Gasparilla Island State Park

The Gasparilla Iceland State Park is located at the southern end of Gasparilla Iceland , an island golf in Southwest Florida at Boca Grande . The offshore island can only be reached via the toll road Boca Grande Causeway . The Florida State Park is 51 hectares and was inaugurated 1983rd Two beaches, Sea Grape and Range Light, are in the park.

Gasparilla Island State Park is America's first two time winner of the National Gold Medal , an award from the National Recreation and Park Association in the United States.

Worth seeing

The Boca Grande lighthouse, built in 1890 on the southern tip of the island, as well as the affiliated museum and visitor center are well worth seeing. The lighthouse is one of the oldest structures in Lee County and is the oldest building on the island. The US Coast Guard operated the lighthouse until 1966, and since 1983 it has been open to the public after extensive renovations. In 1986 it was added to the list of the National Register of Historic Places .

Wildlife

Various waders such as the heron can be encountered here. Manatees , ospreys and the gopher tortoise can also be seen. The fish stocks off Gasparilla Island are considered to be the richest in Florida, popular fish species are the redfish , trout , snook , cobia and tarpon .

Ranger program

The park rangers organize a walk through the park every Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. and explain the history and the plants and animals that live in the park.

Myths and legends

Renovated Boca Grande Lighthouse from 1890

Legend has it that the island is named after the pirate Jose Gaspar, who used the island with his crew as a refuge and hiding place in the 1700s. A ghost is apparently the headless appearance of a Spanish princess named Josefa or Yuseppa, who was once kidnapped by a pirate. Jose Gaspar fell in love with her but after she was not interested and rejected the pirate, he furiously pulled out his sword and cut off her head with it. Unfortunately, his love for the princess was so great that he ruefully buried her body on the beach near the historic lighthouse, which was built later, but took her head with him, so that the ghost apparition is still restlessly searching for her missing head is located.