3 To Do: Estuaries Day; Stone crab blessing
1. This weekend: National Estuaries Day Rookery Bay 40th anniversary event
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Road, Naples.
This annual event includes staff-narrated boat tours introductory 30-minute kayaking trips and stand-up paddle boarding demos on Henderson Creek, Estuary Encounter interactive marine life exhibit, kids' crafts, Junior Scientist activities, behind-the-scenes tours of the science labs, films, a food truck and more.
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The event is free. VIP passes available; skip lines and get front-row seating, $25.
Information: Rookerybay.org/calendar. 239-530-5940.
2. Daytime Pickle Ball at the Marco YMCA
The daytime pickle ball courts are now available. Players can enjoy the advanced round robins on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and those who are beginners or intermediates can play on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Time frame for all is 9:30 until 11:30 a.m. The program is free to members and only $15 for others. Instructional clinics are slated to begin in October 2018.
Information: www.marcoymca.org.
3. Saturday: Blessing of the Fleet
Before you know it, we'll be eating delicious fresh stone crab claws again! But, do we think about the boats that go out at 4:00 a.m. each morning, whatever the weather?
Fishermen will set their traps soon to pull them up laden with the rare local goodies on Oct. 15 when the season for harvesting officially begins.
To make sure they have a good send off, Everglades City is holding its annual "Blessing of the Stone Crab Fleet" on Saturday, Sept. 29, at the historic Rod & Gun Club on the Barron River. The event starts at 10 a.m. with fun for all the family and ends at 1 p.m. after the contest results are announced. There will be Arts & Crafts booths, music, raffles, and bake sales. Local pastors will bless each boat at around 10:30 a.m.
The celebration is being organized by the Everglades Society for Historic Preservation.