Lots to do outdoors in SW Florida this fall

It may not feel like fall with the mercury still pushing 90, but it is if you gauge the increasing number of outdoors-related events and news. Plus outdoorsy holiday gift idea info is beginning to flow freely to my Yahoo mailbox — not just from public relations types but from family and friends as well.

Here's a roundup to get you revved up for fall in Southwest Florida:

. Wind in your sails: More than 250 youth sailors from around the country will swarm North Fort Myers' North Shore Park this weekend for the annual River Romp Regatta, a multi-class regatta that's a Junior Olympic competition sanctioned by the U.S. Sailing Association. Edison Sailing Center hosts it, and 20 of its members will compete. Watch from Centennial Park starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Details: www.edisonsailingcenter.org.

. Tight lines: The Snook Cowboy is coming to Cape Coral for a presentation on snook, redfish and flats fishing. The kayaking cowboy, aka Craig Timbes of Pine Island, will be at Backwater Outfitters from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, with the seminar at 2 p.m. It's free. Details: 541-2532 or www.backwateroutfitters. com.

The annual River Romp Regatta on the Caloosahatchee draws 250 sailors from across the nation. The 10th annual Pine Island Elementary Fishing Tournament & Derby is set for Sunday, Oct. 26, at Olde Fish House Marina, Matlacha. Last year, the $17,000 in proceeds bought the school 16 SMART Boards. Adults and children can enter, and those who don't want to fish can participate in the various auctions, a raffle and fish fry. Plus there's live music. Details: 872-1631.

. Float your boat: The annual marine cleanup — Monofilament Madness — is set for Sunday, Oct. 26. Head out at safe light to pick up fishing line and other trash, then join Keep Lee County Beautiful Inc. at noon to dump the stuff and get a free lunch. The Waterfront Restaurant in St. James City and the Mound House on Fort Myers Beach are the eatin' sites. Kayakers are welcome along with powerboaters both places, or they can join paddling clubs at the bayside of Lovers Key to do the same thing. A Picnic Island cleanup is also planned. Details: 334-3488 or e-mail klcb32@cs.com.

The second season of the KayakSlam Tournament Series kicked off last weekend, and you can now mark your yak-fishin' calendar for Nov. 22 when Joe's Crab Shack in Naples plays host to the KayakSlam's nine-event West Coast series. It's all catch and release. Details: (941) 637-5953 or www.kayakslam.com.

. Hit the trail: Gov. Charlie Crist wants you to take a hike or grab a paddle. October is Greenways and Trails Month, an annual Department of Environmental Protection gig to encourage Florida residents and visitors to discover the many free recreational activities, alternative transportation options and health benefits provided by both greenways and trails. Details: www.floridagreenwaysandtrails. com.

Don't forget to check out the 190-mile paddling trail here in Lee County during the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival, which runs nine days starting Oct. 25. The kickoff is in Bonita Springs and the closer is on Pine Island, and more than 70 guided paddling trips are offered at all points in between. It's more than just touring, though. Speakers, demos and more are on tap. Details: www. calusabluewaypaddlingfestival.com.

. Reptile delight: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's new rule regarding harvesting freshwater turtles goes into effect Oct. 23. The bag limit now will be five turtles per person per day for recreational types. Tidbit: Florida softshell turtles lay more eggs than any other freshwater turtle in North America. Details: www.myfwc.com.

Gator season just got longer for those with permits to hunt, if they're doing it in Seminole or Volusia counties. Flooding on the St. Johns River from Tropical Storm Fay prompted the FWC to issue the executive order, but it's just for certain areas and only from Nov. 1 through Dec. 1. Details: myfwc. com/gators.

. Hello holidays: Fort Myers-based Offshore Sailing School wants you to give the gift of wind-powered boating. The school will give an ultimate crew sailing jacket with the purchase of a minimum $300 gift certificate for sailing lessons, a course tuition or learning vacation package. Details: www. offshoresailing.com or (800) 221-4326.

Anglers may put this on their holiday list: The ARC Dehooker. It's an eco-friendly tool that safely removes internal and external hooks, and comes in various sizes to meet the design standards of numerous agencies, including NOAA and the National Marine Fisheries Services. ARC is also the exclusive distributor of the Florida Sea Grant Novak Venting Tool Kit. ARC, by the way, stands for Daytona Beach-based Aquatic Release Conservation, Inc., which is known for educational outreach materials. Details: www.arcdehooker.com.

— Betsy Clayton is a freelancer based on Pine Island and also is Lee County Parks & Recreation's waterways coordinator. Contact her at boatingbybetsy@yahoo.com.

Where's the Blueway Mobile?

>>Saturday, Oct. 18: at Oktoberfest at the German American Social Club in Cape Coral

>>Sunday, Oct. 19: at the River Romp Regatta at North Shore Park in downtown Fort Myers