October 2009
Saturday Guided Hikes
Saturday, October 3, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, October 10, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, October 17, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, October 24, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, October 31, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Guided hikes through coastal mangrove and upland ecosystems of the Preserve are held each Saturday of the month. Join us to learn about the coastal environment and the early residents of Weedon Island Preserve. Be sure to bring water and a snack for this two-hour hike. A hat and closed-toe shoes are also recommended. Reserve your space by 2 pm on the Friday prior to the hike. This event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Recommended ages: 6 and up.
Open Classroom: Discovering Nature and Culture with Your Child
Saturday, October 3, 2009 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Discover nature and culture with your child during an open classroom session with archaeological activities. Explore materials from a real archaeology dig in a “sifting through the past” activity. Hands-on activities using aboriginal tools help teach the techniques of the ancient people of this region. Stop by our classroom anytime between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to participate in a variety of self-guided activities that will intrigue your child about past cultures. No registration is required for this free event. Recommended for families.
Wee-time at Weedon: Dream Weaver
Thursday, October 8, 2009 10:30 am – 11:15 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Introduce your preschooler to the wonders of the natural world through story time fun. This week’s program presents Dream Weaver by Jonathan London. Children learn about the world of a small yellow spider and its web through the eyes of a small boy. The program also includes a craft, game or other hands-on activity related to the story. Pre-registration is required for this free program. Best for children ages 3 - 5.
Give A Day For The Bay
Saturday, October 10, 8:30 am – 11:30 am
Tampa Bay Estuary Program, St. Petersburg, FL
Volunteers are needed to help pick up trash along the shores of Weedon Island Preserve. Wind and tides have blown a variety of floating trash including glass and plastic bottles, tennis balls, and Styrofoam pieces into the mangroves along the shorelines. We need your help to clean up the mess. Volunteers receive a free lunch and a Tampa Bay Estuary Program reusable water bottle. Please meet us at the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center. Contact colleen@tbep.org or phone (727) 893-2765 to sign up. This cleanup is limited to volunteers 13 years old and older.
Recent Exploration on the 27 m Ledge at Little Salt Spring
Thursday, October 15, 2009 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Steve Koski, MA, Site Manager, Little Salt Spring Research Facility, North Port, FL
In July of 2008 and 2009, two teams of archaeologists and science divers from the University of Miami and Florida Aquarium conducted a five-week project funded by the National Geographic Society on the 27 m ledge at Little Salt Spring. The project was conducted to evaluate late Pleistocene deposits in two areas of the ledge where the bones of extinct animals were found previously, and where an associated 12,000-year- old wood artifact was recovered wedged between the plastron and carapace of an extinct giant tortoise. Pre-registration is required for this free lecture. Best suited for adults.
Florida’s Fabulous Bats
Saturday, October 17, 2009 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Cynthia and George Marks, Florida Bat Conservancy, Bay Pines, FL
Many myths and misconceptions exist about one of the most unique mammals in Florida – the Florida bat. Did you know bats literally fly with their hands? Did you know bats have highly developed sonar capabilities called echolocation? Florida is home to 13 species of bats that are year-round or seasonal residents. All these bats devour insects and are beneficial to our environment. Come meet some of these live animals at this fascinating program presented by Cynthia and George Marks, authors of Bats of Florida. This event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. All ages welcome.
Wee-time at Weedon: Boo, the Little Brown Bat
Thursday, October 22, 2009 10:30 am – 11:15 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Introduce your preschooler to the wonders of the natural world through story time fun. Boo, the Little Brown Bat by Paula Pifer is an endearing story of a little brown bat and how the other animals in the forest grow to appreciate him. The program also includes a craft, game or other hands-on activity related to the story. Pre-registration is required for this free program. Best for children ages 3 - 5.
2009 Estuary Academy - Tampa Bay: Beneath The Surface
Saturday, October 24, 2009 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Tampa Bay Estuary Program, St. Petersburg, FL
The Estuary Academy, Tampa Bay Estuary Program’s (TBEP) popular annual “Science for the People” program, features lectures and workshops on the habitats and inhabitants of Tampa Bay. This year’s theme, Tampa Bay: Beneath The Surface, highlights the plants and animals that live in the bay itself. Registration is $10 and includes lunch. To register, call (727) 893-2765 or visit TBEP online at www.tbep.org.
Weedon-ween Creepy Creatures
Saturday, October 31, 2009 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Vampire bats, giant spiders, ghostly owls, and slithering snakes are some of Halloween’s most frightening characters. Join us for this fun and interactive program to learn the truth about these and many other creepy creatures. Pre-registration is required. Admission is free. Recommended for families with children 6 years old or older.
Monday - Friday Half-Day, Self-guided Tours
Launch Times: 11:30 am or 1:00 pm
Sweetwater Kayaks offers half-day (4-hour long) self-guided
tours Monday through Friday. Reservations for the 11:30 am
or 1:00 pm launch times are recommended. Please arrive at Sweetwater
Kayaks 30 minutes before your reservation. Once payment and
paperwork is complete, follow our staff to the Preserve and
park your car in the main parking lot. Call Sweetwater Kayaks
at (727) 570-4844 to reserve your kayak.
Single Half-day Fee: $40
Double Half-day Fee: $56
Saturday and Sunday Half-Day, Self-guided Tours
Launch Times: 9:00 am or 12:30 pm
On weekends, Sweetwater Kayaks' self-guided, half-day tours
are 3.5-hours long and launch at 11:30 am or 1:00 pm. Reservations
are recommended. Meet us at Weedon Island Preserve at least
15 minutes before your reservation. Please park in the main
parking lot. Call Sweetwater Kayaks at (727) 570-4844 to reserve
your kayak.
Single Half-day Fee: $40
Double Half-day Fee: $56
Daily Rentals
Launch Anytime: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Are you dealing with a busy schedule and only have time for
a short paddle around Riviera Bay? Perhaps our hourly rentals
are the best fit. Every weekend, kayaks and canoes are onsite
at the Preserve for rental by the hour. To arrange a drop off
during the week, call Sweetwater Kayaks at (727) 570-4844.
Single Hourly Fee: $17
Double Hourly Fee: $25 |
