Day 154 Chokoloskee - St James City Florida
Trip Start
May 07, 2008
1
164
205
Trip End
Nov 22, 2008
Fort Myers,
Florida,
United States
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
As mentioned yesterday, we had a plan (gee scary! we know), the plan being to experience an airboat ride in the everglades.
With this in mind we had our breakfast and prepared to leave, at 9am we made a booking for the airboat ride for 9:30am.
The departure point for our ride was only 6 minutes away, so we made it in time to park and walk straight out to the dock.
Our driver (Rick) loaded us in and advised us to wear the provided earmuffs. No reminders required as soon as the motor kicked into life and the noise of the propeller behind, certainly convinced us it was a good idea to don the earmuffs.
Off the boat floats at a very sedate pace, this is in brackish water amongst other houses and boat docks close by. A sign indicates no wake, so a good guess as to the reason of the slow beginning pace.
We spotted a couple of Osprey,(sea eagles) sitting up on the top of mangrove trees, and as we travelled down a channel in between mangroves, more bird life jumping up and out ahead of the noise.
We must have passed the restricted speed zone, because the revs picked up and the speed increased, the boat began skimming over the water.
The pathways through the mangroves was to say the least, extremely interesting, some natural narrow water ways, others had been cut to allow the air boats a path.
The Canopy of the branches closing over us, with a view of a world of webbed and tangled roots of the mangoes growing in this part of the world, was similar to being transported to another world.
The pathway opened up to a savannah grassland of water logged grass and reeds, the twists and turns as the waterways meander through and the air boat skimming at a good speed, gave us the sense of a real life adventure ride in the swamps and marshes of the ever glades, as pictured on the TV, stories. Unless you knew your way through this pathway it would be easy to be lost as the avenues are not apparent as you skim along. All the entry and exit points of the water paths are hidden by the grasses or mangroves hanging low. We weaved in and out of both the grasslands and the mangroves and enjoyed the thrill of the speed and views.
The hour trip simply made time stand still and before long we were back to an idle speed re-tracing our path to the departure dock.
Nope, we didn't see any alligators only a few birds, the everglades are home to alligators, birds, snakes, racoons and a few bobcats, according to our driver. Certainly an understanding of not seeing any wildlife from a noise machine that we travelled on is completely, understandable.
We alighted from the machine, all very happy travellers for having had the experience, certainly another wonderful part of our journey.
We had at this stage, not set a destination for the day, how good is that, on vacation, (holiday) and no urgent requirement to "BE" any place at a given time.
We decided to drive north towards Naples and find a place to have morning tea and maybe run into a beach area. We came across an Information centre and chose that location for morning tea, usually a good call, because they have restrooms. Well morning tea was done but restrooms out of order didn't help.
We decided to drive on to; either a supermarket or beach area. Well the beach area thing doesn't happen, the access to the beach is still a narrow pathway with limited parking and no turn around for our Castle. We still struggle with that concept, that the houses are right up to the sand and no public parking, nor facilities to service the beach, (MMMM maybe you swim a good distance from each other?).
We came to a State Park area displaying a sign advising, "Beach access" great let's turn in and have a look at the white sandy beaches of the gulf. HEY steady on guys, this is a state park, access by way of "PAY A FEE" be that it is only $1 per person, our free Aussie beaches takes over and a U-turn is done before the booth.
Further down the road we came across a park, (not on the beach, just beside the road) again a State Owned facility, it had 2 toilet facilities and some benches, and again the charge was $1 per person, no gatekeeper, an honesty box system, we are being honest, we didn't pay to park and have lunch and use the restroom.
We continued our journey north and had decided by this time to stop at a KOA park, that advertised free WIFI and Cable TV, we drove through a lot of built up area but with good wide roads and arrived at around 2:30pm. A very relaxed sign ourselves in and information about the park and facilities, a good price as well. So here we are near Fort Myers on Pine Island.
An afternoon cuppa and a dip in a nice pool until a cloud came over and dropped some rain. But certainly a nice relaxed day and an airboat trip to recall, as another tick in the; "done that bit"
Tomorrow further north and then heading West, not long now and it is also time to advertise a wonderful Castle for sale. We are fully aware we may not be able to sell it at a price it is worth, also we have the fall back of the guaranteed buy back option, (obviously we have used up the 12,000 miles, and are now into .32 per mile,) but hey the memories and fun and educations we have had in this Castle to us all, have been priceless and no one can take away that, for any amount of money.
