February 9-10, 2018 Big Cypress Swamp, Florida

Very hot, mid 80's and very humid. No shade in the campground. We have no hookups so we can only use the AC when we run the generator. It is nice in the shade beside the bus. Nice  breeze.

The bus at park service Burns Lake Campground. The first night the bugs were the worst I have ever seen. Little gnat like things, nothing that bit. They were tiny and many  got through the screens. It was miserable. When John got up in the am this was how many bugs were on the outside of the screens. They has short lives and were dead. John has a bug 'bunny' in his hand.  We put up our screen bug tent and went into town and bought a thermacell bug killer. Must have worked, there were none the next night.

We went to Fakahatchee Strand state park. The boardwalk over the cypress freshwater swamp  is 2000 feet long and the audubon guide said it was the most delightful walk in Florida. It was lovely and green, but not sure it was THE most delightful walk here. It was green and ferny. John on the boardwalk.

Welcome to Cypress Bend Boardwalk, ibis,stranger fig, green vine, unfurling fern and a great blue heron. This building is a Miccosukee Indian Chickee. Before the white man arrived  the indians lived in these, without the walls. This one is a gift shop.

On our way home we stopped at Joanie's Blue Crab cafe for a beverage on their nice cool deck out back.  Sunset last night.

85 today, sunny and humid, perfect day to be on the water. We paddled the Turner River today into the Everglades. It is known for its mangrove tunnels. It is really beautiful. The red plants are air plants. the derive all their water and nutrients from the air. Some of them are orchids. John paddling in a mangrove tunnel. It is very narrow and has a canopy of mangrove branches and leaves. 

There was lots of wildlife there. Here are two of the many alligators we saw. Wildlife resting area, and these giant leather ferns-they can reach 13 feet tall. This is a stand up paddleboarder exiting one of the tunnels. We ran into her in the tunnel. The canopy is so low she had to sit on her board to get through. I was having trouble getting my paddle stuck in the branches and roots. She told me to just grab the branches and swing though like Tarzan. It worked well. 

In the more open area between tunnels. John and the SUP ahead of me. The southern cattails are 10 feet tall.  

We had lunch at these picnic tables we found by the palm trees. Only ones in there. John in the tunnel on the way back out. 

The water photo has water strider bugs running zigzag patterns away from my boat, a quill leaf bloom, one of the air plants, swamp lilies a type of amaryllis, and wild tree trunks. Pink flowers, red berries and purple flower getting ready to bloom.

John took this shot of me in the mangrove tunnel. Sunset from camp tonight.