3.26.2011

The Everglades: A Small Snapshot

Here are a few photographs before/while the canon broke. Most are taken in the Everglades.


Sunset at nine mile pond.

Nine mile pond canoe trip. Heading towards mangrove forests.

Nine mile pond canoe trip. Seagrass marshes.

Nine mile pond canoe trip. Red mangroves.

Nine mile pond canoe trip. American Crocodile.

Mrazek pond, Everglades. Alligator resting in the morning sun.

West Lake, Everglades.

Crocodile at the Flamingo Marina, Everglades

Manatee and baby coming up for air. Flamingo Marina, Everglades.

Campsite in Flamingo, Everglades.

Shore birds on the beach by our campsite. Flamingo, Everglades.

Flamingo, Everglades.


Canon the Camera

While Ly+Alan's trip to the Everglades was awesome the only bad thing that happened was that Ly's trusty canon camera died on the third day of their trip. It just decided to stop working....right when Ly and Alan reached the end of their 3 mile hike to see the nesting area of some rare birds. So not only does Ly not have a picture of that but a lot of the pictures that were taken weren't very good because the camera was having some problems focusing. Sadness.

Ly learned a very valuable lesson that day -- always bring a back up camera with you while on vacation.

And now she gets to get a new camera. Perhaps a Nikon is in her future...

RIP beautiful Canon. You were great while you lasted!


Canon's very last picture...on the 3 mile hike to the bird nest

Alan's First Spring Break

This year for Spring Break, Ly+Alan loaded up the corolla and drove down to the Everglades for five days of camping fun followed by a weekend of luxury on Hilton Head Island. It was exactly what the Doctor-to-be ordered. So much fun and relaxation!

Highlights of the trip included:

- Snorkeling in Key Largo...yes, Ly managed to overcome her fear of the ocean and loved every second of her snorkeling adventure where she swam with tons of fish including a reef shark.

- An early morning ranger guided canoe trip in the Everglades...Ly only got nervous once when they were feet away from an alligator eating his breakfast. But they also saw a ton of rare birds including a bald eagle and a giant (13 ft) American crocodile.

- An afternoon canoe trip in Biscayne National Park...where Ly + Alan spent some quality time with a very inquisitive manatee who hung out so close to the canoe that Ly could touch him.

- Watching the 'gators hunt on a moonlit walk...it was a bit creepy/super cool to see their eyes reflect the light of the flashlights.

- Bird watching in the Everglades...Alan loves the Anhinga birds who dive under the water for their food and live with the alligators.

- A visit to Cape Canaveral National Seashore - one of the most gorgeous beaches ever

- Relaxing on the beach of Hilton Head and then playing in the Atlantic Ocean as the tide came back in

- Riding bikes on the beach...Ly did mange to go a whopping 30 feet in the hour without Alan holding her bike. It was a fun adventure and she vows to learn to ride a bike before their next trip to Hilton Head.

- Really yummy fresh caught seafood.


Anyway the trip was a success and easily one of the best vacations Ly+Alan have been on in a long time.