Tarpon Lodge, Calusa Indian mound excursion to resume
Captiva Cruises’ tour focused on the centuries of local fishing cultures is returning for season.
Running from Nov. 20 through April, the “Cruise to Historic Tarpon Lodge & Calusa Indian Mounds on Pine Island” is part of the company’s “Discover Southwest Florida History” excursions. The weekly expeditions take place on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and cost $45 for adults and $35 for youth.
“We go over 1,000 years of fishing in the area,” Captiva Cruises educator Richard Finkel said.
Departing from McCarthy’s Marina, the tour travels to Pineland on Pine Island.
On the way, passengers will get an up close look at the historic fish houses in the Pine Island Sound and discuss the area’s diverse fishing cultures, from the indigenous Calusa Indians and Spanish Cuban Ranchos, to the Punta Gorda Fish Company and famous tarpon and sport fishing that is found today.
“We get a nice narrative along the way, which encompasses the years of fishing in the Pine Island Sound,” he said. “We’re going to get close to the historic fish shacks in the Pine Island Sound.”
There will also be sightseeing, like birds and dolphins.
“There’s always a chance of seeing a variety of wildlife,” Finkel said.
On Pine Island, passengers will embark for lunch at the Tarpon Lodge and Restaurant. They will learn about the family business’ storied tradition of fishing in the Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor.
“The Tarpon Lodge is just a really neat place,” he said. “It goes back to 1926.”
Afterward, the group will head across the street to the Randell Research Center. A program of the Florida Museum of Natural History, the facility is dedicated to learning and teaching the archeology, history and ecology of Southwest Florida through the Pineland archeological and historical site.
“That’s where people get an opportunity to learn a lot more about the indigenous fishing culture,” Finkel said. “It’s really a major site.”
The group will next take a guided walk on the Calusa Heritage Trail to one of the pre-Columbian mounds of the ancient Calusa with a center educator, who will elaborate on the fishing culture.
“Which is a pretty incredible slice of history here in Southwest Florida,” he said.
Tour participants will then reboard and head back to Captiva.
“And again, it’s always a chance to see wildlife on the water,” Finkel said.
A trawling net may be used in some excursions.
“Sometimes, we’ll use a trawling net and do a random sample and pull things up that connect with the fisheries of the Pine Island Sound,” he said. “In the past, we’ve pulled up a variety of fish – sometimes seahorses, starfishes, shrimp.”
“This year is going to be a little different after the summer we’ve had with red tide,” Finkel added. “But we really love doing it and people really love it, so we’ll see what the situation is this year.”
The vessel Captiva Cruises uses for the tour is the Santiva, which can hold up to 49 passengers.
“We named it after the original Santiva, which was the mail boat that came over from downtown Fort Myers with mail and passengers six days a week out to the island before the Sanibel Causeway was completed in 1963,” he said.
Residents and visitors are invited to reserve a spot on the seasonal expedition.
“This particular cruise is a lot different than the other cruises we offer,” Finkel said. “It’s a great opportunity not only to see the area by water, but gain a better insight into the ecology and history of the area.”
Reservations are required; lunch is not included in the cost.
Captiva Cruises also offers trips to Cabbage Key, Useppa Island and Boca Grande, along with beach and shelling excursions to Cayo Costa State Park, sailing adventures, sunset cruises, and dolphin watch and wildlife adventures organized in partnership with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.
For more information or reservations, call 239-472-5300 or visit www.captivacruises.com.