A Morning on Blue Cypress Lake

One cannot admire Blue Cypress Lake from its shoreline; it has no shoreline to speak of, at least not one of solid ground. Thousands of bald cypress trees form the perimeter of the 6,500-acre lake, even emerging from the water itself, forming a veritable enchanted forest through which a wayfarer must float.

The cypress mazes are peaceful, with Spanish moss swaying gracefully in a silence punctuated only by osprey calls and the occasional airboat. Navigating the trunks and gnarled knees of the cypress trees, one explores the alcoves, gliding through the water lilies, sawgrass, and alligator flag—a plant with an apt name, since the familiar snouts and eyes break the surface ubiquitously here.

There are no cars in sight, no crowds, no Wi-Fi. To reach this haven of Old Florida, one must head west from Vero Beach on State Road 60 to the far reaches of Indian River County and turn off about 6 miles before reaching Yeehaw Junction. A rustic 5-mile road traverses pastureland, fields, and wetlands, ending at Middleton’s Fish Camp Park, a small outpost with a bait-and-tackle shop and the only boat ramp on Blue Cypress Lake. Fishermen come here for largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish, and more.

Nature lovers come here to bird-watch, take photographs, and, most of all, immerse themselves in simple, unspoiled, un- groomed beauty.

We are grateful to Captain Roy Bass, a man clearly destined for his line of work, for an intimate sunrise expedition on the lake.