It took an hour drive up the coast and a 3.5 mile ride on a dirt road to locate the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. There were no signs and luck (we ran into a U.S. Fish & Wildlife warden a few miles back) to find the entrance to the Historic Jungle Trail to access the refuge. 

President Theodore Roosevelt set aside Pelican Island as a preserve and breeding ground for native birds on March 14, 1903.  It is our first protected land.  Plume hunters, egg collectors and vandals had exterminated all the egrets, herons and spoonbills from Pelican Island in the 1800’s to meet turn of the century fashion demands i.e. feathers for hats.  Roosevelt set out to protect it by creating The National Wildlife Refuge System.  It has grown to encompass over 540 refuges of carefully chosen habitats that support abundant wildlife. It is one of America’s greatest conservation stories.

Pelican Island is now a bird rookery island, providing nesting habitat for over thirty species of water birds that use the island during the winter migratory season. Over 130 species  birds are found throughout the refuge. 

We saw bottlenose dolphin, lots of jumping fish, herons, osprey and egrets.  After three hours in the refuge, we met up with one fellow kayaker and two onlookers.  It is common among a few wildlife refuges–a lack of visitors–since there is no mention of the word “park” in their name. 

There is at least one wildlife refuge in each of the 50 states and within an hour drive of a major city. They offer a spectacular outdoor experience–check it out.  It is now one of our best kept secrets!