Advertisement
Published: February 4th 2014
Edit Blog Post
I have to say, I was not happy with this campground.
I woke this morning thinking what am I going to do here for a week with no tv and no wildlife to photograph. I was a little bummed. So I spent part of the morning on the internet (yes, I get 2 bars sometimes !!) finding things to do around here. I loaded Oscar in the car with lots of water (it’s hot) and went exploring. Top down and windows open we first went to the boat ramp to see about going on a guided canoe ride. Luckily the staff was there cleaning the canoes so they told me all about it. Yes, I could go any day and if I didn’t have someone with me they would provide another “engine”. Not a strenuous paddle but informative and fun. So I booked for tomorrow at 9:30 am. I’ll have to set the alarm.
I asked about my inflatable and they said no problem, lot of people use them here. So yeh, I can go off on my own after I’ve done the guided thing. I have to register at the rangers station too so if I don’t come back they’ll
go looking for me. So yes, all my darlings, I am being careful.
Then we went east on hwy. 41, The Tamiani Trail to find a state park with lots of wildlife. Along the way there was a place to go on an airboat ride in the Everglades, so I got all the info to do that this week. I found the park about 18 miles down the road but missed the 12 mile wildlife loop so I went back and found a visitor center about the Everglades, got a GREAT map and decided to come back without the dog to go on the loop. He was so hot, even with the air on it was best to bring him home. Our campsite is in the middle of trees so we have shade all day long. It was very pleasant when we got back about 2:30 so I opened my lounge chair, got a sandwich and a book and had a delightful time. Oscar was happy keeping watch. There is a devilish raccoon that has been raiding the campers, even if they are home. He bit a lady in the butt when she was on the potty in her
own camper! Oscar spotted him across the road from us under the camper there. He, the raccoon, then ran to the next campsite and went in their screened room bold as could be. Can’t leave any garbage about.
After Oscar’s dinner I went on a nature walk without him. He was quite content to stay home in the camper. It was a lovely trail through the jungle with some places with a board walk and plaques here and there telling about the trees and plants. I noticed a smell of coffee when I first started and thought someone must be brewing a pot nearby. Not. There are coffee trees in the hammock and apparently they give off an odor. I asked a man that I passed if he smelled coffee and he said yes, it made him thirsty for some.
The boardwalk led to an overlook of a salt marsh. The sun was low in the sky so it was very bright and after coming out of the woods it was quite a contrast. The plants were low, lots of grasses and 1 to 2 inch fish swimming all over. What struck me most was the quiet. It’s been
a long time since I’ve heard that profound quiet . I even heard a bird flying before I saw it, and not one of those squeaky winged doves either. There was a little gecko or lizard in a bush and he posed for me (but not for long) so I did get some wildlife.
When I went back to the car sitting on a bench by the water sounded like a good idea. The sun was setting and several fish were jumping. They jumped up out of the water and flew about 10 feet. They were amazing. They were entertaining til the sun set and the mosquitoes came out. Boy, was it time to head home.
After walking Oscar and having a nice conversation with my neighbor from Minnesota, it was time to turn in for the night. I have a paddle trip tomorrow.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.051s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 10; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0256s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb