Dolphins, Manatees and of course more alligators

Wednesday, September 15, 2021 temperature – Off the scale!

We took another boat ride today this time was out in the Chokoloskee bay, near Everglade City, where we found a couple of dolphins and a manatee, a few birds, no gators from this boat, gators are freshwater and we were in salt water, but we did find some later. The boat ride was around 90 minutes. Four passengers, a captain and another guy who helped to spot the animals. The water was calm and the boat was powered by twin Yamaha 250’s so at times we moved along at a pretty good clip.

They call the southern coastal area the 10,000 islands, what’s misleading about that is what they classify  as an island if a mangrove seed floats around sprouts roots and stops floating around, it’s considered an island even though there is no dry land, yes, a single mangrove tree growing by its self is considered an island.

After the boat ride we drove up another scenic drive, this one was 6 miles in and 6 out, it was actually a State park and cost us $3 to get in.  On the way in on the pothole filled road we did see 1 gator on the road and he hit the water as soon as he saw us, on the way out I did see a smaller 1 foot or so long baby gator, resting on a log, again he took off as soon I spotted him.

Just up the road from the State Park we made another stop on a boardwalk (Big Cypress Bend), it was around 1/2 mile each way and Mary found this guy, he could’t care less that we stopped to check him out. I could have very easily reached down and petted him, I still have all my fingers so obviously I didn’t.

Lastly, we took a a short 1/4 mile walk to an overlook, this was paved and out in the direct sun with the heat reflected up from the pavement it was a most warm walk and the jeep’s AC sure felt good when we returned to it.

Thursday, September 16, 2021

This morning just after daylight I went looking for the resident gator in the lake, I didn’t see him in the glass smooth lake.

The End