Aliens can be spotted at Halifax Harbor Park and the adjacent Halifax Harbor Marina.

OK, that's a matter of debate. Some New Age types claim dolphins are actually an intelligent

While dolphins may be a bit elusive for nature lovers searching for wildlife in the urban landscape, the park is home to other critters. Herons and egrets find the pond in the north part of the park to be a favorite dining place, while a flock of red-winged blackbirds have been known to make their home in the trees around the pond.

The park offers diversions for humans, too. A fishing pier at the south end of the park, near the marina mouth, includes a fish-cleaning table. A gazebo at the north end, near the pond, offers shade for dolphin- and bird-watching, or picnicking. A sidewalk winds alongside the river and loops through the woodsy section at the north end, making a nifty walking or jogging trail.

 
(This article was originally published in the Accent section of the Daytona Beach News-Journal on Tuesday, April 18, 2000).

Ever imagine what the beachside area looked like a thousand years ago?

Go to Canaveral National Seashore and you'll quickly find it.

The national park, just south of New Smyrna Beach in Volusia County, features acres of undeveloped pristine beaches, pine flatwoods and marshes. The area is free from designated picnic areas, telephones and food services. Drinking water is found only at the visitors center on State Road A1A, which has exhibits, nature- related publications and an orientation program.

There are several access points to the beach, all of which offer panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day, even Kennedy Space Center can be seen.

The seashore offers short, self-guiding hiking trails. The Castle Windy and Turtle Mound trails have shell middens left by Timucuan Indians.

The park also has a trail, a fishing pier and house named after the former village of Eldora, which was built near Mosquito Lagoon during the late 19th century.

Camping, hunting and fishing are permitted in the seashore but with certain restrictions.

(This article was originally published in the Accent section of the Daytona Beach News-Journal on Tuesday, October 19, 1999).

If you've ever driven down North Halifax Avenue in Daytona Beach, chances are that the colorful Sara Fox Gallery-House has caught your eye. This July, the purple, blue, yellow, and pink home will be displaying artist Sara Fox's fifth annual "Politics, Freedom & the Underdog," an art installation inspired by censorship and the cost of freedom. The exhibit contains over three decades worth of art, with one of the earliest pieces dating back to 1976. Patriotic themes like voting rights and freedom of speech are emphasized in her unique giant papier-mache sculptures.

"It's about sharing art with others," Fox said, who invites the public to view the artwork free of charge.

Fifth Annual Politics, Freedom, & the Underdog

Where: 110 North Halifax Avenue, Daytona Beach (directly behind the Ocean Center)
Hours: July 1-10, 2009; 1-5 p.m.
Admisson: Free
Information: (386) 258-5333 Groups by appointment

Tucked away in South Daytona, Reed Canal Park offers peaceful scenery, recreation and family fun.  The park offers a challenging 18-hole disc golf course as well as restrooms, water views, picnic areas and a playground.  A hot summer's day would be well spent underneath the shaded canopy of trees that surround the park.

Picnic and barbeque areas may be reserved for birthday parties, family reunions or other events through the South Daytona Parks and Recreation. 

The park is located at 919 Reed Canal Rd. in South Daytona, FL. 

For more information about the park or to reserve a picnic area contact South Daytona Parks and Recreation at (386) 322-3070 or visit their website: 
http://www.southdaytona.org/department/index.asp?fDD=8-0.

Go have some fun in the sun,

Cassie

I'm perpetually susceptible to boredom.  I have to be kept occupied or I'll go insane in the membrane.  Luckily, I made it out just in time to find something to do.

There are numerous indoor attractions close by to spend the day in.  I'll share with you a few, rather quickly, so that you can get out of your house before you self-destruct.

Historic Downtown Daytona Celebrates McCoy with Captain Jack, Rum and Music

Heading down to the Bill McCoy Boat and Rum Festival last night, I pictured boats, alcohol inspired merriment, and lots of rum buckets.  However, I never thought I would see a crowd-attracting Captain Jack Sparrow, a tipsy flapper girl and a guy with a parrot.

I got there around 7 p.m., so the crowd was just starting to pick up.  The minute I walked down the street I was greeted by bowls of chocolate in front of Angell & Phelps.  A man in front of me pointed out the delectable treats to another woman in front of me. Before making a beeline to the candy her single response was "Oh, yeah!"  I'm not sure what it was, but it was delicious. 

One of the two live music performances on the street rested in front of Angell & Phelps.  There they were playing upbeat tunes and kept couples light on their feet.  It was very endearing to see so many people dancing the night away under a slightly clouded sky. Pirate hats and glow-in-the-dark swords decorated the streets.  Children ran underfoot, racing each other to the bounce houses on the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Beach Street. 

GEICO had a booth just down the street from the first band I encountered.  They were promoting a $200 gas card raffle.  I signed myself up for that of course!  I even got a handy keychain flashlight that'll blind you for about 5 seconds. 

Amidst the Cruzan and Malibu rum buckets I spotted him.  Captain Jack decided to come pay McCoy a visit.  Surrounded by over-enthused children and under-the-influence adults, I had to wait about five minutes for him to have a free moment to talk with me. 

"Well hello," he said "Are you enjoyin' yourself?"  He was the spitting image of Johnny Depp, in his custom-made Pirates of the Caribbean getup.  He was certainly putting on a real show, with his rum in one hand while strutting around with an authentic swagger.  Being the main and unintended attraction of the night, I figured a good question and answer session would make for good entertainment.

Q: What do you think of Bill McCoy?

A: "Best I could ever ask for.  Bring rum to the states? How can you beat that?"

Barely into our conversation, we were interrupted by an ecstatic little boy and girl.  Unfortunately the mother forgot her camera at home.

            "No picture with the kids?" asked Captain Jack.  "No, I left my phone at home," said the mother of the two children.

            "What're the chances of you running into a pirate?"  Luckily no temper tantrums ensued.  The children were plenty satisfied with talking to him.  Now back to my conversation.

Q: How do you like your rum?

A: "Rum on the rocks, I am Captain Jack Sparrow."

 A group of giggling girls walked by wide-eyed.  You could tell there was some Captain Jack / pirate infatuation going on.  All I heard was one distinctive "He's so hot" comment as they passed by.

Q: Favorite drinking game?

A: "Rumline."

Q: What's that?

A: "A pirate drinking game."

Well I guess that was a silly question to ask.

Q: Been getting a lot of attention tonight?

A: "Oh yeah, you know." 

Judging by his expression he definitely was used to the attention, and genuinely seemed to enjoy playing the role of Jack.  True to form, his posture and speech attracted more attention from photo-hungry fans.

Q: How many pictures have you had to take tonight?

A: "Wow...50 plus?"

The night wasn't even halfway over yet, so I'm guessing he'll be in 100 plus photos by the end of the night.  Afterwards he stood in line for some food before he had too much rum on an empty stomach. 

As I left him to his fans, I narrowly escaped death when I dodged three little girls anxious for pictures. 

The only thing that would have made Captain Jack's visit to the festival more perfect would have been to see the Black Pearl on Beach Street.  With Captain Jack being a local, I'm sure I'll see him again.

(Photographs by Sarah Gerace. Contact@Sarahgerace.com or follow her at http://twitter.com/sarahgerace) 

When a morning like today starts off at 80 degrees many opt for the beach. Freshly burned from the day before, I was looking for a more shaded outdoor adventure, or an indoor air-conditioned excursion.

Driving my white jeep around Daytona Beach, I stumbled upon the Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS) off of Nova Road. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I went to a museum. I think it was about the time pig tails and stirrup spandex pants were still in fashion. I was probably in kindergarten.

Originally I'd intended on going in the museum, but something more interesting caught my eye. Sometimes I have a short attention span and get distracted by shiny things. I self-proclaim myself to have ADD every now and then. What diverted my path was the lily pond sitting outside the Kim A. Klancke, M.D. & Marsha L. Klancke Environmental Education Complex.

The boardwalk starts at the Education Complex and winds through the Tuscawilla Preserve. As sentimental as it sounds, the foliage and flowers encompassing the wooden trail are truly breathtaking.

"Jurassic Park" is the one thing that comes to mind. I was seriously expecting a hoard of raptors to be silently stalking me.

Though the extinct reptiles were no where to be seen (lucky for me), their smaller counterparts were everywhere. Green anole lizards and snakes lined the trail. I would suggest sneakers if you venture off the boardwalk and into the brush. I my flip-flops failed as protective devices; my feet got cut up pretty badly.

The trail contains several information booths, educating its visitors about their surroundings. I was surprised to learn that within the Tuscawilla Preserve, there are hydric hammocks, one of the rarer plant communities in Florida. They are similar to swamps, but tend to be drier.

Due to pesky mosquitoes I recommend bug spray. Also, for those of you who like to touch things: if it looks sharp, it probably is. DON'T TOUCH. (I'm just glad I had a first aid kit in my car.)

If you feel like you're getting lost within the preserve, don't fret. As long as you stay on the boardwalk it'll loop around where it started.

The Tuscawilla Preserve is a hidden treasure, bringing a taste of woodsy charm to the urban city of Daytona. Take a day trip under the green canopies and get back to nature.

Members of the rowing club and tennis courts have been showing up in droves to recent riverfront master plan meetings with fears their island will be commercialized.

They want to make sure their sport of choice doesn't share the same fate as the shuffleboards that dated back more than 70 years: there one day, gone the next. The city said the boards were in serious decline, but the 32 members at that time, in 2006, said they weren't aware they could be removed.

A melting pot of residents arrive for all of the events: on the tennis courts, workers coming home switch places with Bethune -Cookman University's team players; at the library, kids of all backgrounds play side by side; in the farmer's market, young families shop beside older couples for their fresh fruits and vegetables.

On a sunny Saturday morning, if you're not at the City Island tennis courts by 9 a.m., you'll have a problem finding a court.

One group of tourists plans their vacation time to come play tennis every year, said David Crutchfield, president of Friends of City Island Tennis, and they've been loyal visitors for at least 20 years.

And the one thing that could make it better? Four to six more courts, Crutchfield said.

"Recreation, that's what keeps you young," he said. "If you don't have that, you're going to sit in a rocking chair, and that's where you're going to be."

Most of the activities are free for residents and non-residents -- except, of course, the vegetables at the farmer's market. Tennis players pay $5 a year to have a voluntary membership to Friends of City Island Tennis, a group that was formed three years ago when the city tried to privatize the courts.

But the members themselves are so happy to have the courts available to them, they've paid for amenities like two of the courts, new poles, score keepers and fencing themselves. Sometimes the city matches their money.

While Paul Cline, Jr. waits for his wife, Florence, to pick up some greens, he reminisces about growing up in Daytona Beach on City Island and playing in Riverfront Park.

"I like coming back to City Island for the ambiance, and just being in this part of town," Cline said. "I love the sight of the water while I shop."

But what could make it better?

"If they restore the park to an actual park and not a strip of land," he said. "I still see remnants of the cement beds, the water that flowed through the troughs. I'd love more plants, more horticultureal areas with water flowing through it."

Brian Hartley understands the area is prime real estate, as he looks out to the north where his house sits on the east side of the river. But like many others, he hopes the low-rise Orange Avenue bridge, the location of the library, and the idyllic strolls around the farmer's market always give him somewhere to go.

"It gives us a sense of community," Hartley said. "Yeah, sure, it's a poor use of land, but what are we here for?"

Denise Richey and Tom Ritzi play doubles against friends Bill Fleming and Sheila Pence on an exceptionally warm Saturday morning in January. Richey and Ritzi met 35 years ago at the courts, and now are close enough that their families get together.

"Here, the friendships last," Pence said.

Melinda White holds up an average-looking children's book with pictures, colors and words on its pages. But between the pages, she pulls up a clear plastic sheet with Braille letters on it.

"See the little dots on it? Feel all this--how it feels bumpy?" she says to her daughters, Takara, 4, and Sarina, 2, as they touch the clear plastic.

White brought her kids to a celebration of Luise Braille's birthday the City Island Library was throwing. Thirty-three kids sat and listened to Mary Ellen Ottman, a consultant for the state's Division of Blind services, answer questions about seeing eye dog and how she shops for groceries.

With its Discovery Center full of learning toys ranging from musical instruments to play food from different countries and the number of story time sessions and multicultural education days, the library is another place residents go to participate in one of the city's treasured landmarks.

Lakeisha Green watched as one of her 7-year-old twins, Maya Brown, put together a puzzle made of firemen, nurses, and other professions.

"My mom brought me here for story time," Green said. "They're always looking forward to coming here--plus it doesn't cost any money."