Southern Florida and Heading Northward

December 28 we entered the main area of Everglades National Park.

With the government shutdown it was a little bit strange because we saw 3 or 4 rangers the whole time and they were law enforcement. Luckily campgrounds, boat tours, and rentals are all run by concessionaires so we could camp and rent a canoe. We planned to stay at the Flamingo Campground (farthest south and 38 miles into the park) for for 9 days but it was very hot, muggy and mosquitoey and birding was not very good so we decided to move on after 5 nights. The big hurricanes recently has caused a lot of damage to the mangroves and palms with the storm surge bringing high water from the gulf and over the trees that are killed by being submerged in salt water so the birds are not coming here now.

We wanted to do a lot of biking, but several of the trails were totally impassable from water and mud that looked like wet concrete. On one trail Mark was wet and muddy up to his knees before we decided that we had better turn around! We took a nice boat ride into Florida Bay and another day we took a 3 hour canoe ride down a canal into a wilderness lake. Our biggest animal sightings here were crocodiles and manatees.

We then moved to Long Pine Key Campground early only 5 miles from the park entrance. One of the birds we saw in this area was the purple gallinule, a very lovely bird.

We used the campground as a base and drove down to John Pennekamp State Park in the Florida Keys one day and took a glass bottom boat tour. The boat went 45 minutes out to a coral reef with lots of beautiful fish and then the boat circled for quite awhile while everyone looked through the windows and a naturalist explained what we were seeing. It was pretty cool!

Another day we drove east to Biscayne National Park, which neither of us had been before, 95% of the park is water and it is the largest marine park in the U.S. We took a boat tour to Boca Chita Key one of the 44 islands in the park.

In the 1930’s it was bought by millionaire Mark Honeywell who bought it to have parties on. He even built a lighthouse on the island so that his friends could find their way to his parties. We went up in the lighthouse and had about an hour to explore the island. It was beautiful.

 Saturday, January 5, we left Everglades National Park and moved to Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Campground ( a Miami-Dade County Park). After 8 days in the Everglades, it was quite the ritz with full hookups, no mosquitoes, a pool and paved bicycle trails. Upon our arrival, we went to the nearby Gold Coast Railway Museum, toured many rail cars and saw many locomotives, and took a short train ride.

We also visited Zoo Miami a huge and very nice zoo with large animal habitats surrounded by moats. Our favorite was “Wings Over Asia” the largest aviary in the United States and 3rd largest in the world. It was very impressive. We were at the zoo for 5 hours and really wore our feet out!

We also enjoyed the bike trails at the campground,

the pool, and enjoyed a delicious meal at a Cuban Restaurant.

 Tuesday, we headed the trailer north to Lake Kissimmee State Park in central Florida near Lake Wales, Florida. We just picked it off the map and very lucky and surprised because it is so beautiful with giant live oaks and Spanish moss. It had several nice bike trails which we rode and it was very peaceful and beautiful.

We saw deer, an armadillo and lots of Sandhill Cranes.

We also spent half a day at Bok Tower and Gardens in nearby Lake Wales. We had been there over 20 years ago and wanted to see it again. The gardens were absolutely beautiful. I really liked the children’s garden! They never had playgrounds like that when I was a kid. The tower has a 60 piece carillon and we were lucky to enjoy two concerts.

We arrived a few hours ago at Manatee Hammock Campground near Titusville. We can see the buildings at Cape Kennedy across the river from our campground. Steven is arriving tomorrow for a weeks visit and we are looking forward to seeing him.

That about brings us up to date. Hope all is well with everyone.