-pound Ugly Stick rod with a 3500 Penn Slammer reel spooled with 20-pound braided line with a 2/0 J hook — produced a fun, exciting fight with the schoolies, which weighed 5 to 10 pounds.

“The braid is so strong and so durable,” Raymond said, “and those little reels now are so capable drag-wise, it eliminates the need for heavy tackle.”

Raymond does bring out heavier spinning outfits — 7-foot rods with Penn 7500 Spinfisher reels with 20-pound braid — for another new tactic for catching dolphins around weed lines.

He uses a fishing kite to put a skirted ballyhoo 50 feet behind his boat and another skirted ballyhoo 100 feet back. With his boat 100 to 150 feet away, Raymond trolls the baits along weed lines and across weed patches. The lure-ballyhoo combos look like flying fish, which dolphin love to eat, as they skip across the water.

Raymond wriggles a dead ballyhoo back and forth with his hands to break the entire spine, which gives the baitfish life-like movement when it’s in the water. He also breaks the tail to prevent the bait from spinning, squeezes out any intestinal matter, and breaks off the bill with an upward snap.

He inserts a 7/0 Mustad 3407 triple-strength J hook through both lips and through the front of the bait’s skull to keep the hook in place, and slides a weighted skirt or feather — a Jet Head, Billy Bait, or Sea Witch — on top of the ballyhoo.

The lure’s weight helps keep the bait in the water instead of flying above it. Raymond uses a 1-ounce skirt on the far bait and a half-ounce skirt on the short bait.

The hook placement in the ballyhoo’s head instead of its belly, as in a trolling bait, is virtually weed-proof, especially positioned directly behind a skirt.

“If you have to go through patchy grass, it doesn’t matter because your hook is out of the water,” Raymond said. “We’ll drag the baits right over it, and that’s what makes it advantageous. You don’t have to worry about constantly picking grass off your baits.”

And that means you can spend much more time enjoying the best dolphin fishing of the year.

August 1, 2021July 19, 2021

FWC putting a stop to S.T.O.P

and 2 other sea turtle rescue organizations in Broward County

In a ‘David and Goliath’-esque confrontation, Broward County sea turtle rescue organizations may soon have to turn in their night goggles.

In a letter dated March 26, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) declared a “change to the Disoriented Hatchling Recovery Programs.”

“While working to decrease impacts from one form of disturbance, lighting, Disoriented Hatchling Recovery Programs increase another form of disturbance, human presence on the beach at night,” states the letter. “We are notifying you that it is FWC’s intent to phase out these programs over the next few years.”

The Sea Turtle Oversight Protection (S.T.O.P.), Sea Turtle Awareness Rescue Stranding (STARS), and South Florida Audubon Society (SFAS) were all blindsided by the notice.

“It came without warning,” says David Young, chief operating officer of SFAS. He and his colleagues wonder why the FWC would do something contraindicated and not justified. “We all have a passion for the species,” he says.

Kristine Halager, the principal permit holder for STARS, says in a statement, “Our presence on the beach not only ensures the safety of hatchlings but also serves as eyes on nesting females that may come ashore while we are present.”

Halager has made suggestions to the FWC, including limiting volunteers, having them check nests every 30 minutes, and leaving the beach so they don’t draw attention to themselves. She also has suggested enforcing the current light ordinances. All suggestions were denied.

Florida beaches are key nesting areas for sea turtles. Almost 70% of the nation’s sea turtles nest on Florida’s beaches.

Almost 90% are loggerheads (Caretta caretta), a threatened species; green turtles (Chelonia mydas), endangered; and leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea), critically endangered.

As any visitor to the beaches in Pompano, Fort Lauderdale, or Hollywood can see, from March 1 to Oct. 31, volunteers rope off the nesting areas of sea turtles so the hatchlings may hatch undisturbed.

Volunteers also come out at night to help guide the hatchlings to the ocean so they’re not distracted by the bright lights along A1A. Hatchlings are drawn to those lights and may end up dazed and confused, in storm drains or parking lots, unable to orient themselves to the ocean.

According to the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program and Nova Southeastern University, in 2020, there were 2,596 loggerhead nests on South Florida beaches, 246 green turtle nests, and 28 leatherback nests.

Sea turtles live mostly in the ocean, but females return to the beach to lay eggs. Once she lays her eggs, she digs a nest and covers it with sand. She returns to the sea, leaving the eggs unprotected — and this is where the volunteers step in.

Females nest every two or three years and lay several nests, containing approximately 100 eggs. The eggs incubate for 60 days, and when they hatch, volunteers are needed to prevent their disorientation.

While STARS currently holds one permit, SFAS holds two, and S.T.O.P., which originally had five, now has two permits, each allowing capacity for the permit holder and 24 volunteers.

Volunteers undergo specific training as part of the permitting requirements.

For this season, Young says, “it’s business as usual. Our current number of volunteers (49) are trying to get out on the beaches seven days a week so we can prevent disorientation.”

He continues, “We’re doing what we do and not worrying about next year.”

Taking a different approach is S.T.O.P.’s director, Richard WhiteCloud, who calls his turtle family “Passionate. Coffee addicted. Probably crazy” on his website. In 2007, S.T.O.P. was the first program of its kind to rescue and release hatchlings disoriented by coastal lighting.

Volunteers have rescued approximately 250,000 hatchlings, according to S.T.O.P.’s figures. In 2019, its 121 trained volunteers spent thousands of hours patrolling 18 miles of beach from dusk till dawn, rescuing 29,650 hatchlings.

“I’m not sure where FWC derived their numbers,” WhiteCloud says, referring to the letter that cites the volunteer presence as a hazard to the turtles (e.g., “Human presence on the beach at night as a significant threat to nesting and hatchling sea turtles”).

“Our hearts are broken,” he says. “Now we will risk legal action to save the turtles. Under no circumstances should they die due to the inappropriate actions of the FWC, the agency entrusted with protecting them under the Endangered Species Act.

“People need to pay attention to what their governments are doing,” says WhiteCloud. “We provide a free service. We’ve donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in resources without receiving any federal or state monies.”

Unlike Young, who plans a “wait and see” approach, WhiteCloud says S.T.O.P. will seek legal action.

Carol Lyn Parrish, spokesperson for the FWC’s south region, said that her agency is proactive in working with local government lighting appropriate for the turtles. They believe that the Broward County rescue groups should “focus on activities that protect both mother turtles coming to lay their eggs as well as hatchlings trying to make their way to open water.”

“The FWC must weigh monitoring activities for the greater good of the species and is doing so by attempting to minimize all forms of disturbance on the beach at night,” according to the agency. “This includes reducing volunteers sitting near the many nests on Broward County beaches for extended periods of time while still providing the ability to respond to and rescue disoriented hatchlings.”

Wilton Manor resident David Walker, a former biological scientist with FWC, is the Audubon Society’s urban conservation director and a volunteer since 2014. He spends many evenings on Pompano Beach and estimates he has helped tens of thousands of disoriented hatchlings get to the ocean.

“It’s very satisfying to save an endangered animal,” he says. In early June he watched 90 leatherback hatchlings come out of their nests and helped direct them toward the ocean.

“It’s unfortunate how the FWC and the other organizations tasked with their rescue can’t find a compromise,” says Walker.

Noting that only one out of 1,000 hatchlings makes it to adulthood and returns to the beach, Walker says, “When I release a hatchling, I could be assisting that one sea turtle that may have died if I wasn’t there. That’s a great feeling.”

To visit, go to browardaudubon.org or seaturtleop.com.

Note: Palm Beach County is not affected by this notice. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton is open to the public for guided tours, and the Florida Atlantic University lab is raising turtle hatchlings for its studies. Also, Gumbo Limbo’s sea turtle rehabilitation department is busier than ever, and it constructed a new surgical room on-site last year to treat and rehabilitate sick turtles. To visit, go to gumbolimbo.org.

July 22, 2021July 14, 2021

Mounts Botanical Garden Offers Escape from Summer Heat

What to do in the dog days of summer?

After the beach and pool, why not explore nature at Mounts Botanical Garden, Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden? Or better yet, bring your pooch on July 11 as the garden hosts its monthly Dogs’ Day in the Garden, a dog- and family-friendly event.

“Dogs’ Day in the Garden offers dog owners a chance to step away from their routine outdoor walks and enjoy a different, relaxing environment with their fur babies,” says Melissa Carter, a spokesperson for Mounts.

“The dogs love being in our garden with so many new ‘sniffs’ and the chance to see other dogs and people,” she says. “The Mounts Botanical Garden also offers a great backdrop for family photo ops.”

The Garden takes its name from Marvin Umphrey “Red” Mounts, the county’s first assistant agricultural extension agent, who established and cared for the Garden’s collection of fruit trees to help produce new food resources.

A quiet, tropical oasis located behind the Palm Beach International Airport, the Garden spans 4 acres and boasts a collection of 25 display gardens containing more than 5,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, including Florida native plants, exotic and tropical fruit trees, ornamentals, herbs, palms, roses, cacti, succulents, and bromeliads.

The various gardens include the Rose and Fragrance Garden, Garden of Tranquility, Herb Garden of Well-Being, Florida Natives Garden, and Children’s Maze Garden, among others.

For kids, the Children’s Maze Garden offers opportunities to learn and explore. Hedge mazes evolved from the knot gardens of Renaissance Europe. They are known for their mystical and magical quality. This maze was created in the 1980s from a sweet fragrant shrub whose white flowers bloom twice a year.

At the center of the maze stands the Bo Tree, said to be the species of tree that Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher known as the Buddha, sat under when he attained enlightenment.

Each garden is created as a living exhibit, with plants chosen specifically to tell a story about choices that visitors can make within our subtropical climate. The gardens illustrate what area residents can emulate in their own spaces, large or small.

The Herb Garden of Well-Being showcases herbs and how they affect our lives and sense of well-being through culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, and aromatherapy applications.

Natural elements of stone, wood, and living plant materials are combined in the Garden of Tranquility, as well as an Indonesian, hand-carved wall juxtaposed with elements from other Asian influences. The objective is to inspire peace and tranquility — a spiritual place for the mind and soul.

In addition to roses, the Rose and Fragrance Garden boasts the fragrant flowers of the Ylang-Ylang Perfume Tree, Angel’s Trumpet, and the Longan Tree, one of the oldest trees in the Garden.

The Florida Natives Garden uses native plants to help preserve the state’s natural resources. Increasingly, our native birds, butterflies, and wildlife rely on gardeners to replace natural habitats lost to development. Those native plants include the Wild Coffee native shrub and the Firebush, which attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

In bloom in July are the Rainbow Shower Cassia (Cassia x nealiae), the Verawood (Bulnesia arborea), and the Trai Tich Lan Perfume Tree (Fagraea ceilanica), with its large, creamy, trumpet-shaped flowers.

August awaits the blooms of the Summer Poinsettia (Mussaenda philippica), the White Crepe Ginger (Costus speciosus), and the fragrance that became famous as Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum — the Ylang-Ylang Perfume Flower (Canaga odorata).

In June 2017, the Garden created the Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden as a way of conserving and protecting freshwater. The wetland garden was designed to highlight the wetland ecology and to protect Florida’s fragile wetland system.

Designed by artists in collaboration with Palm Beach County’s Art in Public Places program, the garden, a microcosm of tropical wetlands, features open-gridded, 4-foot-wide walkways on the surface of the wetlands.

Within these walks are four “windows” planted with aquatics and changed out with rotating and seasonal botanical exhibits growing from submerged containers. Four circular, etched-glass, interpretive viewers are strategically located throughout the garden to educate and engage visitors on key components of a wetland.

Bromeliads grow wild and cover the natural stone walls; aquatic life and wading birds are abundant; and wildlife can be seen foraging for fish, clams, and snails in the muck and shallow pools.

So, while you may not find silver bells or cockle shells, you will find a respite from the outside world, a chance to unwind with or without your pet, and appreciate nature in all its glory.

Mounts Botanical Garden is located at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Sunday, July 11, is Dogs’ Day in the Garden, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Last entry at 2 p.m.) Cost: Free for members; $10 for nonmembers; $5 for children 5-12. For more information, visit mounts.org.

July 22, 2021July 14, 2021

Go for the Gold! – An Olympic Collaboration

Five years in the making, the rescheduled 2020 Summer Olympic in Tokyo are (at the time of print) set to forge ahead on July 23^rd. We cannot wait to see the amazing physical feats that these athletes perform and cheer on Team USA! We created this Opening Ceremony party to help build the excitement, and show some creative hosting ideas and family activities.

The fun is in the details. From torch cupcakes to Olympic Rings cookies to food in the five Olympic colors. We made it bright, colorful, and easy thanks to some talented local bakers and crafters, and a quick trip to Trader Joe’s.

For the adults, we created a signature cocktail called Go for the Gold (2 parts bourbon, 1 part freshly squeezed lemon, 1 part honey syrup – 100% delicious!). Dipping the glasses in honey and Olympic-colored sugars makes them extra festive, and custom-made Olympic Rings stir sticks topped off the look. We made a flag game to test how worldly our friends were. Simply choose 26 flags and assign them a letter. Then have your guests try to match them to the correct country name. Be sure to throw some obscure ones in there to really test them!

Kids love a good contest, and when gold medal cookies are the prize they get really excited! We set up a basketball station, a golf station and had swimming races. We ordered temporary tattoo flags to make it really authentic.

Whatever sport you tune into, whatever country you cheer for, we can all be united in this historical sporting event.

Enjoy, stay safe, and GO TEAM USA!

For information on any of these activities contact:

Rachel from Celebrate You Events (IG: @celebrate.you.events) – Concept creation, party styling, activities & fringe banners

Lindsay from ARCH the Party Co. (IG: @archtheparty) – Balloons & helium bundles

Daniela from Tulle & Tools (IG: @tulleandtools) – Cupcake torches & mini cake

Ana from AO Craft Décor (IG: @aocraftdecor) – Hanging Olympic Rings & acrylic stir sticks

Crystal from Riley Black Designs (IG: @rileyblackdesigns) – Custom acrylic cone stand, flame cake & cupcake toppers

Melissa from That Girl in Pink Bakery (IG: @thatgirlinpinkbakery) – Custom cookies

July 8, 2021July 7, 2021

‘Witness the magic’ – empowering people through equine connection

Tucked away on the north side of Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek is a place that has been empowering all who pass through its gates — both two-legged and four-legged — for almost 40 years. That place is Equine-Assisted Therapies of South Florida (EATSF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing therapeutic riding and equine activities to children and adults with special needs.

“We’re here to build people up, no matter what their ability is,” emphasizes Molly Murphy, executive director of EATSF.

And that’s exactly what the organization does through its hippotherapy, therapeutic riding, equine-facilitated psychotherapy, and equine-facilitated learning programs.

“None of my peers rode horses,” recalls Murphy, who participated in both EATSF’s therapeutic riding and hippotherapy programs as a child. “This was something I did and was really good at, and I felt really powerful. For kids with disabilities, that is not the case a lot of the time. You don’t feel powerful in a lot of ways because you don’t have power over the way your body moves or your mind works.”

Throughout the years, EATSF’s program has demonstrated that fostering a connection between horse and human consistently produces inspiring results for participants on both a physical and an emotional level.

A 4-year-old, nonverbal participant rode with the program for a full year and out of nowhere in January exclaimed to everyone, “Happy new year!”

Another participant qualified for nationals for the Special Olympics. Others have started out only able to lie across the back of the horse and, over time, developed the muscle strength to sit up with support.

“It’s moments like that that have shaped and defined me,” says Missy Tussing, certified therapeutic riding instructor and barn manager, who has been involved with EATSF for 25 years. “One of the most important things I’ve seen is the growth of the participants.”

The sense of empowerment derived from working with horses is not limited to the riders.

“I’ve seen volunteers come across our threshold with no horse experience develop confidence and leadership skills that have transcended other areas of their lives,” says Murphy.

What is it about horses that makes them such effective therapy animals?

“They understand emotions. They’re a lot more knowledgeable than we give them credit for,” explains Tussing. “I’ve seen a horse you wouldn’t expect to reach out and catch his rider reach out and catch his rider.” That horse is Goose, an off-the-track thoroughbred that EATSF acquired through its partnership with Florida Thoroughbred Rescue and Adoptive Care.

Goose serves as an example of the positive impact that therapeutic riding can have on the horse as well. “For him, that was the day everything clicked,” says Tussing. “Off-the-track thoroughbreds come with their own set of challenges, and for him as a horse to overcome that and become such a wonderful horse for the program is a testament to him as well.”

EATSF is open to new participants, volunteers, and horses. To get involved, visit its website at http://equineatsf.org or call the office at (954) 974-2007.

June 14, 2021

What to do in case of drowning

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-4. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 drowning deaths occur per day in the U.S. In addition to fatalities, thousands of children are hospitalized each year, with many suffering brain or lung injuries. Most of those drownings occur in home swimming pools. This local story from Alicia C. is about what you can do to help in a drowning situation.

I was at Dania Beach with my husband, young daughter, and a group of families. One minute I am mingling with my child’s friends and their parents, enjoying an effortless day with my toes in the sand…

The next minute, we witness a father pulling his lifeless child out of the shallow water. The young boy’s face is red and his father is in disbelief, trying to shake the life back into him. The boy is 4, but petite, and is wearing a puddle-jumper swim vest, fully connected. He had been in very shallow water. The inlet is low tide. His father was almost within arm’s reach of him and interacting with him moments before.

Our friends, Kandice and Jen O., are first responders and jump in to give this frantic family assistance. A crowd envelops the boy and the two firefighters, which shields the graphic nature of this situation from our children. The boy is in serious trouble.

The family is agonizing over the reality of what is happening, helpless to do anything but worry and to scream in fear. It is crushing my soul to bear witness to. Their cries of devastation will haunt me. Then an ER nurse, Abigail B. from Massachusetts, jumps off a parked boat to assist.

The boy begins to turn blue, and the three of them start CPR. At this point, we have to redirect our children’s attention. We try for a minute to put on this act for our children, and we downplay what is occurring, but time keeps moving on, and eventually, I feel that we need divine intervention. So, my child, my husband, and I pray on our knees for this little one.

Suddenly, we see our firefighter friends carrying this child and sprinting (barefoot) all the way down the long, long path to the parking lot. They are trying to get this child to the ambulance because the ambulance can’t drive out to where we are.

I have never seen something so heroic in my whole life. This child lived. This child made a full recovery — through the miracle performed by these three strangers (on their day off, with no equipment, no warning, no gear, nothing, just their strength and willingness to do whatever it takes).

We are putting in a swimming pool this month, and I always had a fear of the hazardous risks they pose to children my child’s age. There may not always be a first responder around, so I am committed to getting recertified in CPR, and anyone else who lives in Florida should too

Kandice and Jen recommend the following precautions for everyone, not just parents of children:

Take swimming lessons (even for adults who may have to save themselves or a child). Flotation devices should never be substitutes for attentive adults.
Designating a “water watcher” is a necessity if more than one person is watching kids. Accidents often happen with large gatherings because it’s easy for each adult to assume someone else is watching for danger.
Learn CPR/first aid, so that you can save a life if the time comes.

“Anybody who knew CPR could’ve contributed to that happy ending,” says Kandice. “And the fact that the parents weren’t actually very complicit should be a lesson to us all.”

For more information on National Drowning Prevention Awareness Month (which was in May), visit the National Drowning Prevention Alliance at ndpa.org. Also, check out the Parklander’s^® May 2021 article on pool safety fences.

May 10, 2021May 11, 2021

Another busy storm season predicted

By Aaron Krause

Hunker down for yet another hectic hurricane season this year, say AccuWeather forecasters. However, in 2021, the period of intense storm activity from June 1 to Nov. 30 won’t quite match 2020’s record-breaking season of practically nonstop action.

AccuWeather’s team of tropical weather experts, led by veteran meteorologist Dan Kottlowski, predict that this year, 16 to 20 named storms will form, including seven to 10 hurricanes. Of the storms expected to reach hurricane strength, weather experts believe three to five will become major hurricanes. Such storms are Category 3 or higher that carry maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or greater.

Experts consider a normal season to be one carrying 14 storms ⎯ with seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. Last year’s season produced 30 storms, including 13 hurricanes. Six of those reached the major hurricane threshold.

It was a record year with 12 named storms making landfall in the U.S., overtaking the previous record of nine direct strikes in 1916.

In fact, forecasters had to turn to the rarely used Greek alphabet for just the second time to name the storms. Forecasters use Greek letters as names when they have exhausted the list of a year’s assigned proper names.

But the weather service will no longer use Greek letters, instead developing an alternate overflow name list. Journalists and the public were asking more questions about the names than the storms themselves.

Also, say goodbye to Dexter, Dorian, Leah, and Laura. Officials have permanently retired these names, following the tradition of not reusing the names of particularly destructive storms.

Forecasters this year will step up to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System weather model, which should improve predictions on tracking, intensity, and landfall locations.

According to a statement from the National Hurricane Center, the start of the 2021 hurricane season remains June 1. Weather experts had been considering changing the start to May 15, due to an increase in tropical activity in the Atlantic basin over the past decade.

Since 2011, 10 named storms have formed in the Atlantic before June 1. Eight of those happened since 2015. The years 2012, 2016, and 2020 featured seasons that not only saw storms before June but experienced more than one storm before the official season start.

While the 2021 hurricane season’s official start date will remain the same, there has been at least one change. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center started issuing tropical weather outlooks on May 15, two weeks earlier than normal.

To determine how active a hurricane season will be, weather experts consider factors such as the strength or weakness of systems like El Niño and La Niña, short-term climate fluctuations caused by the warming or cooling of waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. When the water in the equatorial Pacific is warmer than average, forecasters typically declare it an “El Niño.” When the reverse is true, weather experts call it a “La Niña.”

Locally, ongoing work by Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) will help speed electricity restoration following major storms for Coral Springs residents.

“Florida Power & Light Company customers in Coral Springs continue to benefit from the company’s ongoing work to strengthen the energy grid and improve service reliability,” company officials wrote in a press release.

“FPL investments, which include strengthening power lines and poles, trimming trees near power lines, installing smart grid technology, and undergrounding power lines in select areas, help make the grid more reliable day-to-day and speed restoration following major storms,” according to FPL.

“For more than 15 years, FPL has been improving the energy grid, making it stronger, smarter, and more storm-resilient to keep the lights on for customers in good weather and bad,” said Eric Silagy, FPL’s president, and CEO.

Improvements in place last season, for example, prevented some 150,000 potential outages, Silagy said.

May 10, 2021May 11, 2021

Hogfish, grouper season upon us

By Steve Waters

April is a very special month for many anglers and divers in South Florida. The first of April marks the opening of hogfish and grouper season, and it has been a long wait for this enthusiastic bunch. Hogfish season closed last fall on November 1 in local waters, and grouper season has been closed since January 1 of this year in Atlantic waters.

April is a disappointing month for scuba divers who fish for fresh lobster, as the lobster season closes on April 1 of every year. Seasoned divers like Jim “Chiefy” Mathie, a retired Deerfield Beach fire chief, focuses on spearfishing for lionfish with his buddies, meanwhile taking note of where hogfish and grouper tend to congregate.

The good news, said Mathie, is that he’s been seeing plenty of fish. However, it’s important for divers and anglers to know that grouper and hogfish hauls have restrictions on bag and size. Black and gag grouper must measure at least 24 inches long and red grouper must be 20 inches long. Anglers and divers can keep a total of three grouper per day, but only one can be a black or a gag. The other two, or all three, can be red grouper.

The limit on hogfish is one per person per day with a minimum size of 16 inches long from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail. In previous years, hogfish season was open all year, the daily bag limit was five, and the size limit was 12 inches. Mathie has seen an improvement in the hogfish population since the regulations took effect in 2017. “We definitely are seeing a lot of big males,” Mathie said, explaining that male hogfish big enough to spear have a long snoot with a dark stripe down the forehead.

Mathie is the author of “Catching the Spear-it! The ABCs of Spearfishing,” which is sold retail by most area dive shops as well as through online sources such as www.chiefy.net and others. The author shares many excellent tips in his book, but the sportsperson must always keep in mind the 3 R’s–recognition, regulation, and

range. In other words, be able to identify the fish, know the size limit, and be close enough to shoot it with your speargun. Spear fishermen must check off the 3 R’s relatively quickly with black and gag grouper. Unlike hogfish and red grouper, which often try to hide behind a sea fan when a diver approaches, blacks and gags don’t usually stick around.

In May, Mathie and his dive buddies concentrate on hunting the west-facing side of the third reef. The top of the reef is about 50 feet below the surface and the bottom is 60-65 feet. The reef holds large numbers of fish, including keeper-sized grouper and hogfish. Wrecks in 65 feet also are good spots to shoot big grouper and hogfish. Some years, Mathie and his friends hunted those spots for the entire month of May. Then they moved on to wrecks in 110-120 feet.

Capt. Skip Dana of the Fish City Pride drift boat in Pompano Beach fishes for grouper in wrecks from 75-240 feet. He notes that wrecks in 75-120 feet are good for gag grouper. Blacks are on the same wrecks as well as deeper ones. Reds can be as shallow at 30-40 feet around rockpiles, ledges and grass patches, and on wrecks.

The GPS coordinates for Florida’s artificial reefs are available at: myfwc.com/media/19397/artificialreefdeploymentlocations.pdf

Once a keeper grouper is hooked, there’s a good chance it may get away. The fish typically swim right back into the wreck or reef where they were hanging out.

Capt. Bouncer Smith of Bouncer’s Dusky 33 Miami, FL Fishing Charters, and author of “The Bouncer Smith Chronicles: A Lifetime of Fishing,” says having the proper tackle is essential for getting a grouper away from its home and up to the boat. Although braided line is popular with offshore anglers, Smith prefers using monofilament for his main line.

“If you’re truly targeting big groupers, you’re better off with real heavy monofilament and the craziest, tightest drag you can imagine fishing,” he says. “Braid doesn’t give to the pressure. Braid either holds or it breaks.

If you’re using 100-pound monofilament line or 80-pound monofilament line and a 120-pound leader, you can fish a lot more drag because when you’re turning your head and ducking, waiting for that line to break, it’s going to stretch instead of break. Therefore, you can put a lot more heat on that grouper with heavy mono than you can with braid.”

As Smith explains, monofilament line is like a palm tree in a storm. It will bend and sway, but it won’t break. Braided line is like an oak tree, which might be uprooted or snap in a strong wind. “The nice thing about braid is it makes it easier to get to the bottom and hold the bottom, but when it comes to stopping a fish, monofilament is far superior,” Smith says. “If you set the drag at 30 pounds with braid, when you reach 30 pounds then the line’s going to break. When you set the drag at 30 pounds with mono, instead of the mono breaking, it stretches. So, you’ve got a lot more give.”

As for tackle, Smith says the ideal grouper outfit is a dual-speed lever drag Penn International reel with a 7-foot, solid fiberglass rod because, similar to the palm tree, “They bend but they never break. However, these days most people use a 5½- to 6-foot stand-up rod.”

May 3, 2021April 29, 2021

SOFLO Gardening – May

What to plant

Annuals/Bedding Plants: Plants that can take summer heat include salvia, angelonia, wax begonia, and ornamental pepper.

Bulbs: Planting early-, mid-, and late-blooming varieties of daylily ensures months of color from these low-maintenance plants.

Herbs: Continue to plant heat-loving herbs, including basil, oregano, Mexican tarragon, and rosemary

Vegetables: Swiss chard will take the heat as well as okra, southern pea, and sweet potato.

What to do

Pests: Insects become more active in warm weather. Watch for thrips, scales, and mites on ornamental plants.

Gardenias: Yellowing of older leaves is usually normal; yellowing of new growth usually indicates a micronutrient deficiency

Oleanders: Inspect chewed or ragged leaves for oleander caterpillars at work.

Lawn insects: Watch for damage from chinch bugs in St. Augustinegrass and begin scouting for newly hatched mole crickets in bahiagrass lawns.

Tomatoes: Watch for pests, disease, and nutritional disorders on tomato plants.

New plants: Produce more plants by air layering, grafting, division, or cuttings. See Seeds and Propagation (Lawn and Garden):

Trees: Prepare for hurricane season by checking trees for damaged or weak branches and pruning if needed. Hire an ISA-certified arborist.

Lawn Mowing: Encourage healthy growth and discourage insects, weeds, and diseases by mowing correctly.

April 22, 2021April 19, 2021

Earth day celebrations

Multiple local events mark the 50th year of Earth Day celebrations.

Just to be clear, the first Earth Day was held April 22, 1970. That means the 50th Earth Day was April 22, 2020. But this April 22, 2021 marks the 50th year of observations.

It’s like those folks who thought the 21st century began in 2000, when, in fact, that was the last year of the 20th century. Get it?

According to earthday.org, “Senator Gaylord Nelson, a junior senator from Wisconsin, had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States. Then in January 1969, he and many others witnessed the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.

“Senator Nelson announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses to the national media, and persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair.”

They chose to choose April 22, a “weekday falling between spring break and final exams, to maximize the greatest student participation.”

By 1990 Earth Day became a global event. But, sticking
close to home, here are Earth Day events in South Florida.

April 22
Coconut Creek: Earth Day Arts and Crafts Fair
3:00 to 5 p.m. Recreation Complex, 4455 Sol Press Boulevard. $15 for Coconut Creek residents, $20, non-residents.

Participants will learn about the origin of Earth Day, read a related story and create fun recyclable green crafts. All activities are structured, safe, and meet the CDC guidelines.

Broward Lotus Sangha (Virtual) Earth Day 2021: Participate from wherever you are in easy steps. Details at https://www.meetup.com/fr FR/LotusSangha/events/270198561/

Lotus Institute for Mindful Living (Virtual)
Details at https://www.meetup.com/ru-RU/MindfulLiving/events/270197490/

April 25
Heal the Planet Day
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Esplanade Park, 400 SW 2nd St., Fort Lauderdale Heal the Planet Day celebrates Earth Day by bringing together the South Florida community for a day of fun, family-friendly activities. The focus is on small, local acts that have a global impact. Heal The Planet Day offers an array of activities. (Free admission)