REED

After a morning spent on Pigeon Key, a great walk back along the Old Seven Mile bridge, and delicious lunch at Brutus, we had at least one more adventure in store. We decided to check out Curry Hammock State Park. Where was the nature trail we had read about? It's actually back southwest along the highway from the main part of the park (which is mostly beach), and on the north side. We located the parking area and then had to search a bit for the trailhead, which is a few hundred yards east along the Heritage Trail. This jungle-like trail is a real hidden gem! We had more fun there than I ever expected. The deep shade under dense stands of native Florida thatch palms provided a welcome respite from the hot sun—and the spooky environment was a plus.

The best surprise was to come at the end of the trail: we found a surprise hydrographic station, REED, at the Florida Bay Overlook! The disk and monument are in excellent condition right at the water's edge.