February 14, 2022 - Everglades City, Big Cypress, Kayaking the Everglades

We continued down the Florida west coast and came to the end of the road at Everglades City.

Our first stop was the Gulf Coast Visitor Center.  Not much too it.  There was a little museum which was interesting.  They offered a narrated 90 minutes boat tour out to Chokoloskee Bay, but since we're doing a Kayak tour tomorrow we passed on that.
   
Everglades City has an airport:  Everglades Airpark (X01).  Of course I had to check that out.  It was deserted.  The runway is under construction so the airport is closed.  The FBO building was locked up tight.  This airport would be a good base for exploring the Everglades from the air, though.  It is within walking distance of the town and lots of motels and restuarants.
   

We drove east on Highway 41 to the Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center located in the Big Cypress National Preserve.  Not much too it.  A small museum although bigger than the one at Gulf Coast Visitor Center.  A 20 minute video.  A short boardwalk nature hike.  A little gift shop.
   
But they did have a Florida Panther lurking outside.
 
 The smallest United States Post Office in the country is just down the road.
   
This chart with Everglades City at center shows what a boaters paradise this part of the Gulf Coast is.
   

That night, we stayed at the Ivey House Everglades Adventure Hotel.  Today was Super Sunday so we watched the Rams beat the Bengals in our room.  The motel was fine but we were paying the peak in-season rate which was twice as much as the room was worth.  But what are you going to do?

First thing next morning we were at the Turner River Kayak/Canoe Launch area, right off Highway 41, not too far from the Big Cypress Preserve Visitors Center.
   
Lynnette and I were in a two-man kayak.  It was a beautiful day; a little cool in the morning.
   
On the water.
   
 
   
Our guide navigated and gave us expert commentary on all the animals and plants.
   

Now heading into the mangroves.

A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species.  Yep, that works.
   
The mangrove branches got lower and lower until finally we were literally in a tunnel of green.
   
 
   
Moving branches out of the way to get through.
   
This was very cool.
   
Hope there are no boa constrictors up there!
   
An impenetrable wall of mangroves.
   
 
   
We emerge back into open water.
   
A gator basking in the sun.
   
 
   

Another gator peers at us from the muddy shore.

The kayak tour took about three hours I think.  I got a little wet, not too bad.  It was well worth the money; recommended!
   
 
   
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