I really don't want to leave Flamingo. There's something to be said for waking up naturally (no alarm) and meandering through a day with few plans. There's always plenty to do. It's having a choice that is the big deal. I imagine we will experience several locations like this along the way, and we will probably experience some that we will want to leave right away. We spent this day walking, playing with the computers to download pictures, packing and cleaning. We spent the afternoon preparing supper and the evening enjoying supper and more time with dear friends Jo and Bill. Crab cakes, boiled shrimp, rice pilaf and cauliflower salad plus odds and ends for supper. Good conversation and plans to get together in the Keys. How blessed we are!
Tomorrow we head for Tavernier just south of Key Largo. We will be staying on the Gulf side at the Elks. This is a very different location than the Everglades. The Keys don't really have natural beaches, but this location has a "sort of beach.". We'll have a full view of the Gulf, and it's more populated. The dory will be launched in salt water this week, and Maci will get to play in the water free of alligators and crocodiles. As sonars we get settled in Tavernier, I will post pictures when I have a good Internet connection.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
New Friends, the Internet, and the Boat
Our stay at Flamingo will be remembered because of new friends Jo and Bill, what we learned about data connections and time we spent in the boat. Bill and Jo are from New Jersey - retired educators - avid outdoors people / fishing and hunting. There are some people who you meet for the first time, and it feels as if you've known them a lifetime. That would be Bill and Jo. Good people as eager to hear our story as they were to tell their own. They have four dogs after all. Hunting dogs. We've shared two suppers and plan to share on our final night also - pooling our resources and enjoying good company and conversation with friends. We'll be sad to say good-by.
As for data connections... Just because there is a strong cell phone signal does not mean there is a strong data connection. On the edge of extended service, Internet connections come and go... Very slowwwwwwww.
The little dory continues to win our hearts. We were able to put it in the water, the Buttonwood Canal, twice this week, but the focus was auxiliary power. Three different motors were being tested. The first was a 2.5 gas engine which was heavy and made the boat unbalanced. Keep in mind it's a double pointed boat like a canoe. a motor mount us required to use an engine which puts it off to the side. The second was a small electric that was amazingly quiet, did not unbalance the boat, but did not have enough thrust to push the boat like we wanted. The third was electric with 55 lbs. thrust... Just right. It's quiet, pushes the boat, and did not drain the battery in a four hour ride.
We took an amazing ride on the channel today and made it out into Coot Bay before heading back to dock. Mangroves line the channel at times so dense little else can be seen. I have to admit that I have fallen in love with the Everglades and have developed a sense of sadness too. While we have been here, I have been reading a book titled, The Swamp. It's a history of south Florida and how the environment has been ravaged over the years in the name of development. Attempts to drain the Everglades and control Mother Nature have been devastating to the ecological system of south Florida. It's hard to know if the landscape we now see is even remotely like what it was 100 or more years ago.
As for data connections... Just because there is a strong cell phone signal does not mean there is a strong data connection. On the edge of extended service, Internet connections come and go... Very slowwwwwwww.
The little dory continues to win our hearts. We were able to put it in the water, the Buttonwood Canal, twice this week, but the focus was auxiliary power. Three different motors were being tested. The first was a 2.5 gas engine which was heavy and made the boat unbalanced. Keep in mind it's a double pointed boat like a canoe. a motor mount us required to use an engine which puts it off to the side. The second was a small electric that was amazingly quiet, did not unbalance the boat, but did not have enough thrust to push the boat like we wanted. The third was electric with 55 lbs. thrust... Just right. It's quiet, pushes the boat, and did not drain the battery in a four hour ride.
We took an amazing ride on the channel today and made it out into Coot Bay before heading back to dock. Mangroves line the channel at times so dense little else can be seen. I have to admit that I have fallen in love with the Everglades and have developed a sense of sadness too. While we have been here, I have been reading a book titled, The Swamp. It's a history of south Florida and how the environment has been ravaged over the years in the name of development. Attempts to drain the Everglades and control Mother Nature have been devastating to the ecological system of south Florida. It's hard to know if the landscape we now see is even remotely like what it was 100 or more years ago.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Flamingo, FL
We traveled to Flamingo Monday morning. Flamingo is a ghost town on the southern most tip of mainland Florida and at the tip of Everglades National Park. The total campground hosts over 200 sites for tents and RV's, but only 40 have electric. The sites are large leaving lots of room between campers. Isolation would be the best one word description of Flamingo. At the entrance to the Park is a visitor center for the park and another for Flamingo by the campground which a quarter mile from the small marina. At this juncture, there is saltwater to the east and freshwater to the east. The Buttonwood Channel is brackish. The combination of salt and fresh waters make it possible for alligators and crocodiles to live in the same are - the only place on earth.
Crocs are grey, not black, and their teeth all she even when the long thin snout is closed. We understand they are more aggressive also. I would guess that's accurate. We saw a small crocodile on shore when we took the dory for a channel ride. In order to get good pictures, we passed the croc three times. On the third pass, the croc had his mouth wide open - a bit annoyed.
Crocs are grey, not black, and their teeth all she even when the long thin snout is closed. We understand they are more aggressive also. I would guess that's accurate. We saw a small crocodile on shore when we took the dory for a channel ride. In order to get good pictures, we passed the croc three times. On the third pass, the croc had his mouth wide open - a bit annoyed.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Before we traveled South to Flamingo...
After 7 days at Midway in Big Cypress Reserve, we moved south to Flamingo. Before we left Midway, we took two driving tours through the back country, rode on an air boat, and traveled some of the Turner River with a group led by a Natl. Park Ranger, Marcie. I am as fascinated with alligators as most folks. We saw plenty for sure and always kept a safe distance. Most don't realize that these are ancient creatures. You can see that wisdom in their eyes. After all, the alligator has seen a lot of humans over thousands of years... Many who are not so wise and many who are just plain mean. We learned that alligators are pretty smart. They can be trained, and they have been trained to seek food from humans who feed them which is a big problem in southern Florida. Of course if an alligator has been fed regularly by a human, and a human sticks out a hand, the gator will take what is offered. That happened to a guide on an air boat not too long ago, and the gator took his hand. He offered it after all. The gator had to be put down because a human had taught it to be aggressive. How's that fair?
We also learned that mother alligators are good moms. The babies stay with mom for almost 3 years before going it alone. During that time the mms teach the babies to hunt, protect themselves, and where the best sunning spots are. We saw one very small gator stretched out on his mother's tail in the sun. Smart kid! The dads are not nurturing as they tend to eat the babies if so inclined.
On our last day at Midway, we joined a group down the Turner River led by Ranger Marcie and her volunteer Ranger Kim. We used our dory as it has shallow draft and double pointed ends. This day it was going to be a canoe. The Turner at one time became literally a mud trail because of all the serious drainage going on in the Everglades and in relation to the construction of the Tamiami Trail. It now has been somewhat restored, but we understand only a shadow of its former self. The rangers did a nice job of giving safety tips and canoeing tips for the less experienced (us). The foliage on both sides of the river was dense with mangroves and ferns of all varieties. The leather fern is the most ancient of all. We could tell right away that the water levels were shallow as we just barely skimmed the surface. Travel on the river takes you through several mangrove tunnels. The first was narrow, and it was easier to just pull ourselves along rather than paddle. The quiet was amazing. The second mangrove tunnel was not so quiet as we were huffing and puffing because the bottom of the boat was dragging. After about the third time Jerry had to get out and drag the boat, we decided to turn and go back. Ranger Kim decided to go with us to help with boat and guide us safely back to where we started. Sometimes things happen that look negative from the start but end up being the most positive. This is one of those. Ranger Kim and I took our boat, and Jerry took Kim's kayak. It was great having Kim with us. Not only is she a very dear person, she is so knowledgeable about the Everglades and especially about the many birds in the area. What a wonderful conversation. I learned so much! While I was learning so much from Kim, Jerry found himself nose to nose with a large alligator blocking his path in the middle of the river. He followed the safety tip and remained still. The problem was that the current was drifting him toward the alligator. When he got within a couple of feet, the alligator did turn and swipe toward shore. A little too close in a dinky little kayak.
The next day, Sunday, we spent a leisurely time packing up and headed to Homestead, FL to stock up, do laundry, and spend the night in a Home Depot parking lot. Thanks to those businesses that allow RVers to do overnights while traveling!!!
We also learned that mother alligators are good moms. The babies stay with mom for almost 3 years before going it alone. During that time the mms teach the babies to hunt, protect themselves, and where the best sunning spots are. We saw one very small gator stretched out on his mother's tail in the sun. Smart kid! The dads are not nurturing as they tend to eat the babies if so inclined.
On our last day at Midway, we joined a group down the Turner River led by Ranger Marcie and her volunteer Ranger Kim. We used our dory as it has shallow draft and double pointed ends. This day it was going to be a canoe. The Turner at one time became literally a mud trail because of all the serious drainage going on in the Everglades and in relation to the construction of the Tamiami Trail. It now has been somewhat restored, but we understand only a shadow of its former self. The rangers did a nice job of giving safety tips and canoeing tips for the less experienced (us). The foliage on both sides of the river was dense with mangroves and ferns of all varieties. The leather fern is the most ancient of all. We could tell right away that the water levels were shallow as we just barely skimmed the surface. Travel on the river takes you through several mangrove tunnels. The first was narrow, and it was easier to just pull ourselves along rather than paddle. The quiet was amazing. The second mangrove tunnel was not so quiet as we were huffing and puffing because the bottom of the boat was dragging. After about the third time Jerry had to get out and drag the boat, we decided to turn and go back. Ranger Kim decided to go with us to help with boat and guide us safely back to where we started. Sometimes things happen that look negative from the start but end up being the most positive. This is one of those. Ranger Kim and I took our boat, and Jerry took Kim's kayak. It was great having Kim with us. Not only is she a very dear person, she is so knowledgeable about the Everglades and especially about the many birds in the area. What a wonderful conversation. I learned so much! While I was learning so much from Kim, Jerry found himself nose to nose with a large alligator blocking his path in the middle of the river. He followed the safety tip and remained still. The problem was that the current was drifting him toward the alligator. When he got within a couple of feet, the alligator did turn and swipe toward shore. A little too close in a dinky little kayak.
The next day, Sunday, we spent a leisurely time packing up and headed to Homestead, FL to stock up, do laundry, and spend the night in a Home Depot parking lot. Thanks to those businesses that allow RVers to do overnights while traveling!!!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Day 2 at Midway Campground in Big Cypress National Park
Some may say, "What? No TV ?" When we left Elkhart, we decided not to subscribe to satellite TV just to see how things went even though we have an in-motion satellite dome on the roof of the Whale. We usually can get the local stations which gives us news and some entertainment, even though marginal at times. Since we got to Midway, nothing. I admit to experiencing just a bit of withdrawal but have other things to do for sure.
Last night we attended a seminar in the clearing in the woods. I had to laugh as we walked into the clearing - a high tech presentation complete with computer, camera, wide screen and a campfire. The rangers get to pick their own topics. This particular ranger is an expert on the Seminole Wars in south Florida. The thing about going places we've never been before is we get to hear about things we did not know much about - if we are just open enough to listen. Clearly, the ranger was "into it." I'll spare you the historical details other than there were apparently three Seminole wars. The Seminoles were experts at guerrilla warfare as their location of choice has been the swamps in southern Florida. The Spaniards, French, Brittish, and anyone else who tried to subdue them could not. The Seminoles were uninterested in peace treaties and trading with the white man. Until Florida became a state and seceded from the Union, the Seminoles won so to speak and were known for any number of ambushes. The ranger spoke of the tribe's tenacity with a great deal of respect.
Over the next week we plan to attend a couple of swamp walks. No, Maci will not be going with us since pets "disturb the ecosystem." Besides that, I know she looks like supper to an alligator, and we are taking no chances.
In addition, we picked up a couple of books at the ranger station - The Swamp and The Everglades A River of Grass. Wherever we are, we need to learn something about the area. Apparently, south Florida is somewhat of an anomaly as ecosystems go, and the impact of humans trying to alter what has developed since prehistoric times has not been positive. That does sound like a reoccurring theme with humans.
One of the best things about this journey is one new experience after another. It doesn't seem to matter what the "Wow factor" is. More soon...
Friday, March 1, 2013
March 1, 2013
FINALLY, we were able to pull out of Naples, FL after three months of healing. Naples was just what "the doctor ordered" with warm weather, sun, and lots of time to go to therapy, walk, and spend time with friends. We stayed at Imperial Wilderness, a retirement park that has mostly permanent mobile units and some spaces for motor homes. We continue to learn a lot about ourselves and people in general. Let's just say Jerry and I are not ready for a retirement community just yet. For the most part, our stay was pleasant, and those folks we got to know were great. There was an incident early on concerning a case of mistaken identity. Some folks in the park were convinced Maci was a vicious German Shepherd puppy (she's 2 1/2 and the resemblance is two ears and a tail) and that we should probably leave because Shepherds, along with other potentially aggressive breeds, are not allowed in that community. Oh that Maci did have some Shepherd in her when many of the little dogs snarled and barked at her. As it was, Maci cowered enough in public that folks felt sorry for her and tried to win her over with treats - time and time again.
Once I was mobile after knee replacement, we spent much time getting ready to move on. We believe we have found the perfect boat for us. It's a hand crafted Vermont Dory made by the Adirondack Guideboat Company in Vermont. Constructed of layered Kevlar and fiberglass, the boat weighs about 80 pounds. Since Jerry and I are of the 60+/70+ set, not hurting ourselves is of utmost concern. With some well thought out technique, we can slide it onto the carrier of the Jeep roof, strap it down, and head down the road. The gunnels and seat frames or made of cherry wood. Seat backs are woven wicker with webbed seats. It's a rowing boat, but we also have a bracket that attaches to the back in order that a small engine can be used. Of course we now have both electric and gas - all bases covered. We agreed no motors until we had rowed and gotten use to the boat. Re-discovered freedom for me was when we put the boat in the water in a "no motors" mangrove park just east of Isle of Capri which is just north of Marco Island. The dory is meant to row. It moves through the water easily, and is much more stable than a canoe. After years of owning sailboats large and small, this rowing dory is a whole new experience... and a whole new set of exercises.
Our time in Florida is not over yet. We headed south to Big Cypress National Park where we stopped at Midway Campground. We drove a whopping 80 miles. This little park has 26 spots, electric only, and has a small pond in the middle. The resident alligator can be seen gliding from one side to the other with just his eyes above the water. The volunteer park ranger tells us the gator is rather large and has a broken jaw. I'm not at all clear how he knows that, but I don't plan on getting that close of a look. No night walks in this park. While here we plan to take advantage of two different waterways and board walks in the swamp in addition to doing some serious sitting. It's so quiet here my ears are ringing.
We will stay at Midway for a about a week. Then we are off to Flamingo City and the Keys. It's good to be on the move again!
FINALLY, we were able to pull out of Naples, FL after three months of healing. Naples was just what "the doctor ordered" with warm weather, sun, and lots of time to go to therapy, walk, and spend time with friends. We stayed at Imperial Wilderness, a retirement park that has mostly permanent mobile units and some spaces for motor homes. We continue to learn a lot about ourselves and people in general. Let's just say Jerry and I are not ready for a retirement community just yet. For the most part, our stay was pleasant, and those folks we got to know were great. There was an incident early on concerning a case of mistaken identity. Some folks in the park were convinced Maci was a vicious German Shepherd puppy (she's 2 1/2 and the resemblance is two ears and a tail) and that we should probably leave because Shepherds, along with other potentially aggressive breeds, are not allowed in that community. Oh that Maci did have some Shepherd in her when many of the little dogs snarled and barked at her. As it was, Maci cowered enough in public that folks felt sorry for her and tried to win her over with treats - time and time again.
Once I was mobile after knee replacement, we spent much time getting ready to move on. We believe we have found the perfect boat for us. It's a hand crafted Vermont Dory made by the Adirondack Guideboat Company in Vermont. Constructed of layered Kevlar and fiberglass, the boat weighs about 80 pounds. Since Jerry and I are of the 60+/70+ set, not hurting ourselves is of utmost concern. With some well thought out technique, we can slide it onto the carrier of the Jeep roof, strap it down, and head down the road. The gunnels and seat frames or made of cherry wood. Seat backs are woven wicker with webbed seats. It's a rowing boat, but we also have a bracket that attaches to the back in order that a small engine can be used. Of course we now have both electric and gas - all bases covered. We agreed no motors until we had rowed and gotten use to the boat. Re-discovered freedom for me was when we put the boat in the water in a "no motors" mangrove park just east of Isle of Capri which is just north of Marco Island. The dory is meant to row. It moves through the water easily, and is much more stable than a canoe. After years of owning sailboats large and small, this rowing dory is a whole new experience... and a whole new set of exercises.
Our time in Florida is not over yet. We headed south to Big Cypress National Park where we stopped at Midway Campground. We drove a whopping 80 miles. This little park has 26 spots, electric only, and has a small pond in the middle. The resident alligator can be seen gliding from one side to the other with just his eyes above the water. The volunteer park ranger tells us the gator is rather large and has a broken jaw. I'm not at all clear how he knows that, but I don't plan on getting that close of a look. No night walks in this park. While here we plan to take advantage of two different waterways and board walks in the swamp in addition to doing some serious sitting. It's so quiet here my ears are ringing.
 |
| No the dory is not a canoe... |
We will stay at Midway for a about a week. Then we are off to Flamingo City and the Keys. It's good to be on the move again!
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