Urban Florida hike: Bay views, submarine birds, aggressive squirrels

Google’s walking map for this urban hike requires approximately 20 turns.

I take a few street names from it, apply them to what I see around me, and walk toward water.

I’m in St. Petersburg, Florida for a workshop at The Poynter Institute. I have one hour before the heat index passes the mid-80s at 9 a.m.

My walk meanders past aggressive squirrels, several parks and historic hotels, and yields one early-morning “Hey baby, why aren’t you smiling?”

I detour through the St. Pete Yacht Club and meet the North Bay Trail, joining joggers and cyclists. I know I’m near my destination when gulls wing by: black, white, gray.

Demens Landing Park yields grass, bay, marina, picnic tables. It’s named for the Russian who named this city after the other St. Petersburg.

I steer around puddles and mud from the four inches of rain Tropical Storm Nestor dumped yesterday. It’s quiet at the water’s edge this Sunday morning, and bright. At the horizon, sun meets water in a sheet of gold.

A black bird submarines through the water, only its neck showing. I laugh.

It’s so hot I don’t linger, but that submarine bird alone was worth waking up for.

Hike length: 2.4 miles

Difficulty: easiest

Wildlife spotted/heard: sparrows, gulls, squirrels

Trail traffic: light