Florida Everglades Photos

Not to be deterred by my lack of international travel this year, I am still gallivanting nationally! I just returned from a long weekend in Florida visiting Bill and Cheryl Kampa. Besides the wonderful golfing (I only lost one ball!), pints in the local Irish pub, and poolside relaxing, they took me on a boat trip into the Everglades.

The large airplane engine at the back of the boat started, and the pelicans sat in front just watching us. A woman in the front seat (only 6 seats) said, "Do Pelicans eat people?" She certainly squirmed when we saw the baby alligator! Heading into the Mangrove forest reminded me of my boat trip into Botswana's Okavango Delta back in 2000. This time I wasn't surrounded by papyrus but by Mangrove trees. The weather held out for us (it didn't pour or scald us) as we mad our way through narrow channels and into large open ares. Except for the noise of the engine and the smell of fuel, the trip gave me a little taste of the new--new place, new nature, new experience!

Here are some photos of the raccoons, alligator, pelicans, and Mangrove forest. Enjoy!

Up next: Colorado in late June!