Day Three - The Everglades.

The day started early with the van picking us up outside the hotel at 7.15 am. and after two more hotel stops we were on our way to our Everglades day safari. Our driver Mike gave a running commentary describing the flora and fauna of the area as we made our way to our first stop, the air-boat ride.
This area of the Everglades is known as the Sawgrass Plains, here the water is only around 2 to 4 feet deep and the airboat skims along the surface.The airboat itself held around twenty passengers and we slowly moved through the waterways looking for any signs of wildlife.

It was a lovely warm day with a cool breeze as we moved over the water and the alligators were laying on the bank basking in the sunshine.

Although some looked a little threatening.

There were many birds within the area but they were difficult to catch on camera as they moved swiftly. This was one of the exceptions.

Follwing the air-boat ride we once again boarded the van to move to our next port of call, the Big Cypress Preserve. The name refering to the area of the preserve rather than the size of the trees. On the edge of the preserve we visited the site of an airport that was planned for this area. The runway was built and although used for practice landings no infra stucture was completed and the airfield has never had any commercial traffic.

In this part of the Everglades we had a short walk on a boardwalk into the swamp area. Many of the trees had aerial plants growing from them some showing glorious colours.

But as always in the everglades, wildlife is never too far away.

The walking had given us quite an appetite so this was a good time to have lunch. Obviously the appetisers had to be alligator nuggets, rather more chewy than typical McNuggets but not too disimilar in taste. Suitably efreshed we were ready for our third and final part of the trip a boat trip around the mangrove estuary of the Thousand Island region.
Small boats each carrying six passengers guided us over the open water and around the various islands which are all made of old sea shells and covered with mangrove trees. Some had little creeks through them and these we slowly navigated carefully avoiding the hanging branches and vines.

High in the trees ospreys had nested and the mother sat there looking after her young.

A long day finished with the drive back to Fort Lauderdale, in all we had covered over 200 miles and travelled from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. We didn’t see any panthers or bears but these animals generally avoid human content. Overall a really good trip with mch valuble information given by our guide.
Sylvia on the other hand had a quieter day discovering the local mall and unpacking her watercolours for the first time this trip. This simple sketch of the beach scence was one of several pieces she completed today.

Ithink a quieter day is called for tomorrow before joining the cruise on Sunday.