Day3 – Departed Fort Myers, FL – Alligator Day

The plan for Day 3 was to visit Big Cypress National Preserve and Shark Valley River Slough. We accomplished this, with the addition of visiting Ten Thousand Islands National Wild Life Refuge first. My pedometer said we walked 8 total miles today.  It was very hot during our walks.  85 degrees with clear sunny skies.  But it felt much hotter.  We were applying, and reapplying the sunblockseveral times, and still burn our Michigander skin.  We’ll al come back to Michigan much tannerthan we left, without a doubt.

I called today Alligator Day, because this is the day thatwe saw more alligator’s than most of us have ever seen.  A park ranger gave us a presentation on thealligator which included showing us its skeletal parts.  I learned they eat rocks to help their fooddigest; they have scutes on the top of their backs that act like solar panels,they are cold blooded creatures, but need the warmth to create energy;alligators eat other smaller types of alligators (cannibals!); and they havevery small brains because they are quite simple creature with the simple dailygoals of eating and surviving.  Sort oflike wash, rinse, repeat, they sunbathe, eat, and do it again the nextday. 

Ten Thousand Islands Wild Life Refuge was beautiful. It wasa swamp-like area, with many types of birds, aligators, fish and butterflies.We took many good photos here. I hope you enjoy them.

Big Cypress National Preserve was the most beautiful treeforest I’ve ever been to. It’s funny that we’re are here in FL during their“winter season.” (If they only knew what “winter season” was.)

Shark Valley River Slough was AWESOME. There were numerousFlorida native birds all along the river in the trees, on the lily pads, flyingaround, and in the water fishing for food with their beaks. Alligators were allalong the trail that visitors walk, just a bit closer to the water todaybecause it was quite hot. There were no fences between the people and thegators. It’s crazy! They don’t want to eat us though (not usually anyhow, soI’m told).  Shark Valley River Slough is amust see for anyone. A good place to learn the difference between what the“Circle of Life” is, in the Everglades, and what “invasive” plant or animalspecies are. Many of the small mammals that once populated the Everglades aregone due to all of those who were letting their pythons loose in theEverglades. They ate mammals that once belonged here into extinction, in thisarea. So sad. I'll post mammal types that used to be here, that are no longer.

Our “Happy Birthday” theme is still around, BUT we added anew theme today…"The Circle of Life", and referenced Lion King numerous times.This occurs because there is the normal “Circle of Life” and then there are“invasive” plant or animal species. So today we sortof busted out in the Circleof Life song, but not too much. 

I’ll expand more on these visits later, need to head out theBiscayne National Park today.  We’ll takea 40 minute boat ride out to an Island (name is escaping me – will add later)to clean the sea turtle nesting grounds. The ocean washes up so much trash, it’sjust awful. I’m very excited about this project. We will be in the sun so muchand are bringing long sleeve wicking shirts to help protect our skin. We are takingtwo boats to the island. One for us, and one to bring the trash back on. Wewill be sorting and recycling the track, upon our return to land. It’s going toa long, but rewarding day.