Sleeping Turtles South Preserve in Venice, Florida
Area 13 sounds like the name of a top-security area in Nevada where aircraft is tested – sometimes aircraft that looks like a UFO – but it is also a number associated with the magical and mystical in the natural and supernatural worlds. For some individuals, the number thirteen can also signify the presence of beings that exist in the natural world but not always seen by humans. In the case of Sleeping Turtles South Preserve in Venice, Florida, a trail branch bearing marker number thirteen opens the gateway into the world of the fae folk. Perhaps it is the feeling one is about to visit some friends who are awaiting someone from the civilized world. Whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure: there is hardly a feeling of being alone once the destination point is reached.
Located 1/4 of a mile from the preserve’s entrance past a small lake, trail marker number 13 is a very narrow footpath lined with tall grass which ends abruptly at the opening of a meadow. Yet there is something unusual about this meadow and its immediate surroundings. Palm trees dot the landscape, but walking eastward, what seems to be an ordinary oak tree comes into view. Getting closer, however, merits closer inspection, which results in a breathtaking picture postcard: a very ancient oak, hundreds if not a thousand years old, with its lower branches curving against the ground, forming acanthus shapes. Lichens hang from of every branch, with the occasional patch of mold due to the branches being submerged in water during the rainy fall season. One almost expects the Keebler elves to pop out of the tree, but there is no sign of cookie-making woodland beings buzzing about. The only noise that can be heard is the occasional egret or heron nesting by the lake nearby. This tranquil little spot is quiet and peaceful enough, to be sure, but there is a feeling of being watched by someone – or something – in an innocent manner with no malice intended. Magical woodland creatures, after all, are just as intrigued by humans as we are of them.
It is not just this magnificent oak tree which is the prime spot of the area. It may be the biggest, but what is even more intriguing is a little three-sided shelter located thirty yards to the immediate left of this tree. Someone definitely lives here, a being that is both welcoming and friendly to those respectful of the land. The front door is a grapevine growing diagonally from the ground to one of the tree branches, with a “bell pull” in the center. Peering inside, this mysterious structure has a back porch directly facing the sunlight, and a “backyard” beyond the porch next to the meadow. The backyard is big enough for an individual to sit and meditate, secluded from the rest of the trails at the preserve.
There is definitely an atmosphere of magic in this unusual natural structure. Glancing across the meadow beyond, there is a gentle breeze that can be felt in this open-air structure. Butterflies can be seen hovering over wildflowers nearby, a grasshopper munching on a blade of grass. There is no place for worries of the outside world to be here. One is not inclined to do much thinking underneath the clear blue skies, an outdoor monastery where previously existing stresses and concerns dissipates with the fluff of the thistle flower at the end of its lifecycle. Geckos scramble up and down the tree trunks, their tiny heads bobbing up and down as they inspect you.
The best time to visit Sleeping Turtles South Preserve is during the winter and spring season. Most of the trails, including branch #13, are submerged in water during the wet season. If you do go, be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes, bottled water, and some food. Sleeping Turtles South is located on River Rd in Venice, Florida.
Image Credit: Zindbar.
