Big Cyprus - Airboat Tour
I stayed in Nice at the Cracker Barrel because I couldn’t find a tent campsite near Big Cyprus. I drove to the Big Cyprus National Preserve Visitor’s Center. Google Maps took me to an old rundown and closed building at an intersection that seemed far from anything. It looked like a visitor’s center that had been closed for several years. I then drove down Rt 41 into the park area hoping to find something in the park.
As I drove I passed a few Airboat tour companies but didn’t stop. Then I saw a large open parking lot that advertised airboat tours. I pulled in and decided to take the next airboat ride that left in less than 30 minutes. I had pulled into the parking lot at Wooten’s Airboat tours, one of the largest tour companies in the area. I later learned that they owned some of the other companies in the area, including the kayaking tour I booked. Included in the boat tour was their zoo with alligators and various cats and an alligator show with the ability to hold a young alligator. Neither of these were appealing to me.
I debated about bringing my camera on the trip. In the end I decided against it. I figured that we would be moving too quickly to get any worthwhile shots. This turned-out to be a good decision. I hadn’t thought about all the water that would kick up in the front of the boat and on the sides. I used my iPhone to take short video clips.
The boat captain told us that we may get spayed a little and that the front of the boat was where most of the water came up. Five younger guys seemed to be eager to sit in the front. There was a young family with three kids in the next row and I took a seat beside the captain higher up in the back.
Airboat tours in the Everglades typically last about one hour and take visitors through the wetlands to see a wide variety of plants and animals. Guides on these tours are usually knowledgeable about the Everglades and the wildlife that live there, and they can provide information and answer questions about the different species that visitors may encounter. Our tour guide was a wealth of information and had spent his entire life in the area. He talked about the problems of invasive species in the area. He also talked about his experience capturing pythons and said we were losing the battle to eradicate them from the Everglades. He also talked about the mangroves, and I learned there were three types; red, black and white.
I was fascinated by the fact that mangrove trees are salt tolerant and they filter salt using one or more of the following methods:
Salt exclusion: They have specialized cells on the surface of their leaves that prevent salt from entering. These cells actively pump out salt ions as they are absorbed by the roots, preventing the accumulation of salt in the leaves.
Salt secretion: Some mangrove species, such as the red mangrove (common in Florida), have small pores on the surface of their leaves that secrete salt crystals. As the leaves transpire, salt is carried out of the tree and deposited on the surface of the leaf.
Salt tolerance: Some mangrove species, such as the black mangrove, are able to tolerate high concentrations of salt in their tissues. They have adapted to store salt in special structures called pneumatophores. These structures help the tree to survive in saline soils by preventing salt from reaching the roots.
Root excretion: These trees have roots that are specialized to filter salt from the water. The roots contain a variety of salt-excluding cells, which actively pump salt ions out of the roots and into the surrounding soil. This allows the tree to take in freshwater from the soil and prevents salt from accumulating in the roots and killing the tree.
We stopped a few times to look at large alligators along the edge of the waterways. There were two massive alligators that we were told were 14’ long.
Big Cyprus Visitor’s Center
After the airboat ride I drove a short distance down RT 41 and came to the actual Big Cyprus National Preserve Visitor’s Center. The staff were very helpful. They told me there should be tent campsites at Monument Lake Campground. They told me the only way to register at the campsite was through recreation.gov. It took a while to register, because of cell coverage, but I was able to get a site for two nights.
The Visitor’s Center had a nature video that last about 30 minutes and covered plants, animals and general environmental conservation in the area. I was surprised that there were no maps in their store. There were plenty of educational plaques around the center. The deck on the back was intended as a wildlife observation deck, but I didn’t see any wildlife.
Monument Lake Campground
I drove to the campsite and was surprised by the clean restrooms. Monument Lake Campground is just off of Rt 41 in The Big Cyprus National Preserve. In the middle of the campground is Monument Lake. There are a few trees evenly spaced throughout the campground for shade. I noticed signs that said to be careful of alligators near the lake and don’t walk your dog around the lake.
I wasn’t clear how to find my campsite, but there was a sign that guided me to trailer where I was greeted. They explained the rules of the park, gave me a few warnings about alligators and showed me where the potable water was located. I didn’t have electric, but pulled out my solar panel to charge my battery.
I had read online that there was very little cell coverage at the campsite. It turned out that there was a large cell tower a few hundred yards from my site. This was probably the best cell coverage I’ve ever had at a camp site. There was a nice breeze blowing and I opened up the MacBook and did some things online. It had been many days since I had a chance to sit and write.
I made dinner and cleaned up just as the sun was setting. This is when the insects came out and I quickly got in the tent to read. I drifted off around 10:00 pm.