Everglades National Park was our destination for today, and we had a flawless day to
visit. The day was sunny, with bright
blue skies. The temperature was a bit chillier
than is typical, but it was perfect sweater weather and there was no humidity. And best of all, the cooler weather of the
last few days seems to have driven off the mosquitos and gnats. We couldn’t have asked for anything more.
The
Everglades is a unique ecosystem at the southern end of the Florida mainland
peninsula and was the first national park created to protect a threatened
ecological system. It is also the third
largest national park in the continental United States. The Everglades is all about water. This gradually sloping landscape was
historically a freshwater river, just a few feet deep and fifty miles wide,
that flowed slowly towards Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who was
instrumental in saving this national treasure, dubbed the Everglades the “River
of Grass.”
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River of Grass |
The
Everglades is a landscape that not everyone appreciates. South Florida pioneers and developers wanted
to drain the land. Today, many people
simply view it as a swamp. But if you
look closely and listen, you can find treasures that you may see nowhere else.
Although
the wildlife is completely different than what people typically associate with
a national park, we found it just as fascinating. Alligators are the main draw, but the
countless species of birds are also stunning to watch. Tim and I couldn’t seem to take our eyes off
the herons, ibis and anhingas, not to mention the dozens of alligators that
were sunning themselves in the gator holes.
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Alligators Are What Most People Come to See |
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How Many Gators Can You Count? |
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Just Floating Along |
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Heron |
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Name that Bird! |
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Anhinga |
We
drove as far south as Flamingo where the park road ends at Florida Bay. It was near the end of the day, and the light
on the water was gorgeous. A beautiful
sunset on the drive back to the park campground where we’re staying was a
perfect way to end our day.
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Florida Bay at Flamingo |
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Taylor Slough |
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Almost Ready to Bloom |
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Tim Finally Made it to the Everglades |
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Golden Grasses |
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An Everglades Sunset |
Just gorgeous! I counted 5 gators. LV
ReplyDeleteLV, You are correct! There are five gators sunning themselves. Congratulations! I just wish we had a prize to give you! Sarah
ReplyDelete