FOWA Welcome - Charlotte Harbor

Charlotte Harbor, Florida
January 13, 1847

Dear Gentle Reader:

In a perchance timorous attempt to relieve the chill from my body and rejuvenate my soul, I have sought to escape the dreary monotony of cold, gray northeastern winter days, in favor of warmer climes. Ergo, my compass and spyglass have steered me south via carriage and shanks’ mares to a place hitherto unknown to me along the southwest coast of the Gulf of Mexico, to an area beginning to blossom as a coastal paradise. They call it Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands, and it is situated in a former Spanish territory called Florida. It is from this nature’s utopia that I pen these lines.

My quest finds me in tranquil contrast to the hurly-burly of city life. Here, one can lark about on miles of pristine sandy beaches. Overhead, the osprey and bald eagle soar at will, and by summer’s moonlight, sea turtle hatchlings crawl into glittering surf. For natives, fishing is more than a pastime; it is a veritable obsession. And with reason! The waters of Charlotte Harbor teem with hundreds of species of sport fish, not excluding tarpon, snook, redfish, barracuda, cobia, and grouper.

I would be remiss if I did not also declaim on the natural beauties gracing the fringes of this secret Eden. Peaceful coves and bays provide endless opportunities for more insular forms of adventure. One can mount a buggy and marvel at abundant wildlife and the silent beauty of an ancient cypress bog. I glimpsed alligators lurking in still waters, hard by deer, wild swine, and panthers. There exist miles of water trails for paddling. And one can fish fruitfully, by merely casting into the back bay mangrove shallows.

As I conclude, I gaze out over the Peace River from the picturesque town of Punta Gorda, whose intriguing history adds to the destination’s visitor amenities. In Charlotte Harbor, I have indeed warmed my bones and communed with nature, and am left both pacified of mind and revivified in spirit!

Yours,

Jane Fenimore Grouper*

*a.k.a. Becky Bovell, Director – Charlotte Harbor Visitor’s Bureau

Click here to view pre and post conference excursions.