IBF Keys

The reputation of Fort Myers Beach as a sleepy beach community belies its original roots as home to Indians and a number of adventurers. Some of its tumultuous history includes the unlikely combination of pirates, homesteaders, and mosquitoes. Today, Estero Island and its sister island, San Carlos, make up the community of Fort Myers Beach. Estero Island was once the center of the Caloosa Indian heartland. This geologically young barrier island was formed well after the Earth's last ice age. Prior to the arrival of the white man, the Caloosa Indians used many of the Florida West Coast islands as their hunting and fishing grounds. "Shell Mounds," or the remains of their meals and community debris...

You can have the biggest, fanciest pool in the neighborhood, complete with tiles imported from Italy or painted with cool designs, floating rafts and fed by a gushing fountain, but without one specific piece of equipment, that shimmering pool can turn into a duck pond in about a week flat. What's that vital piece of equipment? A swimming pool pump is a crucial piece of mechanics that works hard to keep your pool clean. A swimming pool pump comes in a variety of sizes, shapes and models. Bigger is not always better, however, so knowing something about pumps and what they do will stand you in good stead as you either build your pool or are in the process of replacing old, battered parts. The size and...

For some people, the idea of going on the rafting trip can conjure up images of Meryl Streep in "Wild River" or Burt Reynolds in "Liberation". Concerns about the raft flipping over, or fear of falling from a raft, may scare some potential holiday-makers, holding them by land, while millions of others are flocking to this increasingly popular adventure trip every year. What are the real risks in whitewater rafting? And the real statistics of security? One can only wonder. Take, for instance, Lehigh River in the Pocono mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania ... one of the most popular Whitewater Vacation Destinations in America. Guided rafting trips were introduced in 1975, where, for the filling of...

During the hot summer months, there is nothing as refreshing as going out for a swim. It is no wonder that during such times the tourist resorts have a high turnout of guests. In the warmer areas like Florida, people have gone an extra mile to build their own private swimming pools to allow them the pleasure of enjoying such an experience whenever they feel like. Due to the high number of pools constructed and still under construction, there has arisen a need for maintenance of these facilities. One may opt to do the maintenance for one self. This will involve the daily cleaning of the pool, cost of purchase of swimming pool chemicals and maintaining the aesthetics in the pool area. Alternatively...

If the outdoor landscape of your home is gifted with wonderful views, what do you need to enjoy this? Yes, you need an outdoor storage bench where you can sit down and do some relaxation. And the wonderful landscape deserves to be seen by closest friends and kin. It deserved to be seen by them, and have all of them be seated on your bench. The wonderful landscape can be accentuated by this well-designed or beautifully crafted seat. Imagine yourself feeling restless and tired after a long week of tedious and backbreaking work, you will obviously need a break. You don't need to spend money and time going to places where you can unwind; your home outdoor can be a wonderful escape and all you need is an...

I'm terrible at golf, not much better at tennis and I would rather spend an afternoon at the dentist than shop. Especially when on vacation. If you're anything like me, you'll like Cabo San Lucas. At the southern tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, the sun shines 350 days a year. It's weather best enjoyed in the water. Here are five unforgettable ocean adventures worth your while: 1) Uncover the secrets of the Sea of Cortez with a scuba cruise. Take advantage of the clear underwater viewing conditions where you will explore caves, reefs, shipwrecks and encounter hundreds of species of marine life. Single-day package rates are from $65 to $190, depending...

Many visitors tell us they have a favourite Anglesey beach which they always try returning to whenever they visit the island. With 125 miles of coastline, this Irish Sea island has some outstanding sandy beaches, many of which regularly win European beach awards for water quality standards. Among them are six European Blue Flags and Resort Seaside Awards as well as Green Coast Beaches and a Blue Flag Marina at Holyhead. The most popular beaches of Anglesey are not necessarily the easiest to reach, yet the struggle to get there is well worth the effort. Take Llanddona beach on the east coast, a soft sandy expanse which sweeps in a north easterly arc and surrounded by high lush green hills and trees...

Two weeks have passed since we lost two of our shift to the sea. The third person survived because of his strength - he managed to swim ashore. He informed the police about what had happened to the two friends and how the small inflatable dingy had over turned, tipping all three into the sea about 15 foot from the shore, but this beach was renowned for the ebb tide and strong under currents. It was on the Sunday the police called us out to go and rescue a body in the water. The duty officer picked out six men, without asking them which section or squadron were they from. They arrived at the cliff top and started to unpack the safety equipment ready to scale down an unsafe path to the water's edge...

Apart from the obvious Hawaiian music and food, the main factor that sets a Luau apart from a normal party or celebration is the plentiful use of colour. As well as in the food and punches, this vibrancy of colour is expressed through clothing and decoration and is a natural reflection of the Hawaiian islands where the luau was originally conceived. So you definitely fancy holding your own Luau and need some tips, read on; Pick a location: Obviously, the location will depend on the number of guests you want to invite, but in most instances, Luau's are held outdoors and work especially well when there is a pool available. This would generally make it a summer party although there is nothing in the...

If you are an avid paddler, it is important to become familiar with the different types and parts of rivers. If you are a fan of kayaks or some type of inflatable dinghy, this is must-have knowledge! The first part that you should become familiar with is commonly referred to as chutes. This is the name assigned to a section of fast-moving water that is usually formed after the water flow passes an obstacle of some kind such as an out-cropping of rocks. A chute is comprised mainly of large standing waves called haystacks. When you see these, it will give you some assurance to know the water is deep and probably rock-free. The next kind is called river bends. Following the inside of a river band is...

It's almost that time of year when you take a break from your everyday routines; have you thought about exploring a truly authentic and exotic beach? Known because of its immaculate beaches, exotic activities, and fiery nightlife, Acapulco is the place to be. Before you pack that two-piece bikini you've been wanting to show off, here's some 411 that Patawalk is pleased to provide on this out-of-this-world location. The name Acapulco comes from the Nahuatl language and it means "place of big reeds" (reeds being a plant that grows there naturally). Acapulco was taken over by the Spaniards in 1531. The Spanish conquistador Cortes himself established this great city as a major port. Acapulco became the...

Mental stress is a real killer, and perhaps its most distressing character is the fact that it tends to loop and repeat around in your head, putting you in a cycle that is hard to break out of. We often think about the things that stress us out, and we end up replaying negative mental images again and again and again. Unsurprisingly, this doesn't tend to break us into a more positive place. Thankfully, we can break these negative thought patterns by simply visualizing something positive. Research has shown that when you visualize and deeply imagine an event, your nervous system responds in the same manner as if it was actually experiencing that event right now. So, when you think about your boss...

What would you do if a major disaster occurred in your area overnight, took down all the power and communications, and you had no one you could turn to for help? We hope no one ever finds himself or herself in such a position, but unfortunately disasters disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year. So what steps can you and your families take to prepare yourself in case of an emergency? Number one on the list is to have a survival kit ready and in an easily accessible location. 1. Your emergency survival kit should include the following: - Bottled Water, the FDA recommends the kind of water you buy in the store, not tap water you bottled yourself. - Food, you can...

Sometimes I will meet someone who appears to lead a happy and fulfilling life. but then I discover this person has never been white water rafting and I realize it's all a mirage. No one who has never taken an adventure vacation that includes riding the white water can truly be happy. "Oh sure," you may be thinking, "isn't white water rafting ... dangerous?" Well my timid, rubber-spined, cowardly friend; white water rafting only looks dangerous. Your drive to and from the river will be far more dangerous, and a much more death defying feat, than your actual time on the river. I actually have no statistics to support this other than the fact that everyone knows that everything is more dangerous than...

If you've never tried canoeing before then it's high time that you did. Basically, canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves paddling a canoe or kayak either as recreation, transportation or as a sport. Enthusiasts stress that canoeing only uses a paddle to propel your kayak or canoe and human muscle power, nothing more. There are differences in the way one propels a canoe and a kayak. To propel a kayak, one uses a paddle with two blades and where the paddler sits with their legs directly in front of them. To propel a canoe, one uses either single or double bladed paddles and the paddler kneels or sits on a raised seat. There are many forms of recreational canoeing. In fact, there are now hybrid...

Ditch the plastic water bottle. Lose it once and for all. Or, more properly, get the plastic water bottle into the recycling just as quickly as you can. You do not want it. You do not need it. It ought to scare you. Replace that suspicious plastic water bottle with a new steel water bottle. Your steel water bottle poses no hazards to your health. Unlike plastic bottles, your steel water bottle does not put your health at-risk. Mostly, it just puts icy cold water at your fingertips. Many household plastics remain on "safe" lists more or less "by default." No one has proven them safe; they just have not yet been proven unsafe. Almost all household plastics warrant serious suspicion, because the more...

Anyone who has every worked with me, read my stuff or knows me personally knows that I believe that in order to rule your own little world, you must first step up and own it ALL, including your body and all of your circumstances. You cannot let something go until you fully own it. This was a huge epiphany for me during my own journey. The more I argued, resisted, and cursed those things that I preferred not having, the harder it seemed to release them. Because... What you resist persist. If you resist your current bank account and focus your attention on it, then you will not be able to see the opportunities that surround you. If you resist your job and focus on how horrible it is, then you will be...

During the winter months most Full Time RV'ers move south to warmer climates. For most this is usually Florida, one of the gulf states or Arizona. Most of these RV'ers will have looked further south at Mexico but up to now have not made the jump south of the border for various reasons. Most of these RV'ers will know someone who has done the trip even if it is only to some place such as Puerto Penasco or San Carlos which are both on the sea of Cortes, and only a few hours south of the US, Mexican border. But even with the information they have received from these travelers they will have misgivings about actually doing the trip themselves. Many people will cite safety are their main concern about...

As the world shrinks, the desire to visit its final frontiers becomes more and more pressing in the eyes of many travelers. We all want to see it before the concept of a frontier vanishes completely. For some, this has changed the concept of the typical vacation. Taking a long vacation used to be pretty straightforward: pick a tropical island or archipelago, sit on the beach, and have a margarita. Today's tourists are much better traveled, and view travel as not exclusively about relaxation. Stronger emphasis is being placed on adventure and exploration. With that in mind, many are heading for the unknown, the abandoned, and the downright COLD regions of the world. Cruises to Alaska to see the...

How about taking an Antarctic summer cruise during a northern hemisphere winter? After flying for a whole day or more you start your cruise from Ushuaia, the southernmost South American city. Once on board, the hundred or so passengers having done their lifeboat drill on the ice-strengthened cruise ship, head south. The ship takes two days to cross the Drake Passage, followed closely by albatrosses and petrels. Seasick remedies are recommended. The Antarctic Peninsula Like most Antarctic visitors you sail along the Antarctic Peninsula. The peninsula is the part of the Antarctic nearest to the rest of the world, and is generally free of sea ice from November to March. This most northerly part of the...

The best time of the year to visit Antarctica is during the summer months of December to March. The weather is much better during this period as compared to the rest of the year. Plus, you get to experience how it feels like to have the sun shining down on you 20 hours of the day, not to mention a the opportunity to see a "midnight sun". A typical Antarctic cruise lasts for less than two weeks and you'll be quite surprised at how fast the days fly when you're actually there already marveling at the wonders of this isolated continent. So what can you expect from a travel to Antarctica? Not much but rather plenty! You'll never get enough of the scenery, the landscape, and the wildlife. There just too...

"On the stone assaulted by the birds the secret was set forth: stone, moisture excrement, and solitude will ferment and beneath the blood-red sun sandy offspring will be born and they, too, will one day fly back to the tempestuous cold light, to the Antarctic feet of Chile." A view words by Migration-Pablo Neruda and in my opinion a very nice beginning to start talking about Antarctica. It is a part of the world, that is still a big secret and not many people get to see this mysterious place. The Antarctica also seems to be a spot, which is so far away from the rest of the continents that most of us would not consider going down there for a visit. Or they might think that it is only possible on an...

ater rafting is a form of recreational activity as used in the travel industry using many passengers and with rubber boats. There is usually a travel guide as offered by various travel agencies. The experience offers a great adventure. There are different kinds of white water rafting like in the US there are the Pocono white water rafting based in Pennsylvania. For first time water rafters, it is always a scary experience at first but gets used as time goes by. Before engaging in this activity, one needs to identify the destination, the type of water rafting like family, group etc. There are a number of reasons for water rafting but mainly for enjoyment and relaxation. It is a way of spending...

Kayaking is actually a cherished boating experience. It is a very conventional water sport these days and fun to do. Whether you simply like to go down the river or extremely shoot rapids, kayaking is great thing to be fond of. But kayaks in stores and markets are really very expensive, whether conventional wooden or fiberglass, so buying second-hand kayaks is a great option. If you decide to buy a used kayak, first carefully examine the kayak and make sure it is not damaged. If you could discover used kayak in very good state nothing like it, very often used kayaks turn out to be better than new kayaks. Before you look for a kayak, set your budget by doing some market study, there are also websites...

Not every kayak canoe boat is the same. This is why you cant just pick any kayak based on appearance or personal preference. There are a couple of important concerns that you should have in mind. - Identify the major purpose of your kayak. Different kayak models perform differently depending on your purpose. If for example, you would like to use a kayak for flatwater fishing, you are better off with a flatwater model that has an open cockpit. This will allow you greater ease in movement as compared to close cockpit models. - Another important thing is to know where you will be using your kayak. This may not be a concern for you if your water locations are fairly accessible and if you have the right...

Finding kayaks for sale is a great way to get into the sport for a very small investment. A lot of times, an angler will go out an purchase the new shiny expensive boat, and then 6 months later, realize that kayak fishing just isn't for them. They will then turn around and put their wonderful shiny not so new kayak up for sale, and find out that they are going to lose a lot of money, and not get near as much for it as they had paid 6 months before. This is a common occurance, and one that I am going to teach you how to use to your advantage. Hey, other people want the brightest shiniest boats, so why can't you too? For a better price! First things first, do not even look for used inflatable kayaks...

The Stearns Cordova was the first inflatable kayak I ever purchased. I was looking for a kayak that would match as near as possible the performance found in a hard-shell kayak. Also the practicality of being able to store an inflatable kayak easily inside the house was something of a necessity at the time. This kayak does have a genuine feel of a plastic boat once it is inflated as it has an extremely rigid hull. The build quality of the Stearns Cordova inflatable kayak is also extremely good and has all the features you would expect from D-rings, removable spray deck, fitted kayak seat, adjustable footrests, bungee straps and two material cargo holds. The Cordova is also very hard wearing and is...

You may have never considered owning an inflatable kayak fir fishing, but it may be time to begin thinking about it. I'm not talking about some inflatable toy that's used in your pool either; I'm talking about a quality inflatable kayak. The kind that can stand up to a dog's paws and/or being hit with a hammer! Technology has advanced in the past few years to the point that high quality inflatables are being produced at very affordable prices. This is a great thing for all of us anglers. Imagine being able to float your favorite river is the comfort of a kayak, while fishing the entire time? You can pull over and get out and be fishing the really good looking runs, and then continuing on down...

When it comes to the exploration of rapids and white waters, kayaks are a common choice. In the last three decades the use of kayaks has grown extensively in the world. Many people today employ the use of kayaks to different ends. Although kayaks are often considered to be canoes in some regions, they do possess some significant differences chief of which is their enclosed surface and cockpit. Like canoes however kayaks are also propelled with kayaks. They also possess some common features. People who are familiar with canoe outriggers will have no difficulty using kayak outriggers. There are different types of kayaks available today. Some of the more popular options includeo Fishing kayaks: Like...

During the summer months camping is one of the funnest things we can do with our time and with our families. Whther you truly rough it with any comforts, or you decide to take the RV or the generator, spending time in nature with friends or family is totally freeing and relaxing. Many people are starting to use solar powered lights and heaters when camping, making it easier to cook and spend time with each other at night. There are some great advantages to using solar powered camping gear. 1 of the main advantages of solar powered camping gear is that you can avoid things like lanterns, that use oil and/or batteries. the solar powered light practically pays for itself after just a few trips. And...