Gators galore

Bonjorno!

Since childhood I’ve been a big fan of all things mud and grime so diving into the Everglades should take this old hobby of mine to a whole new dimension.

Come on in, the water's fine (NBCNews)

The Everglades are basically flooded grasslands, thus forming what is called wetlands. Although is seems very eerily quiet and still, the glades are constantly in motion because at the base of this land lies not sand but water. Water flows from the centre of Florida downwards through the Everglades, ending in Florida Bay and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t expect the water to be as crystal clear as it is at the beaches though, because of the slow movement and vegetation, it’s more of a murky type of water that alligators like to call home.

The Everglades National Park is divided into three main sections: Ernest Coe (entrance near Homestead and Everglades city), Shark Valley (central of the Tamiami trail) and Gulf coast (on the northwest shore). Since we’re starting on the west coast near Naples, we’ll follow the Tamiami trail to the entrance of Shark Valley. From there on out we’ll head towards Homestead and visit the Royal Palm Visitor Centre. But ofcourse the main question you’re all asking yourselves is: what can we do over there? Hold your horses, cowboy, we’ll get right into that!

Activities

First off is Shark Valley. This particular part of the Everglades has more of a jungly feel since its vegetation is quite different from that in, for example, the Ernest Coe section. There is a paved trail you can follow (either by foot or by bicycle) or, if your not really into the whole hiking thing, a tram tour. There’s also an observation tower on this tour which looks incredibly ugly from down below but from the top offers incredibly breathtaking views of the Everglades. Whichever you choose, chances are high that you’ll see a few gators chilling out in the Florida sun. 

(Motosapextravel)

Next on the list is Homestead. We plan on just spending the night here but I came across one activity that I just have to mention: Everglades Outpost. This wildlife sanctuary is managed by a group of animal lovers who take in abandoned, hurt and/or unwanted wild animals. The range of animals can go anywhere from snakes and alligators, and even tigers! A project like this makes me smile since it forms a heart warming counter against all the sad things mankind puts these wild animals through, so if we have some time left, I think we’ll definitely pay them a visit.

(Audubon)

But ofcourse the main reason we’re here is the Everglades National Park. There are two main trails available which will both allow you to meet some of the inhabitants of the park up close (but not too close).  The best feature here however is without a doubt the evening stroll with a twist. You can swing by the park at night time and follow a park ranger along a trail. The only thing at your dispense is a flashlight so you can see several eyes lurking at you from the dark waters. Frighteningly awesome. 

Conservation

As is sadly the case with many of nature’s gems, the Everglades are threatened by mankind. This is most surely not a ‘new thing’ because the past has already shown how little it takes to upset the fragile balance of the glades. A huge advocate for their preservation and a local saint, is Marjory Stoneman Douglas. This woman did everything in her power to protect this fragile area, you can read all about her efforts here. In 1947 the Everglades National Park was founded. This was a huge step in the conservation of the area but it is surely not enough. The people at CERP work hard every day to make sure this unique landscape will still be here for our children’s children (and so on..) to enjoy.

 

(Wikimedia)

Voila, that concludes our journey into the depths of the swampy Everglades. We hope you enjoyed it, see you next week!

R & B