The Everglades

We arrived at Everglades NP on Monday from the West Palm Beach area. We are camping at Long Pine Key, a peninsular of higher ground (about 2 feet) than the surrounding saw grass wetlands. As such it's dryer here and very pleasant -an open woodlands dominated by tall slash pines, no mosquitoes, but getting hot. 

 

Diane relaxing in the shade.

Fluffy cumulus clouds with tall pines in foreground.

 

Early morning fog. It will soon burn off.

Cypress dome swamp slog- (by Diane)
This was actually more enjoyable than it may look! We didn't see any alligators and the "snake" someone was trying to point out, I did not see at all, so no real dangers. We were given walking sticks to check for underwater hazards...to me that meant quicksand! The water was never more than knee deep and it kept you cool. The ranger asked us how we could make a living if we lived in the cedar swamp (nobody would want to live there), but I said I could sell air plants to the tourists passing by on the road (and then would get the heck out of there, which I did not say.)

 

Bromeliads growing on cypress trees.

Crocodile flag

One strange orchid.

Diane on the lookout for crocodiles!

Pineland Bike Tour (by Diane)
The Bike Hike took us through different habitats, from pine forest to grasslands. Again there supposedly was a snake that I also did not see. We biked on cart paths some of which can be underwater by about a foot in the wet season. The park provided the ranger, bikes & helmets and it was free! 

 

Spider web in the morning dew.

                                    Tree snails

Sweet acacia