Travels With Nikola: Snake Warrior Island

Getting Nikola (my bicycle) allowed me to explore further than I could on my own two feet, though my trips had to be postponed when the summer heat became intolerable.  After succumbing to heat exhaustion on the last trip, I took the weather and heat index much more seriously.  I became a little disenchanted with a bicycle organization I joined, who seemed to favor touring out-of-the-way places.  Yes, they were often scenic...but after running into trouble, I have to admit that I have a desire to stay closer to civilization--at least for the moment.  It could be too that at heart, I'm a city girl.  I really don't like being far away from other people.  Though my neighbors can annoy me with their loud music sometimes, I try to remember that it is just nice to know that someone is alive out there.  Even in the city, you can find lonely spots that frankly just give me the heebie-jeebies no matter how scenic they are.

With the coming of October, the heat started becoming more mild--though the high humidity still had to be considered.  Humidity over 60% can cause your pores to clog, leading to over-heating.  Still, I decided to try a trip to some place nearby.  Today, I will be talking about Snake Warrior Island Natural Area, a surprising find.  As I do not wish to give the location of my house, I have chosen a store for the map.  We locals know 215th St. as County Line Road, and State Road 7 is more commonly called 441.

Address:    3600 S.W. 62nd Avenue, Miramar, Florida 33023

Phone:  954-357-8776

Email:  ParksMarketing@Broward.org

Size:  53.3 acres

Website:  http://www.broward.org/PARKS/SNAKEWARRIORSISLAND/Pages/Default.aspx

Pros:  Free admission, picnic benches, bird watching, fishing with permit, trail popular for walking (2 loops equals 1 mile--be warned that it is quite a work out due to uneven land), a piece of an Everglades-like environment for those who live far away from the Everyglades, historical and archaeological significance for those interested in American Indian History.

Cons:  Not a great place for bicycling, though it has bicycle racks.  No bathroom, though it is close to a Winn Dixie.  Bird watching and vegetation may be not at its best depending on the time of year.  It is known for bird watching when the birds are migrating from the north, so you probably will see them at the park during the winter months.  Though the land has a lot of history and archaeological significance, there isn't much to see.  You pretty much read about it on the signs, though you can see the foundations of the Perry house.
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I discovered Snake Warrior Island quite by accident.  I had been looking up another address on Google Maps, and I happened to notice it.  I had already discovered Snake Creek Trail, which is near 199th Street in Miami.  I wondered if this place was an extension of the trail (it isn't).  I was intrigued by the idea that an island could exist within a city, though I assumed it was probably man made.  I printed out the instructions with the plans to explore it in the future.

The soda-shaped can is a garbage can.  Behind the fence, you will find a bicycle rack to tie up your trusty steed.  The park prohibits skateboards, and I don't know if they discourage all rolling transport (though bicycles were not mentioned specifically).  What I do know is that the bridges tend to be narrow and maybe not ideal for crossing on a bicycle.

I feel I should address this now.  Though "snake" appears frequently in the names of several sites in this area, I have as of yet to see a snake.  Perhaps when the trails and park were first developed, maybe there were snakes.  We do have snakes, of course.  I have harmless garden snakes in my yard that neighborhood stray cats like to sadistically chop into quarters because they are fascinated by how the snake twitches long after death.  The park does have iguanas.  The iguanas are supposedly not native to Florida and are even destroying the environment, but they have moved in and are thriving.  On my last trip to Snake Warrior, a man offered to help me catch one...but I was content to watch them.

The entrance to Snake Warrior Island

Word to the wise--if you are riding a bicycle or walking to this place and have to cross State Road 7, it is safer to cross on the Broward Side than the Miami Side.  County Line Road is the dividing line between Broward and Miami, something criminals often try to take advantage of.  Miami police are supposedly not as harsh as Broward cops, and I guess criminals are also trying to flee Broward's jurisdiction.  It isn't criminals that makes crossing State Road 7 dangerous.  Miami is a chaotic, crazy place.  Broward drivers are a little more sane.

Some vegetation growing at Snake Warrior Island

Snake Warrior Island has become a favorite place to go.  The Everglades is quite far away for me.  This natural area, though, satisfies the urge to see the "natural" Florida.  Though it is flanked by a Winn Dixie and residential housing, the park can give you the feeling of space and communing with nature.  For me, it is the best of two worlds--an exposure to nature but close enough to civilization.

As a general rule, I don't have an appreciation for the type of natural vegetation that grows in Florida.  Though our post cards often depict Art Deco hotels and beaches with palm trees, Florida is naturally a drained out swamp.  Swamps, being generally inhospitable, tend to grow rather gnarled vegetation.  In addition, not only are they ugly--they also tend to cause physical discomfort because they have thorny defenses that leave you scratched up, have some itchy sap or pollen that makes you sneeze, or have some tiny insect that makes you itchy with its bite.  If you are coming to Florida, or even if you already live here, it is always good to have Benadryl pills and cream handy.

As for the beaches, supposedly palm trees are not natural to Florida...and we buy our sand from Haiti.  Real Florida sand is supposedly black.  You may want to be careful if you go to a "natural" beach.  My father took me to one.  The trees dropped this prickly pod that used to scratch up my feet.  The water always seemed to have some oil slick floating in it.  Shark attacks were more of a danger, partly because it was a popular fishing spot, and because the cruise ships dumped their garbage near the area.  They are supposed to wait until they go further out, but some do dump closer than they should.  The garbage attracts little fish, and big fish come to eat the little fish. Sometimes jellyfish can be a problem too.

One thing I do appreciate about Florida, though, is our blue skies.  I never fully appreciated it until we started having overcast skies.  Over the years, our climate has altered a bit.  Though we don't get snow, we are starting to get grayer and colder winters.  When I was child, Florida pretty much had two seasons--hot or rainy.  Though I've enjoyed the cooler weather (at least until it drops to 50 degrees above Fahrenheit, then I think it is too cold...which I'm sure makes any Northern think I'm a wimp), I've often found the consistent overcast skies depressing.  Actually, even Northerners have had problems with the type of cold we get, because our cold tends to be a humid cold.  Most of the year, though, our skies are blue and the sun is bright...sometimes maybe too bright.  Our summer can melt you and boil you like a lobster if you are not careful, but blue skies can be inviting and invigorating to the spirit.  There are times that outside calls to me--go mow that lawn, go paint your house, go work on your car,..and you love it as much as going to the beach.  Other favorite past-times are barbecues and fireworks.  There is nothing like the sense of accomplishment of doing yard work, feeling sweat drip off your brow, the sun permeating your skin and loosening your muscles, how refreshing a cold soda is when you take a break, and the overwhelming smell of lighter fluid and hamburgers that make your stomach growl, and sometimes even a whiff of coconut oil (a favorite scent of sun blocks).  Usually someone is blaring rap, Jamaican, or Spanish music--which is actually nice during the day but not so welcomed at night.

Another thing I only came to appreciate recently is our fluffy clouds.  A friend of mine that lives in Oregon, when I showed her my Snake Warrior Island pictures, commented on the fluffy clouds.  At first, I was confused.  Aren't all clouds fluffy?  However, when I looked at her pictures, I realized that just as other states don't have blue skies--many don't have fluffy clouds.  Even if Florida can be ugly, I love our skies.  Sunsets can be pretty too, particularly the kind where it seems sunlight is filtered through a lens that makes all the colors jump out at you.  Fluffy clouds...they are enjoyable.  You can play that cloud game much easier, for they easily form into shapes.  They look like marshmallows or cotton candy.  I used to think I saw the Earth move, but it is the clouds that give that illusion.

Back to Snake Warrior Island....The park is not an island, but I think the name refers to what the land used to be.  Historically, it is the oldest documented Seminole settlement in the eastern Everglades and was once the camp of Chitto Tustenuggee, the legendary Snake Warrior.  It was purchased in 1992 by the State of Florida, who had the ambition to preserve this bit of land from development and to recreate the wetlands.  It is located near the headwaters of what used to be Snake Creek.

The park is free for admission.  The parking lot can probably accommodate more than 15 but less than 50 cars.  I never counted the spaces.  There are picnic benches, but grilling is not allowed, so it is a bring your meal with you type of thing.  The picnic area is actually slightly removed from the park, on the other side of the parking lot.  It is in a nice shady area, surrounded by tall--what I think are Banyan trees.  It can make you feel like you are in a forest, even though a residential house is several feet away.  You will see big wooden boxes that house garbage cans.  A bicycle rack is located to the left of the park entrance.

It is an amusing place to people watch.  It is a pretty popular place.  There are many men who are trying to pick up lady friends or talk to their friends about their lady friends.  Don't worry, though, they do not harass women.  It is a popular place to exercise for those who like to walk or jog.  People sing to their tunes and sometimes even dance.  Though the iguanas don't attack people, they sometimes seem to have an instinct about those who are squeamish towards reptiles and take great pleasure in putting themselves in front of the foot path.  I believe that there may be a morbidly obese exercise group that goes there, as they all wear the same t-shirts.  I admit that sometimes I worry about these folks.  Snake Warrior Island can give me a work out, and I'm in better shape.  Though there are shady areas, most of the trail is in the sun.  Still, I give a smile of support, even if I check in the corner of my eye to make sure no one is stroking out.

A pair of binoculars may come in handy for both bird watchers and people who are interested in the plants.  Usually the most interesting stuff to see is far away and not approachable.  You are supposed to stay on the trail, and there are warnings not to remove any vegetation or animals.  Not all the plants are exotic.  Some plants are common weeds or ground cover that we get in our yards.  The picture above, for instance--if you can see them--shows some white flowers that grow on our lawn.  They are a pain to cut, but in great quantities can make our yards look quite festive--the closest we will probably get to having a snowy look on our lawns.  The other day I found a vine that produces a thorny looking orange fruit.  As a child, we liked to break the fruit open and suck on the bright red seeds, which had a watermelon like flavor.

You can probably go to Snake Warrior Island many times and still find something new to see.  The vegetation blooms at different times, and wild life visits at different times.  The first time I went, even though most of the vegetation is planted in marsh water, it looked burnt by the sun and looked like it was dying.  The second time I went, many pretty flowers were blooming, but I didn't see as many birds.  As the park is a stop for migratory birds, it is possible that they only can be seen at certain times of the year.  One bird I have seen both times that I've been there is a tall, long-necked white bird--what I assume is an egret.  I like egrets.  They are funny.  After you cross the first bridge, you often hear a warbling sound--sort of reminds me of the sound the spitting dinosaur in Jurassic Park made actually.  I think it is made by the beautiful black bird with the contrast red beak.  Unfortunately, I don't know the names of any of the birds or vegetation.

Picture of the first bridge

One of my favorite plants is what I do know is called a fire bush.  It is well named.  The orange-red, prickly flower--when in full bloom--makes the bush look like it is on fire.  Supposedly, these plants produce an edible berry that has a slightly bitter aftertaste.  It also apparently has medicinal uses, mainly as a topical antibiotic.  It attracts birds and butterflies, so it is nice for the park.

These white flowers grow as a ground cover in Florida--and can make our lawns snowy looking.

It is amazing how many of the pretty flowers that bloom on the ground come from weeds.  My yard is pretty much all weeds, and yet it isn't always unattractive.  Horrible to mow, yes.

A view of one side of the bridge.

A view when you look over the other side of the first bridge.  All  plants in this area are in water.

I had wondered if a delicate white flower had been the one that supposedly grows only in the Everglades.  Its rarity forces it to be protected from poachers...or that is what I learned on CSI Miami. ;)

After the first bridge, there are two ponds.  This is where you can often find the warbling birds and see the fish.

Relaxing as the water can be--and there are plenty of park benches where you can sit to enjoy it--it does come with some problems.  The park also helps with storm drainage, keeping the water until it reaches a certain level, then letting it go.  The water can sometimes smell, and probably in the summer it is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.  The ponds have a brownish water.  There are a lot of water plants.  Not far from the first bridge, there is a second bridge.  If you look over the sides of the second bridge, you can see the fish darting in the water.  The park allows fishing if you have a permit in select areas.  Occasionally, you can see ducks and a turtle coming up for air.  The iguanas can also swim, though they usually dart under water with great speed.

One thing you will always see plenty of in the back ground are the towers.  In the city, they dominate our horizon. They are supported by long cables that are stationed in parks or residential neighborhoods.  They are sturdy, but it is a horrifying thought to wonder what would happen if they fell.  Most of the time, they are something that you just don't pay attention to even though it is right in front of you.  At night, the red lights wink at you.  I affectionately call them the mind control towers.  What their purpose is, I don't quite know...radio towers, perhaps.  All I know is that there are a lot of them.  I never realized how many until I started taking pictures of local sites.

These flowers never look happy.  They always look wilted.

This spot is good for seeing the warbling birds.  It is between the two bridges.

You can't see it well, but I took a picture of these beautiful birds--which are black but have a contrast red beak.

Oh, dear! The sky is slipper when wet!

The second bridge--good for seeing fish.

This picture shows some of the firebush.

If you look carefully, the white thing in the water is a fish.

I was amused by the sign that talked about how they "restored" the land back to its natural habitat by removing everything that had been there originally.  Of course, just as Florida gets a lot of tourists from other states, it has gotten a lot of vegetation that doesn't belong here--and much of it is not supposedly good for our environment.  The Malaleuca tree, for example, was planted originally because it prevented soil erosion in boggy areas.

Some of the vegetation that you see at the park: live oak, gumbo limbo (love the name), redbay, strangler fig (sounds dangerous, but I just realized that is the tree I thought was a banyan tree), cypress, red maple, wild coffee, beauty berry, firebush, pickerel weed, eel grass (found under water apparently), alligator flag, spatterdock, duck potato, and rushes.

Some of the birds you can see are wading birds, ducks, woodstorks, blue and tri-colored herons, anhinga, white ibis, and osprey.  Osprey are predatory birds that circle like vultures.

Settlers claimed the island in 1843 but didn't establish themselves right away.  By 1896, though, they were forcing the Seminoles from the land by "court decisions".  The Seminoles had planted many guava trees, which lead to the settlers calling it Guava Key.  Florida owned the property until it was purchased in 1908 by Mr. Brewer for citrus cultivation.  A Mr. Hobbs got hold of it in 1913.  Items left by the Seminoles were mistakenly believed to be evidence that Cubans and Spaniards had lived on the island.  The island was bulldozed of its natural vegetation in the 1940s and a hurricane in 1947 eroded soil further.  Henry D. Perry and his wife bought the land that same year.  They built a home and had a dairy farm.

The wife Annabel has an elementary school named after her, and her husband has a middle school named after him.  My mother has memories as a little girl (around 4-5 years old) of her mother walking to the Perry Dairy Farm.  It is 1.2 miles away (now) from my grandparents house, but I don't know how far she actually had to walk.  People who visited Florida more than twenty years ago may be surprised at how much it has developed.  Cow pastures were quite common, but as time goes on they are disappearing.  Cookie cutter developments are rising up.  This has caused some problems, particularly when it comes to hurricanes.  There was some land that was once considered unsuitable for development, but whatever objections there had been, they seem to have relented.  In any case, memories of that long walk (long for a little girl) and the sun searing her Mary Janes made my mom detest walking and embrace a sedentary life style.

Fire Bush

This guy is a frequent sight.

When I see certain birds, like egrets, I can totally believe the theory that dinosaurs evolved into birds...though it is hard to imagine something so monstrous becoming so small.  One thing I am grateful for, though, is that let loose in this park--they are not going to eat me.  It may make for a boring movie, but nobody likes to be on the menu.

Snake Warrior Island was considered very beautiful when settlers came.  The native Indians fled as the soldiers advanced, and word was given that "the Indians have escaped."

The Terrazzo floors of the Perry house are no longer there, just the cement foundation of the house.

The remains of the second Perry house, which burned down under unknown circumstances.

Usually I need to rest when I approach the path that leads up to what remains of one of the Perry houses.  It is a nice spot to take a breather.  All that remains is the concrete foundation--even the Terrazzo floors are gone.  The Perrys had two houses.  This one had burnt down, the reason creepily not known.  The first house succumbed to termite damage and was demolished.  What is more creepy than a mysterious fire?  The rectangular structure nearby that suspiciously looks like a burial place.  After all, people did used to bury their relatives on the property.  In Florida, because we are not that far above sea level in some areas, we can't dig six feet...and so in places like Key West, it was common to build mastaba like structures.

Is this a grave?  And is there anybody in it?

This lake is one I'd like to meditate by.

Snake Warrior Island had been settled by a prehistoric people known as the Tequesta as early as 500 B.C.  They were nomadic, moving mainly by canoe.  Their  territory spanned from the interior Everglades, coast Broward County, the Boca Raton Inlet, and to Key West.  Being nomadic, they did not practice farming.  Tools and jewelry were made out of shell, bone, and wood.  There was no hard stone in Florida.  How large their population was is unknown.  It is known that by 1763 A.D., they had been wiped out nearly by European diseases and slavery.  The survivors went to Cuba and became extinct as a tribe.

Look closely in the long grass to see black birds.  You can also see in the background the towers that dominate our skyline.

By the time I leave the Perry house, I'm feeling a little distressed...because by then I have to pee--and there is no bathroom.  The closest bathroom possibly is at the Winn Dixie down the street.  Of course, I'm afraid to use park bathrooms many times--both because they are often grungy and some concern about safety.  At a park near my house (not Snake Warrior Island), prostitution is intermittently a problem--and the bathrooms are often in use for other reasons.  Still, if it is a choice between peeing your pants.....

And yet more towers!

The Seminole tribe is actually a mesh pot of several Indian tribes that had been forced from their land, which were forced to merge after the Third Seminole War of 1858.  Yamassee, Creek, Mikasuki, and Yucchi Indians were collectively known by the settlers as Seminoles, which means "wild people".  The Seminoles occupied and abandoned Snake Creek several times, but they were finally forced to leave in the 1890s.  Today they run very successful casinos.  The Mikasuki seem to have separated from them.

The tree to the right, which I thought was a banyan tree, is what they call a strangler fir.  This is the picnic area.

Chitto Tustenuggee's name means "Snake Warrior".  Not much is known about him, but records mention him visiting Fort King near Ocala in 1839.  He was well respected by both the settlers and Indians.  The Indians were glad to have him as a representative.  He was born to the Creek Indians in 1792.  Tustenuggee was a peer of the Seminole war leader and medicine man Apeika, also known as Same Jones. Apeika lead a tribe mostly of Mikasuki.  Tustenuggee was a relative of Holator Micco, also known by the amusing name of Billy Bowlegs.  Bowlegs was Chief of the Seminoles during the Third Seminole War.  Chitto's tribe was located near Kissimmee in 1842, and he died there ten years later.

The island had a reputation for being haunted.  People saw strange lights.  They were called haints, which were considered evil spirits.  I'd blame that structure that looks like a grave, but this was prior to the Perrys moving there.  However, it is acknowledged that fugitives often hid in the forests of Snake Creek--so the strange lights may very well have been lanterns.

A little out of breath and usually having to pee, I gladly exit the park.  One day I hope to enjoy the picnic area.  It is, though, one of my favorite places to go.  I also have the ambition to learn the names of the birds and plants so that I can appreciate it more.

I did Youtube videos of my last trip.  They are in order.