As noted in a previous blog, our facilities offer tennis, swimming, bocce ball, a putting green, a fully equipped fitness center, biking, jogging, kayaking and the most popular of all forms of exercise here: fishing. Whether you’re hauling fifty pounds of rods, reels, bait bucket, tackle box(es), and portable chair down to the lake or just casting over and over, you can work up a sweat and tone your arms and core at the same time.

Actually, I’ve seen some very large fish, up to 35 pounds, pulled out of our lake and nearly all are returned to their wet environment after the angler takes a selfie with his/her gasping companion. However, the sport of fishing isn’t all gummy bears and pink tutus.

Besides the obvious pitfalls of sunburn, bug bites, dehydration and having a fish spit out your hook, you can fall into the water (don’t forget your floaties!) or be on the verge of netting your bass or snook and, without warning, our resident alligator can surface with your catch in his toothy jaws.

If he decides you’ve caught his lunch, no use crying over a lost trophy. Admit that your favorite lure is gone for good.

And if you’re gracious enough to wish the gator “bon appetite” as he sinks beneath the surface, at least you know my friend Rainbow would be proud of you.