Summer 2024
MANAGER’S MESSAGE
by Jessica Cabral
As we bid farewell to another successful event season, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our incredible partners, sponsors, volunteers, and rangers for their dedication and enthusiasm over these last several months. Their work truly makes a difference in supporting the park’s mission and creating memorable experiences for our community. From organizing engaging programs, to ensuring the park is a welcoming and vibrant space for everyone, their commitment to The Barnacle is truly inspirational. High quality programs like The Barnacle Under Moonlight Concert Series, Washington’s Birthday Regatta, the Commodore’s Birthday Party, Poetry Night, Woofstock and Holiday Barkzaar would not be possible without their help, and it is my hope that all of you who participate in our wide variety of events enjoy the fruits of their tireless efforts.
Proceeds from special events directly address the park’s cultural and natural resource management needs and goals. Past projects include installation of fire suppression systems in The Barnacle house museum and Commodore Munroe’s boathouse, ArmorScreen hurricane protection for our historic buildings, maintenance of the sailboat Egret (a full-scale replica of Munroe’s 1886 sharpie), and reconstruction of the marine railway. Future projects currently in permitting include repairing the boathouse roof, replacing a wooden boundary fence, and an award-winning Master Landscape Plan intended to combat erosion and improve pedestrian circulation to the main lawn.
As we transition into summer, I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead as planning begins for the next event season starting this September. I invite you to join us in the interim by volunteering in the gift shop, museum, or boathouse, or by simply taking in the tranquil beauty of The Barnacle with friends and family.
A STROLL THROUGH THE PARK
by Amy Exum
As summer heats up, we hope everyone is finding ways to stay cool and enjoy the sunny days! One of the best places to beat the heat is right here at Barnacle State Park. With its refreshing shoreline breeze and the cool, shaded hammock area, the park offers a perfect escape from the summer swelter. Whether you're looking to relax with a good book, take a leisurely stroll, or simply enjoy nature's beauty, the Barnacle is the place to be.
We've had a fantastic year, filled with memorable events that brought our community together. Our annual fundraiser, Cheeseburger in Paradise, was a resounding success, and we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated. Poetry Night inspired us with beautiful words from local high school students, and our Flamenco Night was truly spectacular, with dancers setting the stage on fire with their passionate performances.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce that our annual concert series will kick off on the second Friday of each month starting in September. Members of Barnacle State Park enjoy discounted tickets, so if you haven’t yet, consider becoming a member to take advantage of this and other great perks.
If you love the park and want to contribute to its upkeep and events, please consider volunteering. Your support is crucial and greatly appreciated.
Wishing everyone a wonderful summer, filled with joy and relaxation. We look forward to seeing you at the park soon!
INAUGURAL POETRY NIGHT AT THE BARNACLE
by Marc Stone
April 14, 2024 marked the launch of a new annual park event, Poetry Night at The Barnacle, which beyond all expectations has already become a community treasure for the celebration of National Poetry Month in Miami. Poetry Night featured selected poetry written by over 200 Miami-Dade high school students who submitted nearly 400 poems for consideration. Participating schools included Belen, Carrollton, Christopher Columbus, Coral Gables, Gulliver Prep, Miami Palmetto, Miami Senior, Palmer Trinity, Ransom Everglades, Riviera Prep, and Young Women’s Preparatory Academy. Over 300 people attended, and next year’s event has already been scheduled for Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Selected student finalists performed their work from a podium in an outdoor theatre setting, followed by a featured reading by renowned Miami poet, Ricardo Pau-Llosa, the first recipient of the Anhinga Poetry Prize and a Pulitzer Prize nominee. Another selected 100 student poems were posted throughout the park for all to read. The finalist poems were judged by four nationally recognized, award-winning poets, Richard Blanco (fifth inaugural poet of the U.S), Cambell McGrath (winner of MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship), Mr. Pau-Llosa, and Michael Hettich (The Tampa Review Prize in Poetry and Florida Book Award). Complimentary (and delicious) food and refreshments were served under the park pavilion after the readings.
“We gave a lot of thought to what kind of poetry event this should be,” said The Barnacle Society’s Marc Stone, Poetry Night’s creator and emcee, who also rehearsed with the student readers and is himself a published poet and short fiction writer. “We decided to focus it on the students—after all, these are our emerging poets and writers, and I believe this experience turned out to be priceless for them.”
Here are just some of the glowing reactions that were received:
“[A] wonderful event to support young writers and get poetry out in front of people in interesting ways.”
---Richard Blanco, fifth inaugural poet of the United States and Miami-Dade’s first poet laureate
“This will certainly be a cornerstone of our National Poetry Month celebrations for years to come!”
---Matthew Helmers, Ph.D., Upper School English Coordinator
“It was truly an honor for us to be a part of such a prestigious event…. Moments like these inspire an uplift young minds, fostering a deep love and appreciation for the art of poetry. Having renowned poets judge their work added an extra layer of significance to the event. This validation will surely encourage my students to continue honing their craft and pursuing their passion for poetry. I look forward to participating again next year.”
---Andrea Spivak, Head of Language Arts, Miami Palmetto Senior High
“Poetry Night at The Barnacle was a spectacular event… and I hope it will continue to be a showcase for beautiful words in a beautiful setting. What a gift to our next generation of poets.”
---Corinne K. Rhyner, English Faculty, Ransom Everglades
“I feel like I was able to really connect with some of the other writers there, and we’ve started a group chat for us to continue talking to each other. Hearing everyone else’s pieces was so amazing, and I feel so inspired to continue writing.”
---Patrick, First Place Award
“Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity! …Poetry is a beautiful, vulnerable experience, and I felt that while on stage.”
---Lorena, Finalist Reader
“Poetry Night at The Barnacle on April 14 th was an important step forward in the promotion of native-born and raised, young literary talent in South Florida. This burgeoning metropolis has yet to produce a major literary publication or press. That, hopefully, will soon change. And when it does, the poetry and literary scene in greater Miami will likely look back at Poetry Night as a triggering point.”
---Ricardo Pau-Llosa, featured guest poet
Generous sponsorships and donations for the event were provided by Awards TrophyWorld, Books & Books Literary Foundation, Carnegie Mellon University Press, Milam’s, Stanzaz, The Fresh Market, Total Wine & More and TradeStation.
Annie and Girl Scouts at The Barnacle
PRESERVING OUR PAST
by Suzanne Koptur
Girl Scouts Ambassador Annie Marlin came up with a very important mission for her Girl Scouts Silver Award project: she created a project for younger Girl Scouts to learn about historic preservation in our local community. She taught the girls in person at the Barnacle, which was one of the local historic sites featured in her Silver Award project. Her lessons also featured Vizcaya, Merrick House, and the Lighthouse at Crandon Park. Her efforts resulted in a booklet, which you can read here.
Girl Scouts attending class under the Mico Pavilion
Annie is an 11th grader at Palmer Trinity School, and is thinking about where she will attend university and what her program of study will be (English? History?). Whatever she chooses, her ultimate goal is to attend law school! She has been a Girl Scout since 5th grade and we are eagerly awaiting her Girl Scouts Gold Award project.
THE NATURE OF THINGS AT THE BARNACLE
by Suzanne Koptur
Fabulous flowers of frangipani
As we make our way up the hill toward the well, we come to a lovely white-flowered frangipani (Plumeria rubra). A member of the milkweed family (Apocynaceae), the plants have milky latex that helps protect them from herbivores, except for those specialists that know how to handle the latex and chemicals it contains. Outbreaks of coral snake mimic caterpillars of the hawkmoth Pseudosphinx tetrio can occasionally be seen in Miami, but they are much more common in Central America.
Frangipani plants are well known as flowers in the leis that Hawaiians use to welcome and celebrate visitors to the islands. Some are fragrant, others are not, and their shape and colors suggest they would have nectar and be adapted for pollination by moths and/or hummingbirds.
I’d always assumed these lovely plants were native to the Pacific, but thanks to FIU botanists Nichole Tiernan and Javier Francisco-Ortega, I’ve learned that the Caribbean is a center of their diversity, as well as Central and South America. They are horticultural favorites as they are so easily grown from cuttings – get a stick cut from a frangipani, put it in the ground the right way up, and soon you will have a new tree. This method will give you an exact clone of the tree from which the cutting was taken. New genetic combinations arise from plants grown from seeds. Plumeria rubra is the most commonly cultivated species, but as botanists explore and bring new species to gardens, maybe others will become common in the ornamental flora of Florida.
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
The News Packet was created to inform members and public about The Barnacle Society, The Barnacle Historic State Park, and events and activities there. Published quarterly by The Barnacle Society, it is part of our continuing program to support and preserve the home of Commodore Ralph Middleton Munroe. The News Packet represents the method of mail and news delivery before the turn of the 20th century. A small boat sailed to Fowey Rocks Light and received a “packet” of newspapers and mail from passing coastal ships bound for Key West or Jacksonville.
Suzanne Koptur, Editor
BOARD MEMBERS
Officers
Amy Exum, President
Sweet Pea Ellman, 1st VP
TBD, 2nd VP
Graham Coords, 3rd VP
Olivier deLavalette, Treasurer
TBD, Recording Secretary
John Palenchar, Corresponding Secretary
Directors
Ashley Castillo, Debra Wellins, Mary Scott Russell, Marc Stone, Pam Shlachtman
MISSION STATEMENT
The Barnacle Society, Inc. is a volunteer non-profit, citizen-supported organization created to generate public awareness, education, and financial support for the preservation and maintenance of The Barnacle Historic State Park.
PARK HOURS
Friday through Wednesday 9 AM to 5 PM Closed Thursdays, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.