Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Day 2 Everglades National Park

Today we made it all the way to the other end of the road at Everglades National Park. This road is 36 miles one way and is a dead end road.

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We first started the drive through a Pine Forest.

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The Skeleton Forest

In winter dry season, bald-cypress trees appear bare and lifeless. Though conifers, they shed their needles seasonally, becoming green again in spring. These trees are full-grown, but shallow water and thin soil have stunted them here.

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Gassy Waters

Before you lies prairie. But if you look you will see the Shark River Slough slowly flowing Gulf-ward. The Shark River is 8 miles wide here, but shallow – like a sheet of water. the higher drier spots support a mahogany hammocks and the bald cypress. Higher ground means just a few inches.

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This boardwalk bridges the sawgrass river and enters a tropical hammock. Old-growth mahogany trees are growing inside this hammock on the higher drier ground.

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Old growth mahogany trees.

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The river with hammocks in the background.

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On the way to Flamingo at the end of the park road we crossed two high spots on the Everglades. Both these signs are 20 miles or more from the ocean.

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Mangrove forest growing in brackish and salt water.

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Spring time in the everglades

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Saltwater crocodile swimming in brackish water.

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