Tardif-Times: Back to Clearwater from the Everglades - - - - - - - Day 24

Bright and early Thursday morning we departed from the Travelodge motel, and leaving civilization far behind, we headed back to Everglades National Park. First thing was to secure a campsite in the Long Pine Key Campground, 35 miles from our previous campsite there. Then we left the park and went to an alligator farm, where we saw litterally thousands of alligators of all sizes! The gator farm also had several Florida crocodiles, various snakes, a rare Florida panther, shows with a guy handling snakes and gators, as well as feeding a whole pond full of hungry gators (white rats were on the menu that day). Ron had his picture taken while he was sitting on a very large and very alive alligator (not to worry; its mouth was taped shut!). The highlight of the day was an airboat ride out through the marsh grass, with various wading birds and wild alligators in clear view.

Next morning was chilly - maybe 40 degress. We took a walk around a small pond next to our campground and saw a 6 foot crocodile (not an alligator) slowly gliding through the water, looking for his breakfast. In the afternoon we checked out the Anhinga Trail, which skirted a pond and then followed elevated boardwalks out through a swamp. There were several species of herons and egrets as well as wood storks, vultures, anhingas, ibis, turtles, fish, and gators, gators, gators! The variety of animals, plants, and trees are an amazing testament to God's creation.

Evening found us back at the Anhinga trail on a starlight, ranger-guided tour with several other people, looking for alligators by flashlight. When your flashlight beam strikes a gator, the eyes glow red; amazingly, even a hundred yards away across the lake their eyes still shown as red as Christmas lights. For an online video of a typical family visiting the same places we went, check out the following:
http://www.channel2.org/intothewild/index.html

Saturday morning dawned not quite as cool but foggy. We packed up the tent still wet, took I-75 across Alligator Alley and then on up I-275, back over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge across Tampa Bay to Clearwater. We are back visiting with Ron's Mom and Dad; have the tent out in the garage drying. Will be here a few days and are looking forward to seeing Jay, Erin, and Adelynn.

A gator by the tail