View from across Charlotte Harbor at Bayshore Park

We ventured across the bridge today to old Charlotte Harbor Town.   To see Punta Gorda from the vantage point of the newly refurbished fishing pier extending from the park which hugs the other side of the harbor along Bayshore Road is to view it in its full sweeping panoramic splendor.  It's the view that lured many here initally despite the difficulties in originally settling  and developing this land, which nature still wrestles to keep to itself.  

We ended up at the pier following a dophin which was zooming through the harbor at breakneck speed.   Fishermen were just preparing for their day, and I hit them with the typical and probably annoying fishing questions, but they were friendly and told me about the fishing from pier, which right now due to the cooler than usual weather for this time of year isn't the best.  But there was promise, the one fisherman told me and soon the harbor would be teaming with snapper, snook, mackerel and more.   The dolphin he said traveled back and forth with the tide following would-be meals.  At that moment, waters near Portofino's restaurant beach erupted into splashing activity -- obviously our dolphin had either found a treat or something bigger had found him.    We later saw him soaring back towards the peer so evidentally if he was the prey, he managed to escape.

The park, which has recently been revitalized and beautified, is a lovely place to have an afternoon picnic or to stroll along the river.   There are facilities, restrooms and the like and further along Bayshore at the Live Oak Park, you can visit the Charlotte County Historic Center.

On the way back to Punta Gorda, we stopped at Flowers Discount Bread  Shop on the other side of Bayshore.  Wow! Some of  my favorite brands at low prices --- and its not stale bread.  We picked up two loafs for a little over 2 bucks -- not bad.   We'll be back.