March 9, 2017 – The Everglades

Glad I went back and spent a day exploring this national park.  The stereotype may be air boating past alligators in a mangrove swamp, but there is much more density and ecological subtly to the minor changes in elevation in this vast preserve.  Not to mention it was dry and warm.  Where I camped was in a pineland area which is only a few feet above the tidal marshes but quite different in what plants and animals thrive there, no alligators or standing water but tons of different birds.  The campsite, being surrounded by dense underbrush or hammock, allowed the smaller birds to inhabit with impunity.  They were constantly hopping around just feet from my tent and producing an always-on soundtrack of various ever-changing bird songs.

Today I spent the day slowly riding the 38-mile road to the coastal region of the park, passing mangroves and hammock islands of mahogany and cypress.  The everglades are for the most part flat but the environment changes with only a foot or so of elevation change.  With each new ecological zone the park has organized elevated walking trails with signage pointing out the biological features of the area.  Only about 10 miles and an elevation change of a foot or so, I was surprised to find a few alligators cooling themselves in a drainage culvert on the road to the first trail.  As the park descends a few more feet in elevation water takes over with vast ponds and mangrove swamps.  The density of the mangrove was experienced through the walking trails but it was much harder to experience the wildlife, from the road or trails.  With the exception of a group of black vultures that were exerting territorial dominance over the lake parking lot by eating the rubber off of the parked cars.