Abundant Tides

Florida is a unique state in that it is bordered  by the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic ocean. This makes it an epicenter  for a variety of migrating and residential wildlife and people. Freshwater tributaries and creeks flow into the larger saltwater bays and sounds creating perfect brackish nurseries for an assortment of wildlife. This is where many ocean going marine life get their start.Species such as sharks, dolphins, grouper and many other large sea dwellers call these places home. Dozens of types of birds depend on this array of spawning for their own chicks survival, feeding upon young fry and crustaceans. Many mollusks and bi valve species such as oysters, scallops conchs and others can be found nestled in the bays sediment helping filter and cleanse the water.

There is an incomprehensible number of species thriving and depending on the continuation of this cycle. These ecosystems empty out into our vast oceans and contribute significantly to the health and quality of the sea. While many different species take advantage of what the coasts have to offer, one that has possibly exploited it the most is man.  Much of our economy is stimulated by not only the beauty of the shoreline but what it offers. Many  commercial operations depend on the sustainability of the Florida waters. Fisherman, crabbers and shrimpers dot the coastline with their vessels and have for generations.

One man in particular by the name of Gustav  Bahruth knows all too well about the latter. Gus is a tough, kind hearted man with a memory like a steel trap. He can splice a line faster than you can pronounce Gustav Bahruth. I should know, he taught me. I’ve been fortunate enough to know Gus for the better part of a decade and he has found a special place in my family. Gus was born in Amityville, Long Island NY in 1936. He and his family were some of the few that actually did well for themselves during the hard years of the depression. They were able to feed themselves with what ocean had to offer and trade with neighbors for things they lacked. They enjoyed clam chowder six days a week.

            Over the next decade Gus met his wife Joan while in high school which he said was “good right from the go”. He went on to study engines in college and was offered a good job but nowhere near the coastline. The job lasted 3 months until he took up an opportunity in southwest Florida with his brother and cousin. During the 1950’s shrimping in Florida was just making its start and Gus and his family found themselves as pioneers of sorts. Through a series of unfortunate, and fortunate events they were able to make a thriving business for themselves.

They would travel the Gulf waters for days at a time following the cycle of the moon, hauling in their nets with hundreds of pounds of shrimp that would fill his boat 3 feet high. Gus described an upwelling of thousands of shrimp that would ride the gulf stream in a cloud and in one synchronized fall, descend to the ocean floor. The goal was to catch the cloud. They traveled as far as to the Yucatan, Nicaragua and Honduras in search of the tiny crustacean. During his career he has endured storms, endless hours traveling the night, boat fires and even seen boats lost to the sea. Shrimpers can come with a bad reputation but for Gus he didn’t see himself as a fisherman but a businessman. He has owned many vessels in his day and seen the coast of Florida change like not many could. He gazes at the water with a sort of a reverie. Recalling memories only he can see.

Overall he describes his career as “blessed”.   For many the ocean can be a sirens call. Even now at his “young” age he can’t help but answer. No matter how hard he tries to stay away from it or mature into a more suitable living situation, you can always find Gus in the process of renovating a new sail boat, or driving across the state to sail a vessel down the coastline or maybe looking to snag the next good opportunity. For him it is away to “escape the rat race of life” he is free when on the water.

The only thing that outweighs his love of the sea is the love for his family. Gus was blessed with a long life with his now late wife Joan, and many sons and daughters. Their love shows in the people they have touched around them.  Fortunately for us, Gus has written down his life’s experiences and journeys on the sea. What started as memoirs has now been turned into a book. I would highly recommend anyone interested in FL history or an exciting life’s journey to read his book.  The book is appropriately titled “I never met a boat I didn’t love” by Gustav Bahruth. You can find it on Amazon.com or shops along Florida’s coast. For a list of shops feel free to contact me.

One lasting thought I was left with after speaking with Gus was a bit of advice. “When something good comes your way enjoy it and make the most of it, Nothing lasts forever”.

The Everglades

There is no place on this earth quite like the Everglades. It is one of the most bio-diverse and environmentally rich places on the planet.  Expanding over 1.5 million acres of wetlands . Stretching from central Florida all the way to the South Florida bay. It is home to over 350 species of birds, more than 40 species of mammals, 50 types of reptiles and innumerable insects.

The survival of the Everglades is also imperative to life as we know it in Florida. There are many ways to classify the Everglades but to me, it’s just part of home.  My Family has been here since the 1820’s and are fortunate enough to be one of the few to own land in the Everglades. Grandfathered in since the 70’s, we maintain our ownership and pride of our piece of FL wilderness.

As soon as you step into the everglades you know you are in a place like nowhere else. The warm crisp air fills your lungs with a scent that is all together Everglades. Cool mud, orchids, wild flowers, huckle berries and many other thriving flora and fauna envelop you in a glorious symphony of wild.

Expansive prairies meet against cypress heads. These deep water ponds harbor life giving water through some of the driest months of the year. Here you can find the apple snail that lays her pink eggs across neighboring reeds and cypress knees.

  

A variety of native orchids, air plants and other vegetation live amongst the trees. It is home to the mighty Alligator, who wallows out his cave deep into the roots of cypress trees. Here is where the Limpkin sings her mournful song and feeds upon the apple snails. Deer, raccoons, panthers, turkeys and others seek the cypress as an oasis from the unforgiving heat and sun.

It is an awe inspiring feeling to walk into the heart of a swamp. The Cypress trees tower above you creating the feeling of an amphitheater. The swamps are cooler than the surrounding prairies and shaded with thick vegetation. Rays of sunlight stream in through branches and layers of trees. Cold clear water grows deeper the further you venture into the swamp. The only thing to break you from your reverie is the call of a wading bird or booming roar of an Alligator. 

Even these places aren’t immune to the dry months. During the driest months swamps can turn into dry bogs,  lush ground cover stretches across the soil where bees flit from flower to flower. Crawdads and Alligators take heed and burrow ever deeper into the cool soil.

Cypress Heads give way to Pine and saw palmetto rock islands. These highlands are where turkey and quail hide their coveys and search out berries, insects and vegetation. They find sandy ground and bathe themselves in the dust of the earth. Ravens fly from tree to tree looking for an opportunistic snack. Swooping at predators such as bobcats and foxes in attempts to discourage them from their territories.  Bears amble about during the cooler hours of the day in search of a bee tree or maybe even a young cabbage tree to tear into the soft heart.

    Once the sun sinks deep into the West, the Everglades gives life to a completely new society  than the one that inhabited the day. I’ve heard the eerie scream of a panther while sitting around a midnight fire and been blessed to sleep under the blanket of stars that abound the night sky. I’ve awoken to a choir of hoot owls lifting their voices high into the night. Their calls amplified by the acoustics of our pine island.

I’ve been handed down stories and lessons from my father and grandfather. They have seen the woods unchanged for the generations before me. They are what many would call true Gladesmen. We lost a great Gladesman the summer of 2014. My grandfather. We do not however lose the lessons and life he shared with us.  I doubt there is a place even in the deepest swamps that my grandfather didn’t know. He taught  me how to speak the language of animals. From land, sea and sky. How to look just right down the barrel of a gun and line the beads up. How to soothe a whole swarm of bees into a box. Explore a swamp & listen to the song of a limpkin. To walk the earth and make stories to tell my grandchildren.  How to disappear into the woods to find myself. To look to the north star & find the light on a dark night. To find my way home. To make family the most important part of  life.  To call to the deer, hooters, gators, quail & turkey. He has handed down a hunger for life to those of us still here. To leave a legacy just as he did.