Swamp Things

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Today is a little cloudy with temperatures hovering around seventy degrees.  However, the wind chill factor makes it feel like it's in the mid sixties.  But, we are a tough breed and can survive such conditions.  After all, as kids, we had to walk to school in the snow, up hill...both ways!  So, we ventured out into the elements with Pat and Ted and found ourselves at a wildlife sanctuary just a few miles north of Okeechobee, Florida.

Here's the tough one's.  L to R: Pat, Ted, Kitty, and Craig

The wildlife sanctuary is actually part of the Taylor Creek Water Management System. They have trails that circle around a large pond that is full of wildlife including birds, snakes, and gators.  There are no protective fences or barriers.  So, you need to be careful and be aware of your surroundings. We didn't see any snakes due to the cool temperatures.  If they had been out and about, rest assured  Eagle Eye Ted would have spotted 'em.  But, we did see plenty of birds and gators.

I wonder if they filmed the movie Swamp Thing here!

We saw quite a variety of birds.  Some birds we could identify, and some we could not identify.  So, we consulted Barry The Bird Man to help us identify some of these birds.  He really knows his birds, and if he can't identify a particular bird, he knows how to get it identified. We really appreciate his help.  Now, once I get past a Robin or a Pigeon, I'm lost!

The gator pictures will follow after these bird pictures.

Heron

Coot

White Ibis

Egret

Wood Stork

Great Blue Heron

 Great Blue Heron

Young Heron

Double Crested Cormorants

Anhinga

When you are walking in this part of the country, it's important that you know a few things about gators for your own safety.  First, they can swim and stay under water for extended periods of time.  So, never swim in any stream or lake around here.  Second, they like to eat small white dogs, so don't bring your dogs to this place!  Also, they are very fast on land.  Many people don't realize how fast gators can run, and you can't out run them if you run in a straight line.  The only way you can get away from them is to zig n zag.

Having said all that, we felt pretty safe because Kitty was with us.  She has two bad knees and can't zig n zag.  We figured she would end up as gator food while the rest of us made it to a safe place!  Ha!

Most of the gators in these pictures were about six feet long except for the two juveniles.

Here gator gator!  Here gator gator!

This guy is covered in moss.

Juvenile Gator

Juvenile Gator swimming away from us. 

Kitty! Don't get so close!  Get ready to zig n zag!

I am pleased to report that we departed the wildlife sanctuary with all of our limbs attached.  To celebrate, we headed to town for ice cream!  You have to be tough to have ice cream after walking about two miles of wilderness trails with a wind chill of 65 degrees!

Eagle Eye Spots Wild Life

Sunday, January 13, 2013

On Saturday night, I had placed another order for some great weather for Sunday, and, once again, Mother Nature delivered!  This Sunday morning sky was a deep blue with almost no clouds, the temperature was near eighty degrees. and there was a slight breeze from the southwest. Wow, what a day for a bike ride!

My neighbor Eagle Eye Ted, and I, had previously talked about taking a bike ride on the rim trail that goes around Okeechobee Lake and this was the perfect day for such a ride. You'll see why I call him Eagle Eye in just a minute, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I am blind in one eye and can't see out of the other eye!  Ha!

We quickly checked our bikes, grab our water bottles, and mounted up for a ride.  We weren't sure what our destination would be, but we would decide that once we got on the rim trail.  We peddled out of Ancient Oaks RV Resort and turned right riding along highway 441 a short distance uphill until we reached the nearest rim trail entrance. Even though it wasn't a very long hill, my legs started to burn and I was thinking this could be a very long day.  But, once we were up on the rim trail heading in a southerly direction, we settled into a rhythm that was comfortable for both of us and we were really enjoying the ride. It wasn't a fast pace, but I guarantee you the fastest turtles in Okeechobee Lake couldn't keep up with us!

We decided we would ride the trail until we saw a row of log homes along the canal that is adjacent to the rim trail.  The Army Core of Engineers built a rim around Okeechobee Lake to prevent flooding when hurricanes came through this area.  The dirt they used to build the rim made what is called the lake canal.

It seemed like no time at all and we reached the row of log homes that were on the canal, and we both kept peddling.  Now, we decided we would head for lock 51 which would be almost four miles from our starting point, making this an eight mile round trip.

I am certain the engineers built the lock in this exact location because it is exactly the spot where our collective butt cheeks were screaming for some relief!  Sitting on the most comfortable bike seat ever made for any length of time, is like have a fence post jammed up your backside. So, we coasted to a stop on the other side of lock 51 just in time to watch a boat lock through.

The following sequence of pictures will explain how boats lock through.

A fishing boat enters the lock from the canal side.

The lock attendant raises the canal side lock door.

Boat enters the lock

 The fishing boat enters the lock and secures a line to keep the boat from drifting.  The lock attendant records the boat owners name and boat registration number.  Then the water level is lowered about two feet so it is the same level as the lake water.

Eagle Eye Ted is watching this operation very carefully to be sure they do it right!

Once the water level inside the lock is the same level as the lake, the attendant opens the lake side lock door and the boats exits the lock and heads to Okeechobee Lake.

From the lock, Eagle Eye Ted and I walked to a parking lot about 100 yards away.  We were standing near the parking lot and he spots a big, snarling, viscous, black snake slithering from the parking lot to some rocks near the water's edge.  I wasn't able to get a picture of the big black snake as I was too busy cleaning up the mess I just made in my pants!  Snakes always bring out the worst in me!  Ha!

Then, he spotted a fisherman just as he was catching a small catfish.  While we were discussing the fisherman's catch,  he spots an alligator swimming in the canal about 50 yards from where the guy just caught his fish!  

Look carefully between the tree on the left and the dock on the right and you'll see the gator.

If you look back at my blog on December 4, 2012 about the murals in Lake Placid, you will note that Ted was the one finding most of the hidden objects in those murals.  Now, on our bike ride, he spots a viscous snake, a man catching a fish, and a deadly gator swimming in the canal barely above water.  And that, folks, is why I call him Eagle Eye Ted!

Fort Pierce and Mangrove Mattie's

Friday, January 11, 2013

Food... food... food!  When you are hungry and on Florida's east coast, you might as well have sea food.  They're many fine restaurants along the coast and this blog has only mentioned a handful so far.  But, Mangrove Mattie's is well worth the trip to Fort Pierce, Florida.

Randy and Debbie were having their driveway painted, so we decided to head to the coast.  Hey, any excuse to head to the coast is a good excuse!  Right?  When we left Ancient Oaks RV Resort, we had no idea where we would end up.  We tossed around a few suggestions while heading east along highway 714 when it started raining.  Rains in Florida usually don't last long so we didn't let the weather dampen our spirits.

Suddenly, our tour director, Debbie, says "let's go to Fort Pierce and eat at Mangrove Mattie's."  She had been there a year or so ago and remembered the food was great and she also remembered how to get there.  Heck, I can't remember what I did a few minutes ago. I suffer from CRS.  I would tell you what CRS means, but I can't remember! Ha!

Randy is our chauffeur today, and he guides the Toyota along to I95, then north to highway 70, then east to the Fort Pierce coast.  The skies have cleared now and the temperatures are nearing 80 degrees.  It's really going to be another great day!

This is Mangrove Mattie's in Fort Pierce

Randy and Debbie getting ready to order lunch

Kitty watches a sail boat (photo by Randy)

This is a view of the river which leads to the ocean a few hundred yards away.

The food was fresh and very good.  After lunch, we walked along the river walk towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Pelicans enjoying the beautiful day!

Next, we drove into the downtown area of Fort Pierce and then headed to the Fort Pierce Marina hoping to see a manatee or two.  But, they were hiding somewhere else.

Here's the marina.

On the way back to Okeechobee, we stopped at Traditions Square for some super good ice cream. Yea! Put a little on fudge on that ice cream please!  Well, that really topped off our day.  Another day full of fun in the sun, fine food, good friends, and...ICE CREAM!  Darn, that's good!

Gator alert! There's a Gator in Our Park!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

It was time to check to see if any mail had been delivered, so Pat offered to take Kitty in their golf cart up to the park office to check our mail box.  While they were there, these two adventurous explorers decided to see if there was any truth to the rumor that a gator was sunning himself on the small island in the lake by the club house.  These gals risked life and limb driving by the island to find that gator!

Sure enough, the gator was there enjoying the south Florida sunshine.  The girls scurried back to get me and the camera.  With three of us in the front seat of their golf cart, Pat puts the pedal to the metal and just misses my car.  Throwing the golf cart in reverse, she just missed my truck.  Then she yells "hold on", and lays a 10 foot streak of rubber on the road while popping a wheelie.  We could hear the neighbors chocking on the blue tire smoke. Good golly, I didn't know those carts could do wheelies like that! Ha!  

Holding on for dear life, we raced back to the island and spotted the gator about 75 yards from the road.  He was in the same spot, but it was too far away to get a close up shot and I wasn't able to talk Kitty into wading into the lake for a closer picture.  If you were hoping for an up close and personal picture of a gator...well... all I can say,  it's not my fault.  I tried like heck to get Kitty to get into the water for a better shot.  But, like a deer in the headlights, she wouldn't budge!

So, Here's the best shot we could get under the circumstances.

They couldn't pay me enough money to mow that island! 

Boating on Taylor Creek

Saturday, January 5, 2013


One of the things on our "to do list" while we were staying in Okeechobee, Florida, was to boat along Taylor Creek and see if we could find some gators!  This would be a little difficult since we did not have a boat here in Florida.  But, our friend, Ron came to the rescue and offered to take us for a ride.

The weather was partly cloudy and a little windy, but not enough wind to bother us on the creek.  We put Ron's boat in just a short distance from Ancient Oaks RV Resort.  There is a canal that runs along the rim of Okeechobee Lake.  This canal intersects Taylor Creek about a mile or so from where we put in.  Our plan was to head up the creek to the Burger King, refresh ourselves there, then head back the way we came.

Here's a shot of us putting Ron's boat in the water.

Kitty and I have had several boats since we've been married, and we have always enjoyed our time on the water.  Today was certainly no exception.  Ron cruised the boat slow enough so we could take all the pictures we wanted, and here's what we saw....

We started out following the canal that circles Okeechobee Lake until we reached Taylor Creek.  The next three shots were take on the canal.

Now we are on Taylor Creek heading north.

This is the Burger King (our half way point) taken from Taylor Creek

We stopped at the Burger King from some refreshments.  As we came out of the Burger King, we were greeted by these ibis.

These next shots are of some of the birds we encountered.

As you can see, we saw lots of birds, boats, and homes, but no gators!  We were beginning to think that gators in this part of Florida was just a myth.  But, that certainly didn't stop us from having a wonderful day on the water and we really appreciate Ron taking us out.  Yes!  It was another fabulous day in South Florida.