Walk on the wild side beneath the full moon

Maybe there’s no scientific explanation for it, but anyone who has spent winter in Southwest Florida has noticed the full moons look huge here.

I’ll tell you what: They look even larger when you get away from the city and go for a walk.

Not something you’d do on your own? Go on a guided full-moon hike. The CREW Marsh is hosting an event. Staff members tout it as a chance to explore using senses other than sight, although the moonlight around here sometimes appears as bright as ball-field lights.

Mark your calendar for Friday, Feb. 26. It’s only $5 but you have to make a reservation by calling 657-2253 or e-mailing Brenda Thomas at bthomas_crew@ earthlink.net. CREW Marsh is a remote, magical place with five miles of hiking trails easily accessible from Southwest Florida’s cities. From Naples, travel north on Interstate 75 then take Exit 123 (Corkscrew Road/County Road 850) and travel east. From Fort Myers, travel east on Martin Luther King Boulevard/State Road 82) for 20 miles and turn right on County Road 850.

CREW, by the way, stands for Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. It’s a nonprofit with an outstanding Web site. www.CrewTrust.org.

In other outdoors news:

Fishing show: The annual Florida Sportsman Fishing & Boat Show is this weekend. The Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers will feature gear, demos and, of course, a few tall tales from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7. It’s $8 for adults and free for children 12 and younger with a parent. Get more details at www.FloridaSportsman. com/shows/.

Grouper reminder: The Gulf grouper sport season closed Feb. 1. That means now you can’t catch and keep any shallowwater grouper — gag, black, red, yellowfin, scamp, yellowmouth, rock hind and red hind — until April 1. It’s spawning season for the fish. You can get complete rules and regulations at www.MyFWC.com.

Dead fish cleanup: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has extended its executive order to aid dead saltwater fish cleanup efforts. It was supposed to expire last weekend but now won’t until Sunday, Feb. 28, because the agency continues to receive reports of dead fish in many pockets around the state.

We’re no exception. I was at a chamber of commerce event last week and people were whipping out their iPhones to show photos of snook in their canals and sharing stories of nasty-smelling shorelines. The long January cold snap killed way too many fish.

So the state temporarily suspended certain saltwater fishing regulations to allow people and local communities to legally dispose of dead fish found in the water and on the shore. The order allows people to collect dead saltwater fish from Florida’s shoreline and from the water by hand, cast net, dip net or seine. Get more details at www.MyFWC.com and click on rules and regulations for saltwater fish. There’s a “fish kills” link.

Boating events: The event that touts itself as “the world’s largest boat show” may be smaller this year because the marine industry is still suffering from the recession. But for many Southwest Floridians, the Miami International Boat Show is an annual event likened to visiting Disney World for boaters. It starts next week, running Thursday, Feb. 11, through Monday, Feb. 15. Get details at www.MiamiBoat- Show.com.

The Charlotte Harbor Regatta starts Thursday, Feb. 4, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 7. Charlotte-based businesses are stepping up. There’s an inexpensive trolley service with transportation to scenic spectator venues and there’s a charter company that’s offering 90-minute harbor cruses to watch the sailors. The Web site has all the details plus the skinny on the sailors. Check it out at www.Charlotte- HarborRegatta.com.

Photo contests: If nature photography is your outdoors passion, you have no shortage of opportunities.

The National Wildlife Federation is now accepting entries for its 40th annual contest. This one gives away $30,000 cash to winners and publishes their pictures in December. Deadline is in July. Get details at www.NWF.org/PhotoContest.

The Calusa Blueway canoe and kayak trail is reviving its photo contest. Wildlife and paddling photos from along Lee County’s 190-mile trail will be accepted until Oct. 1. ABC Framing will turn winners’ photos into artwork, framing and matting enlarged images. Contest details will be available this month at www. CalusaBluewayPaddlingFestival.com.

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is honoring its photo contest winners with a reception at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, at the South Fort Myers preserve. There were 36 entrants and 150 photos. Visit www. SloughPreserve.org for information. 

— 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