Mike and Connie have moved down here, settling in Ft Myers. We had a wonderful day with them - brunch, walking and biking on beautiful trails, relaxing in the spa pool, and dinner out. I AM happy, apparently just a little tired~
The next day the boys went for more bike riding and about 3 hours of kayaking. They took the kayaks down the river to the Manatee Park. The warm water discharge from a nearby power plant attracts the manatees, lots of manatees! Luke says they were within 10 feet of his kayak when they came up to breathe - tough to get a picture, holding a paddle, with manatees so close, maybe rocking the boat! Luke was a tired explorer. Here is Mike taking a picture of Luke's kayak.
The girls had a girls day out! We were joined by Ali, who also moved to Ft. Myers just a few years ago. Off to historic Venice for a leisurely lunch and lottsa shopping.
Yesterday Connie and Mike joined us for a 2 hour drive to the Everglades. SO glad they were open. Our first stop was at the Shark Valley Visitor Center. No, no sharks now. Apparently early explorers found sharks that went upstream to have their babies. Thank goodness, no sharks now. But there are alligators....
The center offers a 2 1/2 hour narrated tram ride through the 15 mile trail.
Yup, we took it!
It was great; an informed guide and a driver who stopped for birds and alligators made the time fly by.
Oh, there are alligators everywhere. They are beside the road, on the road, in the water, sleeping on the warm road. Everywhere. And they are large.
Soooo glad we weren't walking the trail. We estimated that we saw at least 75 gaters.
The vast prairie that we drove through is flooded this time of year, making it look more like a shallow bog. In the summer, this land is truly a dry prairie.
In the back of the above picture, you can see a "dome" - a raised area of trees, tallest trees in the center, gradually working out to shorter trees. This raised area gives refuge to anything that doesn't really care to live full time in the water, as well as alligators.
When the government chose to displace the Native peoples, many of them hid in the domes, making a new life for themselves there. It wasn't until the 1930's that they moved back to "dry" land, now living on a reservation in the Everglades.
There are also deeper water pools, now covered with beautiful water lilies. There are alligator holes, dug out over time by dedicated digging by the alligators. This is where they and many of the smaller water animals like turtles, otters, and fish wait out the dry summer.
Luke and I both caught shots of this Great Blue Heron taking off. Different cameras, different light settings, and different views.
Our tram ride included a 20 minute stop at a high overlook.
Luke, overlooking one side of the park.
The other side, the road out.
Our guide showed us a python skin from the Everglades. This is a small one, the tip just about touching his waist.
Burmese Pythons are an invasive species that are wreaking havoc on the Everglades. With no natural enemies (just man), they are rapidly taking over the ecosystem. Virtually all deer, racoons, rabbits, and other small animals are no longer found in the Everglades. They are working their way north, also, with the prediction that they will be as far north as New Jersey in 30 years. Happy note - cold seems to bother them.
A few more birds - a Red Shouldered Hawk
The anhingas are abundant. This female (you can tell by her reddish chest and neck) is looking straight at us, a little silly looking from this angle.
The male anhinga is drying is beautiful feathers. Both sexes have these markings.
On our way home, we stopped at the Oasis Visitor Center. This center has a long boardwalk that overlooks a wide creek. FULL of alligators, turtles, and gars.
They were literally laying on top of each other in one area.
We also saw lots of other birds - these are not my pictures. wood storks
Roseat spoonbills
and Kingfishers.
Today is a "work" day - showers, blog, a little shopping, etc.
OH! And Luke took the garbage to the dumpster earlier. Sitting in a far corner of the dumpster, very forlorn and a little afraid, sat a small raccoon. Luke called the ranger who said they will put a board in the dumpster and the little guy will use it to climb out. Not their first raccoon! LOL
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