Tag Archives: Everglades

Kayaking – Turner River, Everglades, FL (Round 2)

By nick | Published December 3, 2012

Kayaking Turner River in the Florida Everglades

Back in February, before moving out to the Pacific Northwest, I wanted to make one more kayak run down the Turner River. So I loaded up the car the night before and made it down to the kayak launch at first light.
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Posted in Florida, Kayaking, Nature Experience | Also tagged Adventure, Florida, Grass Marsh, Kayaking, Mangrove, Mangrove Tunnel, River Otter, Spiders, Swamp, Turner River, White Ibis, Wood Stork Leave a comment

Hiking Florida – Flamingo, Everglades National Park

By nick | Published November 22, 2012

Hiking Flamingo Trail in the Everglades National Park

One Thanksgiving, when I was visiting my family in South East Florida, I decided I would make a side trip and head down to Flamingo in the Everglades National Park. The last time I had been to the park was when I was a small child. So knowing I would be moving to the Pacific Northwest soon, I wanted to check things out one last time while it was still convenient.

Posted in Florida, Hiking, Nature Experience | Also tagged Adventure, Backwater, Beach, Flamingo, Florida, Hiking, Mangroves, National Park, Photography, Photos, Swamp, Trail Leave a comment

Swamp Walk – Gator Hook Trail, Everglades, FL

By nick | Published May 21, 2012

Swamp Walk – Gator Hook Trail, Everglades, FL

Coming off my high from the swamp walk I had the week before at Sweetwater Strand. I decided I would do a mix hike/swamp walk and tackle the infamous Gator Hook Trail out on Loop Road. This roughly five mile trek can be either adventurous or very adventurous depending on how “deep” you want to get. I was all geared up for the long haul, so extra deep it is.

Posted in Florida, Hiking, Nature Experience, Swamp Walk | Also tagged air plant, Bald Cypress, Bird, Buzzard, Cypress, Cypress Knee, Cypress Tree, Fern, Flash, Florida, Flower, Gator Hook Trail, Inflorescence, Loop Road, Mountain Azalea, Purple Lobelia, Slough, spider, Spiderweb, Strap Fern, Swamp, Swamp Walk, Swamping, Turkey Vulture, Vulture Leave a comment

Swamp Walk – Sweetwater Strand, Loop Road, Everglades, FL

By nick | Published May 7, 2012

Swamp Walk – Sweetwater Strand, Loop Road, Everglades, FL

After my tiny taste of swamp walking back in the Okaloacoochee Slough, I was itching to get some serious swamping in. Having passed by the location once before, I decided my first real swamp walk was to be held in the Sweetwater Strand off of Loop Road.

Posted in Florida, Nature Experience, Swamp Walk | Also tagged Alligator, Bald Cypress, Barred Owl, Bird, Cypress, Cypress Knee, Cypress Tree, Fern, Flash, Florida, Gator, Heron, ibis, Loop Road, Owl, Slough, Sound, Strap Fern, Swamp, Swamp Walk, Swamping, Sweetwater Strand, Tricolored Heron, Wayding Bird, White Ibis Leave a comment

Jane’s Scenic Drive (Vintage Edition) – Everglades, FL

By nick | Published April 25, 2012

Here is the processed “vintage” edition of my Jane’s Scenic Drive photo blog. I took the more artistic shots and rendered them with a washed out mono or duo-tone look. If you missed the original posting, with all the details of the trip, you can check it out here.

Posted in Florida, Hiking, Nature Experience | Also tagged Alligator, Bald Cypress, Cooter Turtle, Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Florida, Golden Leather Fern, Hiking, Janes Memorial Scenic Drive, Picayune Strand, Swamp, Swampland in Florida Scam Leave a comment

Janes Scenic Drive – Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, FL

By nick | Published January 25, 2012

Janes Scenic Drive - Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, FL

In the heart of the Everglades, off of State Road 29, there is an old dirt road called “Jane’s Memorial Scenic Drive”. Stretching 11 miles, this road runs through the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, and ends at the edge of the the Picayune Strand State Forest, the site of the now infamous “Swampland in Florida” scam.

Hiking Florida – Collier-Seminole State Park (3.5mi Trail)

By nick | Published October 3, 2011

Hiking Florida - Collier-Seminole State Park

When you visit Collier-Seminole State Park, there are three trails for you to choose from. Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. This trail, the 3.5 mile trail is the intermediate trail. It’s great to hike down, and even easier to bike through.

Posted in Florida, Hiking, Nature Experience | Also tagged butterfly, Camera, Canon, Collier, Collier-Seminole State Park, dragonfly, Florida, flowers, Gate, Green Lynx Spider, Hiking, Historic, Old Marco Road, photo, Photography, Pine Forrest, Professional, sawgrass, Shelf Fungus, spider, Trail, Tropical Queen, White Peacock, Woodpecker, Zebra Heliconian Leave a comment

Hiking Florida – Kirby Storter v2, Everglades FL

By nick | Published September 26, 2011

kirby storter boardwalk, florida everglades

Round two for Kirby Storter. If you missed the first one, you can find it here.
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Posted in Florida, Hiking, Nature Experience | Also tagged Alligator Gar, Bird, Boardwalk, Camera, Canon, Cypress Forrest, Fish, Florida, Fungus, Grasshopper, Lily Pad, Mangrove Buckeye, Ochopee, photo, Photography, Professional Leave a comment

Kayaking – Collier Seminole State Park, FL

By nick | Published March 25, 2011

Kayaking - Collier Seminole State Park, FL

As a child, I remember my family taking me to Collier Seminole State Park on a few occasions. One visit my Father rented a canoe and we paddled as far as Mud Bay before it was time to turn around. It was so long ago that I don’t really remember much past that.

Here is what one of the park websites have to say about the State Park:

“The park overlaps the northern edge of the great mangrove swamp of southwestern Florida, and the southern edge of the Big Cypress Swamp. The park is the meeting place of the land and the sea, fresh water and salt water, and tropical and temperate zone vegetation. Because of this blending, a great diversity of plants and interesting wildlife are found here.”
- www.explorenaples.com

Having already documented the parks three walking trails, I figured it was about time to load up the yak and see how the ole canoe trail was holding up.

Posted in Florida, Kayaking, Nature Experience | Also tagged Camera, Canoe Trail, Canon, Channel Marker, Collier-Seminole State Park, Common Sandpiper, Crab Trap, Florida, Kayaking, Low Tide, Mangrove Roots, Mangroves, Mud, Naples, Osprey, photo, Photography, Professional, River, Wayding Birds, White Ibis, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2 Comments

Kayaking – Turner River, Everglades, FL

By nick | Published December 10, 2009

NX_TurnerRiver-1

If you have lived any portion of your life in Florida, chances are you have been canoeing or kayaking. It is without a doubt on of the most relaxing and rewarding ways to get in touch with mother nature. The ability to to work as a team and slip stealthy down the waterway brings all of your surroundings that much closer.

I grew up as a Boy Scout, attended summer camps (focusing on nature and marine biology), and even has a family who demanded every Sunday be…well…family day. And those days were usually spent exploring the vast wildernesses of Florida. Needless to say, I have done my fair share of canoeing. However, it had been far too long since my last dip into the Florida streams.

Posted in Florida, Kayaking, Nature Experience | Also tagged Adventure, Canoe, Cypress Hammok, Florida, Grass Marsh, Mangrove, Spiders, Swamp, Turner River Leave a comment

Hiking Florida – Kirby Storter Boardwalk, Everglades FL

By nick | Published December 4, 2009

kirby storter boardwalk, florida everglades
I was headed down to the Keys for the 4th of July and took the beautiful Tamiami Trail over. It had been a few years since I’ve driven all the way across. So needless to say I was a little intrigued when I passed what appeared to be a new (to me) boardwalk called Kirby Shorter.