On Naples Pier

On a hot, humid day in Florida, the Naples Pier is a wonderful place to visit. First built in 1888 as a freight and passenger dock and rebuilt after various hurricanes, today the pier attracts fishermen, tourists, and locals out for a stroll. The air is cooled delightfully by the water below and one can gaze for miles down the lovely beach, whose sand is so soft and white that it's known as "sugar sand."

This afternoon, there were many fisherman on the pier. The bait on their lines attracted fish, which in turn attracted pelicans, gulls, and even a mother dolphin teaching her youngster to fish. A park official told me that the dolphins are experts at extricating bait from hooks without getting hooked themselves. As an added bonus, high in the sky above the pier, I spotted a bald eagle. It turns out a pair of them hang out atop the highest tree overlooking the pier.

The Naples Pier provides the setting for a harmonious confluence of man and nature. I was happy to be part of it today.

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