01/01/07 Paddling West Lake Canoe Trail (7.7 miles one way):
Wind wasn't bad on this first day of the new year. Put in at the northwest corner of the lake and was met with 5-10mph winds when I got to open water. Less wind but the waves were almost the same, almost 1 foot high every 2-3 feet although they were somewhat more rolling than steep. I paddled up the northern shore going from point to point rather than hugging the shore. Didn't notice the canoe trail anywhere. Saw some PVC markers but they gave way with no apparent entrance to the trail.
Not much to say about West Lake. Someone told me it was 1 mile by 2 miles. Nothing but mangroves on all shores. No wildlife, although someone told be it's a well kept secret that West Lake is great for tarpon, jack and some other types of fish. No motors larger than 6hp allowed on the lake and I didn't see another soul out there.
Went back to the Flamingo marina and caught a glimpse of a manatee. More importantly, 4 crocodiles hang out there. I saw one cruising by that appeared to be good sized and then saw another one just hanging out in one spot. The difference between an American crocodile and an alligator is 1) crocodiles are grayer, alligators blacker 2) crocodiles don't have much nostrils, alligators have protruding eyes and nostrils, crocodiles snout is flatter and narrower, alligator has a dip between eyes and nostrils so when they partially submerge those are often the only two thing you see.
I dunno what he was doing but the first croc was still in the water with its tail towards shore and opened its mouth in an apparent yawn and left if open. I've seen African pictures where birds go into a croc's mouth and clean it for them. Then I noticed a much larger croc up on the bank.
I had noticed a real rough looking object partially on shore. Much too large to be a croc, particularly compared to the other 3... and then it moved, just as I was going to take a photo of it anyway. It seemed to be 10-12 feet long but extremely wide, much wider then the length might indicate. I got a half decent picture of that.
01/02/07 Paddling Buttonwood Canal (3.6 miles round trip):
The main objective for today was to simply get in the water with that monstrous crocodile from yesterday. Buttonwood Canal is the stream I had seen when driving back the Bear Lake Road. It wasn't very impressive then and I didn't expect much today.
The freshwater boat ramp is 50 yards from where 4 crocodiles hang out across from the canoe rental place. I dunno why they hang out there, maybe because they feed them noisy campers. Something gave the big one all that bulk. I saw one of them cruise by my ramp as I was launching. When I got down to their sunbathing bank, the big one was already there, but mostly in the water. I took a couple pictures of his back and they really show the lumps or bumps or scales or whatever.
The canal itself leads to Bear Lake and is only 50 feet wide with mangroves along both sides. And there, I've just about described the 2 mile trip to Bear Lake. Saw a blue heron, a great egret, a night heron, a limpkin here and there with a few osprey and a flock of snowy egrets overhead and that was about it.
Bear Lake looked pretty much like West Lake, 2 miles long by 1 mile wide. It's only about 2 feet deep and 18 inches of that is seaweeds. There is a channel going off to the left for fishermen to follow but I didn't bother. I had gotten a late start so I just paddled to one side of the lake and let the wind blow me back while I had lunch.
Back with the crocodiles, the big guy was out of the water and stretched out pretty much full length. He was partially hidden by stuff so that was disappointing. One of the others had crawled up on top of the bank and I got a picture of that one.
01/03/07 Paddling Nine Mile Ponds (again):
Left the Flamingo area and moved up to the Long Pine Key campground which is 35 miles closer to Biscayne National Park and John Pennekamp State Park.
Stopped off for a quick paddle to see if the large crocodile I had been told about was anywhere in sight. He was!
Two large alligators were waiting for me at the put in, one on the shore and one in the water. Several buzzards were stalking the one on shore. I don't know if they thought he was dead or dying because he wasn't moving or what. I watched for a few minutes to see if one would get too close but they were pretty cautious.
I paddled out into the next pond through an opening in the reeds and there was the big mother, pulled up on a nearby bank. From snout to the beginning of the tail was close to 6 feet and I couldn't even see his tail. I paddled to within 30 feet of him taking pictures and have to admit I was a little nervous.
Paddled off into the 3rd pond and saw a few alligators in the water. Came back and watched the croc for a while and then went back to the 1st pond. Here I found several 4-5 foot alligators in the water at the far end.
Not bad, a few large alligators, several smaller one and one huge crocodile in about 20 minutes.
01/06/07 Walking Anhinga Trail:
This is a nice boardwalk at Royal Palms, the first turnoff you come to after entering the Everglades from Homestead. Lots of 4-6 foot alligators within 50 feet for viewing... and surprise, anhingas too, as well as great blue herons and some of the others. Well worth the visit. Along with Eco Pond, these are the only two walks I found interesting in the Flamingo section of the Everglades.
01/10/07 Walking Shark Valley Tramway:
Been going down into the Florida Keys the past few days (see next report). On the way to Big Cypress Swamp along US 41 I came across the Shark Valley section of the Everglades National Park. They have tram cars for touring and rent bicycles. I heard one person say they expected the ride to last 2.5 hours but I dunno if that's true nor where the paved road goes. I was there for 1.5 hours or so and a tram full of kids didn't come back while I was there.
I walked about a mile of the paved road. It follows a canal that far and then the canal disappears. The first thing I noticed was a ton of 14 inch alligator gars swimming around along with a couple of large turtles. Lots of good pictures of great blue herons. Walking along the road looking at some birds across the canal I almost stepped on a 5 foot alligator. He was in some grasses right next to the road. He sure got my attention. I'm glad to say my reactions are still fairly quick. Another 5 footer was just a few feet away but I was looking for them now.
Many alligators here and there including some little guys. No big ones though. I wonder if they might move them out of the area? They might pose too much of a threat to all the people coming through there.
Small green herons, small blue herons and even a few purple gallinules. This is a pretty coot like bird with a bluish/purplish body, greenish wings and a its forehead and upper part of its beak are bright red. These were the first I've ever seen. They hang around in dense bushes and thin branches. I even got a couple of pretty good pictures.
This would be a good walk for kids or the elderly. I'll certainly stop by if I'm ever in the area again.