'Gators

While in Florida, we spent a day driving through the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.  We stopped at Shark Valley visitors center and took a couple of hiking trails in the swamp.  The wildlife was plentiful, including alligators, herons, osprey, turtles, pelicans, storks, and many other species that I don't remember.  And some strange ducks.  Of course, seeing alligators up close and personal is a highlight.  Especially the baby 'gators.  As we drove along the highway we probably saw a hundred 'gators basking in the sun in the swampy ditches.

As we crossed Big Cypress Swamp, we saw several "Panther Crossing" signs along the road.  A little different than the "Deer Crossing" signs we see in the Midwest.  Unfortunately, we never saw any panthers.  We didn't have time to take the required tourist air boat ride out through the swamp, but I think that would have been interesting.  Maybe next time.  There are also canoe routes through the swamp with elevated platforms to camp on along the way.  That might be fun to do sometime.  I would think that the bugs would rival the mosquitoes in the BWCA.

  Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
Jeremiah 8:7