Wednesday, January 23: Florida City-The Everglades, Flamingo

These past few days we have explored the Everglades National Park. This experience has been so educational for us; we have learned so much about this million + acre of subtropical home to over 600 species of birds, the American alligator, crocodiles, and Florida’s national bird-the mosquito.

What is very interesting is that the Everglades began as a 50-mile wide slow, very slow, moving fresh water river that covered the southern area of Florida from Lake Okeechobee.  While traveling along the boardwalks and drive-ways we were not beyond a sea level of four foot.

We checked out each of the trails and overlooks on our 40 mile drive along the Coastal Prairie Trail to the most southern tip of the Everglades known as Flamingo. Flamingo is a remote, desolate area, which, after several attempts to establish as cotton plantations, fishing industry, town place, has become a campground and limited visitor’s center. A hurricane in 2005 severely damaged the 1950’s buildings and remains unrepaired due to lack of funds.

Standing at the shoreline we looked out to a bay of keys, similar to being at the Thousand Islands in New York.

Some of the trails we checked out were named Snake Bight, Alligator Creek, and Pa-hay-okee.  Along these trails we were treated to seeing and capturing on film great white herons, wood storks, ibis, bald eagle, black vultures, snowy egrets, Anhingas, alligators at rest during mid-day, when they are pretty much lethargic as they are lying in the sun and allowing their digestive system to break down their dinners from the night before.  At all times we respected the gators territory and resting space, as they did us. It’s interesting to continually see signs to alert us that fines will be incurred for harassing alligators. 

There are beautiful areas of dwarf bald cypress forests, which from a distance from the trails resemble trees that had just been through a severe ice storm. The contrast of the white woods against the blue skies and green pine hammocks is a beautiful artistry in nature.

While meandering on the raised boardwalks we captured on film the zebra butterfly, mangroves and hardwood hammocks. One of the interesting facts we learned from a park guide is that about six miles down, under the glades and bedrock, is the water source for much of southern Florida. Although at eye level the glades appear to be nothing more than a saw grass marsh, it is a vital resource.