It's hot as blazes — but Brevard boasts countless ways to chill come summer | Suzy Leonard
When my friends Ann Maloney and Colley Charpentier moved to Cocoa Beach from Washington, D.C., a couple of months ago, they heard lots of warnings about the heat.
“Get ready for summer,” they were told, as March’s mild temperatures carried over into April.
Ann and Colley weren’t afraid. D.C. was their most recent stop on their journey to retirement. They’re from South Louisiana and are well-versed in heat and humidity. They also have a have higher-than-average knowledge of hurricanes, roaming alligators and BOUS (bugs of unusual size).
Yes, it’s hot down here, but they didn’t move here for the snowboarding or sledding.
For the past few weeks, I’ve joined them in exploring the joy of summer on the Space Coast. (Yes, I know it technically won’t be summer until June 20, but tell that to the thermometer.)
A great place to start is the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. In the morning, towering trees keep the sun at bay while providing the perfect dappled lighting to show off intricate spider webs created by golf-ball-size artisans.
We listened to birdsong and tried to find the singers among the shadows, leaves and shafts of light.
As the temperature rose, we hopped back into the air-conditioned car and drove along a canal where we discovered countless gators, moorhens, herons, egrets and anhinga.
The area’s newest residents, flamingos, proved elusive, but we’re planning another trip after work on the Haulover Canal Bridge is completed later this month.
Our adventure ended with a late lunch at BurgerRobs in downtown Titusville.
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Sunsets are gorgeous this time of year, and what better way to see a sunset than from the water?
The Indian River Queen, a triple-decker paddle wheeler docked at the Whitley Bay Marina in Cocoa Village, offers monthly sunset cruises that include dinner and music.
We gathered a group of friends and turned the evening into a monumental date night. Musician Joe Calautti performed on the second deck, and couples started dancing before we’d even left the dock.
We bought drinks at the bar and headed to the upper deck for the panoramic view. After dinner, catered by Crydermans Barbecue, on the main deck, it was back up top. Joe’s wide variety of music drifted up to us as the sky shifted from blue to pink and orange and finally black dotted with myriad stars. Magic.
Another sunset-viewing opportunity came with a little upper-body exercise.
Our Fin Expeditions kayak tour began at 6:15 p.m. near the Cocoa Beach Aquatic Center.
Coated in sunscreen and bug spray and armed with bottles of water, we donned our life vests and settled into our vessels, ready for a trip into the Banana River’s Thousand Islands Conservation Area..
Few things test the mettle of a marriage like paddling into the unknown in a tandem kayak. One couple requested two singles. Both are experienced on the water and knew better than to compete over steering privileges.
A pod of dolphins skipped along beside us in open water, and we spied the snouts of lumbering manatees.
My marriage is strong, but things got a tad dicey when we plunged into the dark depths of mangrove tunnels too narrow for long kayak paddles. Eventually, my husband and I came up with a system for grabbing branches and propelling the craft along.
We emerged at the other end of the tunnel and were rewarded with another stunning sunset.
The heat was no match for the beauty of the evening.
With the right equipment, clothing and attitude, summer is a glorious time to be in Central Florida.
I can’t wait to discover the other gifts the season has to offer.
Suzy Fleming Leonard is a retired writer and editor for FLORIDA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Even in summer's sweaty grip, life in Brevard is cool | Suzy Leonard
