Riding the Turtle Train

 

It will make sense later.

We left Collier-Seminole on Wednesday bound for Hillsborough River State Park just north of Tampa. We stopped at three campgrounds along the way to take photos. In order from south to north:

One of the oldest and largest state parks, Myakka protects one of the state's most diverse natural areas. The Myakka River, designated as a Florida Wild and Scenic River, flows through 58 square miles of wetlands, prairies, hammocks, and pinelands. Visitors can enjoy wildlife viewing from a boardwalk that stretches out over the Upper Myakka Lake, then take to the treetops with a stroll along the canopy walkway. The park's river and two lakes provide ample opportunities for boating, freshwater fishing, canoeing, and kayaking; a boat ramp provides access to Upper Myakka Lake.

Hikers can explore trails that cross large expanses of rare Florida dry prairie. Scenic lake tours are offered daily on the world's two largest airboats. Safari tram tours of the park's backcountry are offered from mid-December through May. Full-facility campgrounds and primitive campsites are available. Five palm log cabins, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, have been modernized for comfortable lodging. Located nine miles east of Sarasota on State Road 72.

 

Lake Manatee State Park extends along three miles of the south shore of Lake Manatee, our namesake, which serves as a water reservoir for Manatee and Sarasota counties. Despite the name of the lake and park, visitors cannot actually see manatees at this park because of the dam on the Manatee River. The rest of the park is primarily pine flatwoods and sand pine scrub with some depression marshes and hardwood forests.

A boat ramp provides easy access to the lake; boat motors must be less than 20 horsepower. Canoeing and kayaking are popular activities. The lake offers excellent freshwater fishing, and anglers can fish from their boats or from the park's fishing dock. Swimming is permitted in a designated area of Lake Manatee; a facility with showers is located nearby. A large picnic area is nestled in a sand pine scrub area near the lake. A picnic pavilion may be reserved for a fee. Campers can enjoy full-facility camping, just a short walk from the lake. Located 15 miles east of Bradenton on State Road 64.

 

The Little Manatee River begins in a swampy area near Fort Lonesome and flows almost 40 miles before emptying into Tampa Bay. The river has been designated an Outstanding Florida Water and is part of the Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve. Visitors can fish along the banks of the river. Wildlife enthusiasts can enjoy hiking a six-and-a-half mile trail through the park's northern wilderness area. For those who prefer their hikes on horseback, the park has 12 miles of equestrian trails and four equestrian campsites.

Campers can spend the night in a full-facility campground or hike out to a primitive campsite along the trail. A youth/group campground accommodates up to 20 people. The scenic picnic area along the river has tables, grills, and pavilions. Pavilions can be reserved for a fee. Unreserved pavilions are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Located five miles south of Sun City, off U.S. 301 on Lightfoot Road.

 

As we passed through Tampa heading towards our campground, the skies broke open and the rain sheeted down. It was late, around 4:30pm, when we finally arrived and set up camp. It cleared up the next morning, but the temperatures peaked in the 50’s. I think we have finally caught up with winter.

Opened in 1938, Hillsborough River State Park is one of Florida's first state parks. This original CCC Park is divided by the swiftly flowing Hillsborough River with a set of Class II rapids. The river provides opportunities for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Hikers can walk over seven miles of nature trials: Rapids Trail, Baynard Trail, a sub-section of the Florida Trail and the Wetlands Restoration Trail. The park offers full-facility camping and a youth/group tent campground. It is located about 20 miles north of Tampa.

Here are some views of the river right behind our campsite:

Glenn visited Busch Gardens on Thursday so I got to spend a wonderful Glenn-Free day walking the campground and talking to other campers. On Friday we did some hiking instead of canoeing. The Hillsborough River is one of the few in Florida that has rapids, so we were determined to find them. We hiked a loop that joined the Baynard and Rapids Trails.

The trail finally met up with the river:

We crossed a suspension bridge and we found the rapids:

Hey, if your highest mountain in South Florida is 86 feet, you take what you can get. To make the photo above a bit more interesting, I brought a tripod along for my camera. By setting the shutter speed to one second, the result is a smoother look to the water:

I almost forgot about the turtle trains. When you are definitely in no rush to get anywhere, they can be a fun ride:

All Aboard!

Regards,

Greg

Return of the Raccoons

 

They’re Baaaaack! But I will get to that in a bit.

We left the Florida Keys on Sunday morning. The weather had been perfect, but it rained on Saturday night so once again my tent was wet when I packed it up. I really need an RV.

We headed west on the US 41, also known as the Tamiami Trail. The road bordered Everglades National Park and passed through Big Cypress National Preserve. We eventually arrived at Collier-Seminole State Park. We set up camp and headed into town for taco fixings.

They have a historic visitor center, as well as one of the dredges that was used to dig the Tamiami Canal:

Experience the natural beauty and wildlife of the Everglades, as well as a forest of tropical trees at Collier-Seminole State Park. The 7,271-acre park lies partly within the great mangrove swamp of southern Florida, one of the largest mangrove swamps in the world. Collier-Seminole also contains one of the three original stands of the rare royal palm in Florida. The park is the site of a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the last existing Bay City Walking Dredge. Built in 1924, it was used to build the Tamiami Trail Highway (U.S. 41) through the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp, linking Tampa and Miami and opening southwest Florida to travelers.

Visitors to Collier-Seminole have the opportunity to explore the park's wilderness in many ways, including hiking, bicycling or canoeing. Collier-Seminole provides canoe rentals, as well as a boat ramp with access to the Blackwater River, where anglers can fish for both saltwater and freshwater fishing. Collier-Seminole offers full-facility, primitive and youth camping. The picnic areas have pavilions and grills for use on a first-come, first-served basis.

After having tacos for dinner on Sunday, we decided to be reckless and have them again for breakfast on Monday. So while Glenn was in the shower, I started heating up the meat, cutting up some cabbage, and putting out the cheese, salsa, and tortillas. Everything was set so I made a quick trip to the bathroom.

When I walked back to the campsite, I was just in time to see a raccoon scampering off with the tortillas. I chased him into the brush, but he got away without dropping the bag. Bastard! So we ended up having to use hamburger buns instead.

But I guess the raccoon was still hungry. He came back about 30 minutes later and brought a friend. I guess they wanted some cheese and salsa and taco meat. Check it out:

See the bag on the table next to the lantern in the photo above? Apparently Rocky Raccoon did:

Florida’s motto for their State Parks is “Experience the Real Florida.” I think that should be changed to “Experience the Real Hungry Florida.” Between the mosquitos, no-see-ums, bees, wasps, and raccoons, we have fed it pretty darn well.

Tuesday we went canoeing in the Blackwater River. We launched from the boat ramp in the campground:

Right off the bat we found a gator:

What they do is stare at you and then slowly submerge like a submarine:

Makes one wonder where they are hiding. I read that they can swim 20 mph and hold their breath for something like 30 minutes or more. Ok. I can’t paddle that fast.

So we headed down the river:

And found another gator:

Right below the Blue Heron you can see it. Farther down the river, the mangroves start forming a tunnel:

Then it really gets cool. This is what I though canoeing in Florida would be like:

Here is what the mangrove roots look like:

There is no dry ground, so the trees are supported by a network of roots that go straight into the water. We head back towards the campground:

And finally the boat ramp is in sight:

Oh, and a few obligatory bird pictures. A White Egret and yet another Blue Heron. I tried getting close to the Heron, but he took off:

Wednesday will find us heading to Hillsborough River State Park with a few stops along the way. Ta Ta for now.

Regards,

Greg

Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude

 

Jimmy Buffett’s song “Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude” captures the essence of the Florida keys perfectly. Anchoring the southernmost tip of the continental United States, the Keys exemplify a casual, relaxed, and, yes, laid-back attitude. So leave your ties and heels at home because, in the Keys, “no jacket is required.”

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, including the spectacular 7 mile bridge.

There are four State Parks with campgrounds in the Keys. Here they are from north to southwest:

The first undersea park in the U.S., John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park encompasses approximately 70 nautical square miles. While the mangrove swamps and tropical hammocks in the park's upland areas offer visitors a unique experience, it is the coral reefs and their associated marine life that bring most visitors to the park. Many enjoy the view of the reef from a glass-bottom boat tour, but visitors can get a closer look by scuba diving or snorkeling. Canoeing and kayaking through the park's waters are popular activities; fishing is permitted in designated areas. Visitors can enjoy walking on short trails, picnicking, or swimming at the beach. The Visitor Center has a 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium and nature videos are shown in its theater. Full-facility and Youth/Group campsites are available.

 

The Spanish named this island "Cayo Vivora" or Rattlesnake Key because its shape resembles a snake with its jaws open. In the early 20th century, Long Key was the site of a luxurious fishing resort that was destroyed during the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. Today, visitors can explore this island by canoeing through a chain of lagoons or hiking two land-based trails. The Golden Orb Trail leads visitors through five natural communities to an observation tower that provides a panoramic view of the island and its profusion of plant and animal life. Some of the best bonefishing in the Keys is found here. Full-facility campsites overlook the Atlantic Ocean. This campground was closed when we visited for bathroom remodeling and should be reopening in May 2012.

 

Curry Hammock is made up of a group of islands in the Middle Keys, with public access to swimming, a playground, picnic tables, grills and showers on the ocean side of Little Crawl Key. The hardwood hammocks found on these tropical islands support one of the largest populations of thatch palms in the United States. Mangrove swamps, seagrass beds and wetlands provide vital habitats for tropical wildlife.

This is one of my favorite campgrounds so far on this trip. It is a small loop with only 28 campsites and was in immaculate condition with a beautiful beach area.

 

We stayed at Bahia Honda State Park, only 30 miles from Key West. This is largest of the four campgrounds with 80 campsites and fills up fast year round.

Henry Flagler's railroad to Key West turned the remote island of Bahia Honda Key into a tropical destination. Bahia Honda is known for beautiful beaches, magnificent sunsets and excellent snorkeling. Visitors can picnic on the beach and take a swim or relax and enjoy the balmy sea breezes that caress the shores year-round. Anglers can fish from shore or bring a boat and launch at the boat ramp. Kayaks and snorkeling gear can be rented. Boat trips to the reef for a snorkeling excursion are available. Bahia Honda is an excellent place to see wading birds and shorebirds. The nature center introduces nature lovers to the island's plants and animals. Full-facility campsites and vacation cabins are available.

The cabins are set on a small lagoon on the Gulf side:

Speaking of sunsets, here are some photos of the first wet ones I have seen in a while. I walked about 20 feet from my campsite and took these Thursday night. The bridge on the right is US 1 and on the left is the old bridge no longer in use:

On Friday we drove to Key West to see what all the fuss is about. I was not prepared for just how developed the area has become. There is a waterfront boardwalk with charter boats for fishing and of course Duval Street, home to Papa Hemmingway's hangout Sloppy Joe’s, along with 40 million other bars and restaurants in the old part of town.

At the end of US 1 is the famous marker that everyone stands in front of to have their picture taken:

So turn off your cell phone, ignore your voice-mail, and take off for the Keys. As you change your latitude, you will definitely change your attitude.

Regards,

Greg