Thu, 3/14/13

Everglades National Park, Homestead, FL:  Cool again this morning.  Headed out early to drop off a prescription at Walgreen’s for Mike. Did that and went next door to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  Feeling a bit warmer, but headed up the Florida’s Turnpike a couple of exits to check out the movie theater there.  Noted the times for future reference and then we headed to a remote eastern entrance of the Everglades NP to check it out.  This hammock, Chekika, was inhabited for thousands of years.  Most recently it was a resort, but the park bought the land because of its importance to the Shark River Slough that is the Everglades.  This remote hammock was accessible only by canoe at one time.  The original Everglades was a river of grass 40 miles wide and 5 inches deep.  It’s now a mere shadow of its former self.   It actually got up to 75 today.  On the way back we stopped at the Anhinga Trail and walked around a little.  Lots of Europeans and Asians in the mix.  Back home and had sandwiches for dinner.

Anhinga chicks--Anhinga Trail

Mike pointing out a gator on a little pond at Chekika Hammock

These grasses on Chekika are over 7 feet tall.

Water lily--Anhinga Trail