Sunday, March 20, 2016

 
Airboats in Big Cypress National Park
Big Cypress National Park was sort of an add-on to our agenda because it was on the way down to the Keys.  Wow!  Was I wrong!  It’s a great location, all by itself!  One of the things we did was to take a couple of different airboat rides – one thru what was billed as a mangrove tunnel, and the other which was more typical of what I thought of as an airboat ride – over wet grasslands!  Let’s take a look……
Entering the Gove
One of the first things I noticed was how nice and cool it was when we entered the tunnel.  Usually, I say things are warm and inviting, but in this case, it was cool and inviting!  Wants to make you just keep on exploring…..
Long Path
As we went further into the mangrove grove, it just felt like it would go on forever.  This image captures that feeling.  You feel like you can see the light at the end, but maybe it’s just another turn…..
Cool Reflection
In this image, you can really see why they call it a mangrove tunnel.  I was very glad that the boat driver knew where we were and where we were going!
Lives in the Grove
At one point, we stopped, looked up, and saw some little furry friends.  They look sweet, but don’t get too close!  Yes, raccoons in the mangroves, but these were smaller than a typical raccoon.  And, he does have a sweet face……
Good Footing
Check out those paws!  I guess a raccoon’s feet are called paws, right??  We didn’t see any of them leap from one branch to another, but they sure could turn on a dime and keep their balance very well.  Oh, and you may wonder what they eat out here.  Well, there are fish in the water, and they help themselves to those.
Hidden Waterways
And, now we’re on to the second airboat ride – this was more traditional in terms of what I think of as an airboat ride.  Lots of grasslands with what I think of as hidden waterways…..they only seemed to appear when we needed to turn.
Sea of Grasses
This image gives you a better idea of the network of waterways there are in this sea of grasses.  Interestingly, the water here was only about 1 foot deep!  Still, enough water space for alligators in both types of wetlands…..but more about them in a bit.
Enjoy!


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