This pristine, beautiful barrier island State Park, encompasses over 2400 acres, has over 9 miles of beautiful beaches, with some of the best beachcombing in the world during the winter months.. In addition there are miles of hiking trails through pine forests, oak-palm hammocks, and mangrove swamps as well as coastal environmental areas that provide invaluable sea turtle and shorebird nesting habitat.
The island was home to the Native American Calusa Indians in pre-Columbian times. Remnants of their civilization remain in the Old Ware Mound and Faulkner Mound that stand over 15 feet tall near the south end of the island. Later in the early 1800’s Cuban Fish Rancheros lived here and eventually it became a village with up to 20 families in residence. There was a school, post office, and grocery store. The island also served as a quarantine inspection station for ships entering the local port. Remnants of its past are still found with the mounds, quarantine station, cemeteries and an old ranch.
The park has a campground of thirty primitive campsites, and twelve recently upgraded cabins. When you are finished, spend some time looking for shells along the beach, swimming, or enjoy lunch at the picnic area. The park is accessible only by private boat or passenger ferry and there is a $2.00 fee for the park. The ferry departs Jug Creek Marina in Bokeelia and requires reservations. For information you can contact Tropic Star Cruises. There is a beach trolley that will transport you from the boat docks to the site of this puzzle, or you can make the ¾ mile hike part of the adventure.
The coordinates will take you to a picture board. This beach is a great location for many types of shells. Match up the picture and common name with the scientific name to find the coordinates for the cache. Where the coordinates would be N 26 41.XXX W 082 15. YYY XXX = (A-3) (B-5) (C-6) YYY = (D-2) (E+3) (F-2) It looks complicated but actually is simple. If there are kids, let them match up the shells and do the simple math.
| A Lightning Welk |
1 Mellita quinquieperforata |
| B Angel wing |
2 Terebra dislocata |
| C Common nutmeg |
3 Busycon sinistrum |
| D Turkey wing |
4 Tellina lineata |
| E Sand Dollar |
5 Cyrtopleura costata |
| F Florida horse conch |
6 Cancellaria reticulata |
| G Common Am Auger |
7 Triplofusus giganteus |
| H Zigzag scallop |
8 Arca zebra |
| I Rose petal tellin |
9 Euvola ziczac |