|
|
|
Due
to a job conversion, I had an opportunity to take a few weeks
off. Since it was Feburary, my choices were limited to warmer
locations. I was tired of the cold! Fortunately, my good friend
and brother-in-law Thomas lived in south Florida, just north
of the Everlgades. He was gracious enough to let me stay for
a while! Hereis a shot of his current abode and jeep!
|
He
took a few days off, and on one of the first days, we drove
over to Sanibel Island, where he had lived for a while. Here
is a shot looking over the bridge from Ft. Meyers, heading
to the island.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
weather was nice, and we thought we would ride bikes the length
of two islands. Thomas had a bike already, but I needed to
rent one from one of the many tourist trap rental spots.
|
Sanibel
is well layed out for the bicyclist and jogger. There are
many protected paths along the islands length. Thomas did
a good job drafting behind me....lol.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A
good amount of the island is reserved for the local habitat,
so no development on a good chunk of the real estate. There
are many falcon, eagle and other nests in the wetland areas.
|
Here
is a shot looking over a bridge onto an estruary, as we crossed
from the main road area to a beach access point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
leads the way to the "shell" beaches.
|
Some
nice tourists took our photo....Thomas is standing on a box
to look taller of course....:)
|
|
|
|
|
It
was a bit on the cool side, but that did not stop the tourists
from the north from getting in the water, and wear only shorts
and a T-shirt.
|
On
we pushed. We actually went about 15 miles up on two islands....passing
alot of really nice expensive homes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here
is one of the cheap "shacks" we passed. Probably
8,000 square feet at least. And that is just the main house.
|
Even
tho it was cold, the beach vendors were out in force, renting
sailboats, parasailing and the like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We
turned around on the north island, after having a nice lunch
at the "Key Lime Pie" resturaunt. Where of course
we had some great Grouper Sandwhiches, and Key Lime Pie. It
was pretty darned good...
|
The
beaches around Ft. Meyers have many spots where the shells
are washed up in huge piles.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All
too soon we had to race back to return my bike. Then we ate
at a great hamburger spot, and checked out the sunset beach
areas, while we waited for the heavy traffic leaving the island
to improve.
|
Sunset
on a beach in Feburary. I'm glad I didn't go to Alaska...too
cold!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
next day we took off on a Swamp Boat tour....we caught a bus
for the tour near Thomas's place, and after an hour, we were
in the Everglades.
|
As
usual, Thomas and I were the youngest around. Most of the
people on our tour were in their 70's. This was the same at
resturaunts, shops and sight seeing places.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
water on the north side of this lake area was about 3 feet
deep, and choked with swampy vegetation....
|
And
alligators...lots and lots of alligators. Thomas and I probably
saw several hundred during the safari that day...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some
were small, like this 3 footer. A few were around the 12 foot
size...
|
There
were lots of water ways and paths along the glade. Some places
the water was only about 3 inches deep, with a deep and sticky
mud below. For many, many miles around. I'm glad the air boat
did not get stuck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Captain
Sean....on Captain Sean's Swamp Boat Rides. We've never brought
a passenger back. Want to try our tours? LOL.....
|
Here
is a 12 footer......
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A
pair of 12 footers, and a 15 footer.
|
After
the Everglades tour, we then got on a tour boat leaving from
the docks of the National Park Service Visitor Center there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
and I lucked out, and got the front of the boat mostly for
ourselves.
|
We
passed slowly thru salt water estuaries, being maintained
and even created by the Mangrove Trees....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three
times duirng the trip, groups of dolphins came by to get a
free ride in and out of the bay area, by riding the pressure
ridges created by the boat. Some would ride the stern wave...
|
And
some would ride the bow pressure wave, right in front of the
boat's front.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Every
minute or two they would come up for air, and they enjoyed
leaping out of the water...so I was able to catch a few pictures
of simultanious jumps.
|
At
the entrance of the bay and the Carribbean, were alot of nice
sandy islands, more Mangrove Tree clumps, and lots of pelicans.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On
the way back, more hitch hikders....
|
Here
is a shot of three jumping at once....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A
shot of me on the bow. It was a beautiful day...and Thomas
and I were the youngest on the boat! As usual for that part
of Florida.
|
The
largest Banyan Tree in the United States is on his property.
Planted there by some friends who were visiting him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas,
Henry Ford and myself!
|
Souped
up Mustangs from the 60's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
An
early Model Ford touring car.
|
Cars
from the 50's and 60's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
and my favorite vehicle was this old truck, with the original
paint....a little rusty looking, but all orginal, and on painting/polishing
needed!.
|
Several
of the Edison Houses. Guests and family stayed in houses away
from theirs. Good Plan!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A
shot of the garge, where the chauffer and his family lived.
|
The
porches wrapped around each building, and there were several
large buildings to the complex.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One
of the many spacious indoor rooms.
|
His
team's lab, where they researched artificial rubber.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
collection of his inventions was staggering. The man was a
serious inventor!
|
Here
are more of the thousands of exhibits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I
would hate to pay the electric bill for a 75,000 watt light
bulb!
|
We
spent another day just exploring Ft. Meyers Beach area and
the state parks south of there. There is a nice pier at the
city beach, which has a good view of the coast.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pelicans
and me
|
Pelicans
and Thomas
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ft.
Meyers Beach area. A popular place at night, and not too far
from where Thomas used to live.
|
There
is a small state park on the northern point of the land, and
it had alot of land tortises living there, inside little burrows
they had dug.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
South
of Ft. Meyers and Sanibel Island. There are alot of state
parks along the roads and coast south to the Everglades, which
is really nice.
|
It
was a bit cool and breezy, but the emptiness and lack of people
was pretty nice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking
down into the estuary, you could see large shells, still alive
with the molusk foot moving the shell along the sandy floor.
|
Thomas
looking down onto the estruary. Sadly, we didn't see any manatees,
which was the first time for Thomas to not spot any.
|
|
|
|
|
|
