The Everglades Trip

We live (our winter home) about 2 hours from the Everglades. We have been in Florida for six years; This year we finally took a trip to this wonderful area.

We went with good friends, Kay and Sarah Bolton.

The first thing we did - sign up for a boat ride which took us into some of the "jungle" parts of the everglades. This was not the boat we were on, but one like it - six passengers and a guide.

As we headed for the swampy area, we passed an Osprey nest. Ospreys mate for life and they come back to the same nesting area each year. Once the chicks take off on their own, the mates part company until the next year. The key to a good marriage: meet, mate, raise the chicks and take separate vacations until the next year.

As we traveled through the swamps, we saw a lot of birds. This group of birds stayed ahead of us and seemed to dance their way through the waterway.

After our boat trip we headed further east (approximately 40 miles) to another visitor's center, hoping to be able to connect with a trolly land trip. We missed by 15 minutes, but spent time walking some pedestrian paths, taking pictures of the birds and, yes, this alligator, which was about six feet from us - right out in the open.

Blue Heron.

After we left the visitor's center we headed for a road that was part of the everglades experience, but was a travel at your own risk drive. Driver, Kay, didn't like it at all, because there were so many washouts, dirt and rocks. I thoroughly enjoyed it because of all of the beautiful picturesque scenery.

The car was filthy when we finally hit the outskirts of the park. We all got out, stretched our legs, use the facilities and then Kay wrote in the dust for a photo opp!

This was the outskirts of the Everglades. If shot in color it is green with blue sky. The black and white photo seems to give a much better contrast to the beauty of the area. It was a great one day trip!