Our new neighbor recommended we try kayaking the tunnel of love on Cayo Costa. It is a small channel that splits the island and is supposed to be very dramatic. I declined but asked if we could take our rubber raft so the kids could come. Sure. 40 minutes later we were at the hidden entrance of a small channel.

The mangroves bowed over us and we moved along through the water while looking and listening to the many birds until the trees opened up and we were in a small lagoon dotted with herons. We crossed the lagoon and walked out on the beach to see the gulf waves coming into shore.

After a lunch and some beach exploration we went back. We knew there was a fresh water spring and Calusa Native American middens near by but we left that for another day.