Sports & Outdoors
December storm was no match for white pelican visitors
December 21, 2023
By MICHELLE STARR
On a morning drive over the Boca Causeway, I get a true bird’s eye view of Little Gasparilla Pass, the sandbar and local water clarity and condition.
The high winds over the…
A one-legged ibis visit, and his wedge near the waterworks
December 15, 2023
Last week, a subscriber came into the Beacon office to ask for help with a one-legged ibis. The ibis was stranded by his flock (or in bird lingo, a wedge, or congregation or stand of birds). People…
Cool temps wake up wildlife
December 15, 2023
BY CAPT. JOE LACLAIR
With a couple very cold evenings the water temps have really started to fall. What seems to be different this winter is the amount of rainfall we are still experiencing. This…
Manatees make their winter swim
December 8, 2023
By Michelle Starr
Manatees are on the move. Over the last few weeks our beloved sea cows have been spotted in groups of as large as six around the Boca Grande Fishing Pier.
They have als…
Lemon Bay Golf Club celebrates founders, course renovation
December 8, 2023
After a complete course renovation, Lemon Bay celebrated Thursday, Nov. 30 with a grand re-opening party. It was more than that, and included a marking of the founding of the club, with inaugural pu…
Youth dive into water quality survey around Cape Haze & Coral Creek
December 2, 2023
When a group of Cape Haze residents met last month with Charlotte County officials about a proposed sewer project in their neighborhood, they had a new set of data: water quality tests taken by a gr…
Manatees waiting for much-needed help this season
December 1, 2023
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King’s horses and all the King’s men Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.”
Lewis Carroll
There is now a great push t…
Gasparilla Island State Park targets invasive plants
December 1, 2023
Gasparilla Island State Park is finishing a restoration project to remove invasive plants from the southern half of the island, north of Boca Grande Pass.
Restoration projects are frequently und…
Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic sets 2024 dates
November 29, 2023
The Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic dates for 2024 have been set.
The tournament, sponsored by the Boca Beacon’s publisher, Dusty Hopkins, will be held at the Boca Bay Pass Club, The Gaspar…
SW Florida Fishing: Thanksgiving on the water
November 24, 2023
BY CAPT. WILL WATERHOUSE
An amazing Thanksgiving week of fishing in Boca Grande. Look for the redfish near man- groves and deeper edges, the majority of the reds are on the smaller side, but som…