Big Bend ramble

   Google said Stump Pass State Park on the south end of Manasota Key on Florida's west coast was the mecca for finding shark teeth . I was on my way up the west coast , headed to the Big Bend area so I figured I could stop and pick up a few for the grandkids . Somebody beat me to them . Nary a single tooth but I did manage to catch a few shore birds in action .

   Driving along the waterfront in Carrabelle , I came upon a little park and a boat ramp . The fishing seemed to be pretty good for this brown pelican .

   S.R.98 runs along the edge of the water through Eastpoint . Of course you could never tell what goes on here if not for the piles of oyster shells and the paraphernalia associated with said shells .

   The working boats looked a little rough around the edges , some more than others . Oystering ain't for sissies . The boats are built for a specific purpose , economy being one . There are a few great youtube videos of oystering out there if you would like to see one in action .

   The long handled tongs you see on the boats are some times called misery sticks . That's probably one reason folks don't worry too much about them being stolen . Kind of like when I was in construction I never had even one pickaxe stolen . Go figure ,

   Most of y'all who have the pleasure of knowing my better half and her group of cohorts , confidants , and sister ya yas will understand why I have included the next pics .

   Going further around the bend , some would say in more than just one way , I rolled into Appalachacola , or Apalach as the locals say . This ancient village has been on my must visit list for a while .   It didn't disappoint even though it was getting late in the day when I got there .

   Since it was later in the day all the touristy bo-teek type stores were closed . You cannot imagine my disappointment . No shopping . OH , horror of horrors ! I did manage to find the local working dock area to console myself . . Not sure why I have such a fascination with these boats . Guess I'm just weird that way . I recognize the shrimp boats but I'm thinking some of the smaller boats similarly rigged could be for scalloping . Oysters , scallops, crabs , and shrimp !! Now there's some things a fella could sink his teeth into !

   These boats represent an incredibly hard way to make a living . Their ranks are diminishing every season . Along with the harshness come an extraordinary pride with a good measure of humor thrown in .

   These huge barges  pushed by powerful tugs are used to return the empty oyster shells to the water for oyster spats to grow on . Another circle of life .

   This made me go hmmmmm . If they had painted it blue I may have had a chance of enticing the old woman to take up part time residence . There are a multitude of old  Florida style houses here as well as a few big houses .

   Finishing up the day along the Gulf , headed towards PC , most of my shots were silhouettes . Still a pretty peaceful way to end a great day .

 

 Only an hour or less from the Redneck Riviera , I can't wait to go back and enjoy this laid back section of old Florida .

 

Everglades ramble part 2

   After seeing the kids off, I started the days adventure by taking a drive down to Teatable Key . I presume tea table is the correct pronunciation but with this being the Keys it may not be . It's not spelled that way either .
  I didn't realize that oyster farming was carried on here . I am pretty sure that is what the white pipes sticking up out of the water are for .

   The Florida lobster and stone crab fishing is huge here . All the traps stacked dockside and in storage yards are good indicators that the season hasn't opened yet .

   As laid back as the Keys are you seldom see no fishing signs . Come to think of it  , you don't see many no drinking and driving signs . I hope the driver of this fine vehicle made it home safe and sound .

   Headed north leaving the Conch Republic behind , I headed up to the Tamiami Trail . This trans Florida road passes through the Everglades National Park , Big Cypress National Preserve , Fakahatchee Strand Preserve , Picayune Strand State Forest , Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge , Collier-Seminole State Park , and a slew of Miccosukee Indian Villages and concessions . One hell of a road and no way I could do it justice in just one day .
  Passing up a chance to lose my shirt , my butt , and various and assorted other things I drove right on by the Miccosukee Reservation Casino .

  A stroll through the Shark Valley Visitor Center , pathways , and boardwalks brought back how gorgeous the glades can be in late spring .

   Then there's the wildlife . A steady breeze kept the itty bitty biters and skeeters at bay . The wind and a steady supply of water kept me upright in the Sunshine State's strong namesake .

   At the culvert by the Otter Cave Hammock Trail there was a slightly hidden crossing guard .

   Walking back to the parking area I spotted some shade trees to grab a quick break and a drink under . I could hear this guy calling as I approached . Looking up in the trees I failed to spot him . Finally as I walked under the trees , I caught movement over my head . Literally he was at head height . I had to go past him to get him in focus . He never flew off and was still there after I left .

   I eased on down the road and entered Big Cypress Preserve . I pulled into the Oasis Visitor Center more to grab a brochure than anything else . There was an elevated boardwalk between the building and the road . Lots of folks were on the boardwalk even though it was less than a hundred feet or so from Tamiami Trail . What the heck , I'll take a peek .
  Surprise , surprise ! There were gators everywhere . A Ranger came by with what looked like an extra long snake grabbing stick . A tourist had dropped his cell phone and didn't want the gators making calls on his dime . And didn't want to drop down and get it himself . After retrieving the phone , the Ranger and I got to shoot the breeze for a bit .

   The Park Service had bought this property from a fellow who ran a gas station / curio shop and alligator attraction . He had , in all probability , dynamited and excavated the limestone so it would hold water during the dry season . The Ranger said he had counted up to 75 gators in a stretch of water 50' wide and about 100 yards long . During the wet season you rarely saw them at all .

   The bird here is a juvenile night heron , a rare sight this far north according to the Ranger . The gators didn't bother him and the passing cooters barely garnered a quick glance . I thought the turtles would be on the gator's menu although the Ranger said they preferred fish or things much softer and much deader .

   A pretty nice dirt road at Monroe Station took me past several old hunt camps full of swamp buggies , halftracks , and air boats , and then into the heart of the Big Cypress . It was still pretty dry , waiting on the summer rains for a refill .

   I'm not 100%sure but I think this was another night heron . Even though I watched as he flew up from the pool he was fishing in , it took me a while to spot him on his perch .

   A huge brown owl flew up from this area so fast I failed to get my camera up in time to capture him . Then this guy landed to take the owls place .

   This is a picture of Burns Lake . I had no idea I had a lake . As deep and clear as it was it may have been an abandoned phosphate or gravel pit . 

   Back on Tamiami Trail and a little further west I turned on Birdon Road . My Ranger buddy said it may be worth a look . I thought it was rather an odd area . 50' wide swaths looked to be randomly cut and bulldozed at right angles to the road Several canals looked like they had yellow oil booms laid across them and were being filled in . Wetland remediation signs were posted at these disturbed areas . 

  On a whim I took a single lane side road and came upon a beautiful savannah . A deer came easing through the pepper bushes making it even better . 

   A quick trip to Everglades City for a quick supper and a trip through the commercial fishermen's docks and storage yards . Lobster , stone crab , and blue claw crab traps were stacked waiting on the seasons to open . BTW , if you get a chance to read Totch's self titled biography , it is a most excellent read . 

   I chased the sun through Fakahatchee Strand towards the west coast . I had planned on doing a loop up 29 to I75 , AKA Alligator Alley , but a wildfire started by lightening pretty much shut that area down to me . (  Thanks to 50 years of smoking and the resulting COPD . Dumbass . )  A local said 200 plus fire fighters had been at it for a couple of days . Good luck and my hats off to you guys . 

   An end of the day stop at Collier-Seminole State Park to see the last intact walking dredge that ''tamed '' the Everglades . Tamed , destroyed  , potatos , pahtahtoes . 

   As I headed out of the Everglades it started to rain . This fella was standing on the side of the road in the downpour and seemed to be saying '' Y'all come back soon , ya hear ?! ''

   I smiled to myself , vowing to do just that , and cruised on with ''windshield wipers slappin' time ''.