Hello
Today we are going to Muse about the Everglades. If this is your first visit, welcome to Musings. If you have been here before, welcome back. Over time we are going to talk about many things: the past, the present, perhaps the future, travel, art, society and more. Wherever my musing takes me. I hope you will come along with me.
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After Memorial Day
We got caught up with Memorial Day. Spent the day at the Beach Club with friends and strangers.
Beach Club beach Memorial day
Had a pretty good time.
The next day Caylee, Emily and their mother, Dana, arrived, it being the first day of a short stay with us. We all went to the Beach Club and we had the place to ourselves.
Beach Club the day after
What a difference a day makes.
Wednesday Dana suggested we go out on the Everglades. Airboat rides were available at Sawgrass Recreational Park about an hour away. What a great idea! I’ve lived down here more than twenty years and though I have driven across the state through the Everglades many times, I had never been out in the river of grass. We unanimously agreed to the plan, loaded into the van and headed out.
An hour later we were at Sawgrass Recreational Park. It abuts the city of Weston and is the principal source water for Miami.
Dana, Jeanette, Caylee and Emily heading out
Across from the ticket office was the mooring area for the airboats.
Airboats
One was loaded with people ready for their excursion.
group ready to begin the excursion
We got our tickets, really a green wrist band, and were told our ride would be ready in a half hour.
Putting on our wrist bands
The kids hightailed it to the snack bar for a quick bite of gator taco or some such delicacy.
Gator Grill
They got to share their food with the birds.
scavenger birds at the snack shack
Soon it was time to go. The day was humid and warm, threatening rain. In the distance rain showers darkened the horizon.
distant rain
However where we were there was scarcely a breeze. Our boat held about twenty of us. We were given ear plugs and told to keep our hands out of the water and admonished to no try to stand up. Then off we sailed, skimming quickly over the shallows and through the grass.
In places the water way was wide.
wide waterway
In places the way was narrow.
Narrow waterway
In places there did not seem to be a “way” and we glided through the field of grass.
Sea of Grass
The warmth of the sun and the wind created by the moving boat were mesmerizing. The girls started to fall asleep
Captain John, our pilot, explained he was trying to find us an alligator or two. We kriss crossed the area without any success.
ways through the grass
waterway
water and grass
He said it was late in the day, the water level was low and it was mating season, all factors contributing to the absence of the reptiles. Other than a splash of a fish and the water disturbance of a turtle the only sign of wild life we saw were two vultures perched in a waterside tree.
Vultures
Funny, Captain John said the gator population there was about 20,000.
I really did not mind not seeing alligators. The ride along the canals and through the Sawgrass was very pleasant and worth the time. If you have a chance to visit the Everglades you should do so.
More to come
Works Available
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- This Way Oil on Canvas
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Blue Diva Mixed Media
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Works on Paper
On The Waterfront
Impressions of Florida
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