By Capt. Chris Thalmann Contributing Writer
Welcome to October – one of my favorite months here in South Florida! I get to spend a ton of time outside and on the water. This summer we hosted several adventure camps in addition to lots of private charters for families and groups of friends. Most of our camps and charters involve spending at least some time in the water. Swimming, snorkeling, sandbar searches for creatures – anything to get a little break from the summer heat and sun. Spending time outdoors has always been a huge part of my life and I enjoy it immensely. But there comes a point every summer where I long for a really cool evening around a low campfire. Cold drink in hand, big sweatshirt to keep warm. This year that happened just before Labor Day weekend. After weeks and weeks of triple-digit heat we finally felt a hint of cool weather, just for a day – and then it was gone. Though the calendar clearly says it’s fall, and each day has a little less daylight than the day before, our temps are still warm enough to not really notice. The ocean remains calm (most days), and we can still snorkel and play in the water without a chill. October is a month full of transitions and it is always surprising to me just how quickly things change. The cold fronts marching south may not pack the same punch in Palm Beach that they do up north, but the seasonal changes taking place up yonder are already affecting us here. Our least terns, swallowtail kites and others have already flown the coop to spend their winters in Central and South America, and other birds are on the move too! Some will stop over here – others will skip Palm Beach entirely and head straight to their wintering grounds further south. Fall mullet runs have started in earnest and we should soon see an influx of Florida’s official marine mammals – manatees, fleeing cold weather up north to enjoy our warm winter weather and waters. With all the changes underway, early fall is a great time to get out and about in Palm Beach County. If you’re looking for something fun to do with friends or family, Palm Beach County has an entire slate of outdoor and family-friendly activities planned for this fall. Most are centered around learning about wildlife and nature through a variety of outdoor experiences. Palm Beach County is blessed with an abundance of natural areas and there’s lots to choose from – guided hikes and kayaking, trail runs, birdwatching, kids fishing clinics, nature photography workshops, and more. All are open to the general public, and many are free or very inexpensive. Check out the following website and click on ‘Event Schedule’ to learn more https://discover.pbcgov.org/erm/pages/adventure-awaits.aspx Happy exploring – hope to see you on the water! Captain Chris Thalmann Owner | Aqua Adventure Tours, Inc. aquaadventuretours.com
Captain Chris Thalmann
Owner | Aqua Adventure Tours, Inc. • aquaadventuretours.com