For a while we sat in the car waiting for the pouring rain to stop while letting our soaked clothes dry out. Yeah well... we decided to go get something to eat as the rain ran its course. Whoever said "it only rains for five minutes in Florida" wasn't where we were that day. Finally it DID stop raining and we headed out to Castle Windy another shell midden right on the edge of the sprawling and beautiful Mosquito Lagoon. Did I mention aptly-named Mosquito Lagoon? The trek there was stunning, like stepping back in time. The trail lead through lush primeval woods with saw palmetto, palms, cedar and stunning live oak. We were intrigued by the way the gnarled old oak limbs twisted and turned creating great serpentine paths between palms, old (wild) orange trees and other vegetation. I was most fascinated by the ferns that were growing right on the tree limbs. I can't grow a fern to save my life, yet here they were growing on a tree limb. What's with that? Stunning to say the least.
We finally emerged into the clearing on the edge of the Mosquito Lagoon, glimpsed the tall shell midden and before I could point my camera we were engulfed in greedy, blood-sucking mosquitos. I have never seen anything like it. The air was thick with them, they found every square inch of uncovered skin and landed for a feast. Picture if you will three adults swatting, screaming and running back into the woods. Needless to say, you will not see a picture of the Castle Windy shell midden. Phew!
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