Plantation agriculture came into existence in the late 17th century when the cypress and tupelo forests along the coast were cut to make way for indigo production. Rice planting hit its high water mark before the 19th century rolled around. Today, these historic rice fields and their rice trunks provide habitat for ducks but actual rice production is mostly absent. Migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds all require various types of habitat and differing water depths, which are...

A summertime soiree of seafood options and Gulf Coast adventures made my second trip to Southwest Florida remarkable. Mercury readers may recall my October 2009 sojourn to Pine Island and inshore fishing out of the Tarpon Lodge in Lee County. This trip focused on nearshore fishing for goliath grouper in Boca Grande Pass and tours of Gasparilla, Placida, Cape Haze and Manasota Key. The greater Charlotte Harbor area is anchored by the city of Punta Gorda. This niche along Florida’s Southwest...

Originally published in the Charleston Mercury in the summer of 2007. If one is looking for adventures on the shores and sounds of the...