Dylan And Torrie30 minutes inland from our residence at Fort Meyers, Cape Coral "The Everglades" begin.
Bev and I zoomed across the top of a Gator infested lake. The skipper of the air boat skillfully maneuvered in an out of the mangroves causing the resident bird life to forget their next morsel and scatter to the safety of the higher branches.
The captain/ pilot, pointed out Wild hog, Deer, Eagles, Heron , Egrets, Turtles and Terrapins. In the black evil soup below the boat the Gators lurked.Yearlings,18 inches in length slowly moved out of the way of the air boat. The larger females were absent . They were on dry land guarding their nests. Male gators, some up to 12 ft long, cruised with just their heads above the water . As we approached they slunk below into the murky depths to reappear with a chilling confidence for their sly assessment of our meal potential .
Hunting season is upon the Gators . Hunters are allowed to take two gators per season.
I assume they eat the flesh and sell the skin. Spot lighting at night illluminates the alligators eyes. Bullets can not effectively penetrate below the surface.
The everglades were being dowsed with frequent tropical thunderstorms.
The sky was hung with rumbling broad curtains of charcoal and grey . Dazzeling veins of molten silver welded the canopy to the thrashing rain spattered foliage.Marvellous to breathe in the power of the wild skies aware that we were surrounded by miles of primitive carnivorous beasts protected only by our ability to climb in a car and get back to our human houses
The deluge is so intense that the wipers on the car had no hope of keeping up and visibility can drop to zero making it necessary to pull over and wait out the storm.
Tour operators had other zoo collections to entertain us while we waited.
A " Snake pit, out back' Water moccasins , rattlers , pythons , with an array of lizards and mandatory parrots.
My sister joined us for a look at the Florida keys. From the largest Island , Key Largo to the tip of Key West . The keys are linked by 42 bridges scattered along the 126 Mile Historic US 1 Highway. This included the spectacular 7 Mile long Bridge.Mile markers indicate how far you have come or need to go . Motels and Businesses have adopted the Mile Markers to advertise and locate their respective business.
The history of the keys goes back beyond 1513 when the Europeans first located the string of Islands protruding into the Atlantic ocean from Florida , separating the Gulf Of Mexico.
It was inhabited by native Indians and the land was owned by the Spanish until 1821 . During the 1800 sailing ships founded on the multitude of reefs and provided a regular income for "Wreckers" Salvaging Millions of dollars worth of Cargo from ships which had run aground.
The Sponging Industry came and went at the turn of the last century when a 'Red Tide Algae Bloom' wiped it out.
In 1905 a Railway Magnate extended his rail line out to Key West . The process took seven years. He was hoping to establish a deep water port to link up with the Shipping utilising the newly opened Panama Canal . Mosquito's , Heat and nature in the form of repeated Hurricanes in 1935 put the railway out of commission but pioneered the settlements that doggeredly thrive today .
The Overseas Highway was then constructed, by the government, on top of the Rail Bridges and Old rail tracks The highway was nick named the white Knuckle Highway as it was very narrow being restricted to the previously prepared rail throughfare and not suited to the large American cars.
Tourism took off after the depression in 1933 . A Large aquarium was established to pull the tourist to Key West. Fishing for the Tourist remains the biggest industry to date.
Sun sets across the keys are spectacular especially with the towering Cummulonimbus clouds and the misty haze rising from the bays. Traffic seemed light and there are very few road repairs going on. Evidence of past Hurricanes and future promises abound with Super size power transmission poles , Stripped of vegetation trees stumps, temporary office blocks ( Pre Fabs ) and the occasional pleasure boat left high and dry up in the mangoes .
We joined a 5 hr Boat trip from Big Pine Key which included a series of Snorkel Dives on the reefs as well as an over view of the nature and environment. Evidence of the Hurricane Wilma which passed through twelve months ago was present both above and below the water.
All the soft coral had been snapped off and ruined. Only the hardy 'Brain Coral' remained. A myriad of reef fish of all shapes and sizes where in abundance . Rainbow Parrot fish, French Angel fish, Green Wrasse, along with juvenile Snapper and the Occasional Small Groper entertained us as we snorkeled along the outer reef.
Key West is closer to Havana, Cuba ( 90 Miles ) than it is to Miami ( 150 Miles ) has been embroiled in past conflicts of the Spanish - American war to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Old Colonial Homesteads have been renovated to Hotels and B & Bs. Chickens strut amongst the homes and the residents have a Hispanic origins.
Traffic flows freely along the Overseas Highway. Police and radar speed traps are in abundance . Or detector was frequently alerting us to Mufti patrol cars and speed detector cameras.
We came back to Ft Meyers via the old link road the Tamaimi Trail. Air boat operators were out of action because of the evening thunder storms . Spectacular Lightning displays and Load rumbles of the thunder entertained us as we waited in vain for the Air boats to recommence operation.
My brother in Law ( Ginge ) arrives in Ft Meyers today . He has driven his Semi Trailer across the states from British Colombia . I plan to go with him on his deliveries around the Area . Talk about the Blind leading the Blind .
Tomorrow ( Friday ) we fly back to the UK,via New York, into Gatwick.
Thanks to the Florida family for your hospitality we alway have a relaxing time with Yah all.
Regards
I wonder what will happen next
I wonder what will happen next
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