Everglades Flamingo Campsite
I was miserable as I awoke. The air was cool, a slight breeze was blowing and the clouds were a bright orange. The tree on the other side of the street was lit up by the sun.
After my breakfast of cereal, I took a quick shower to remove all the bug repellent. I cleaned up the site and went to the camp entrance to pickup ice. While there, I met a woman that knew all the trails in the Everglades. She pulled out an Everglades map and told me the best trails for hiking and biking. I took the ice back to the camp site and then headed out.
Echo Pond Trail
I had looked up the trails on AllTrails and Echo Pond Trail was a short distance away. It wasn’t highly rated but it was close. It is a half mile loop right off the main access road. As soon as I started walking, there were insects all over me. I turned around and sprayed insect repellent on my arms, neck, and legs. I put on a long sleeved shirt and headed back to the trail. The repellent really didn’t make much of a difference. I saw a few birds as I walked but they were some distance away. There was a bench about half way around and for some reason there were very few insects. I sat for about 10 minutes waiting for the osprey in the distance to do something. It was in the trees and didn’t move. I went back to the car and pulled out the Benadryl Gel.
Visitor’s Center / Marina
I drove to the visitor’s center a few miles a way near the marina to see if they had any additional details or maps about hikes. They weren’t very helpful. I walked to the marina on the other side of the parking lot to see if I could find the manatees and crocodile. There were a few people standing on the dock with cameras pointing at the water. The manatees were hanging out, periodically coming up for air. I talked to a woman with two cameras and a 100-600mm lens about her Nikon gear. I never saw the crocodile. There were several groups of kayakers and boaters heading out on tours. I thought to myself that a boat trip probably would have made sense.
I met a ranger and he told me he would be giving a talk on crocodiles at noon. It was a little more than 30 minutes until noon. I walked around and saw a Mercedes camper van parked beside me in the parking lot. I went over to look at it just as the owner came up with her dog. She was from Montreal and lives in the camper van for 5 months with her husband. She showed me how much room there was inside and how well organized it was. It had large tires and a raised air intake to allow them to go into the back country and through water. She told me it cost a little more than $200,000. This looked like the perfect environment for me.
At noon I came back to listen to the ranger’s talk about crocodiles. It lasted about five-minutes. He talked about the bone structure of both the crocodile and alligator and gave us a few facts about where the crocodile lives, eats and how long it lives. He didn’t know anything about alligators. It was a disappointing presentation.
Snake Bight Trail
I was told that Snake Bight Trail was a good bike trail. The trail is a 2.6-mile (4.2 km) out and back trail that starts at the Snake Bight Trailhead. It passes through a variety of habitats including mangrove forests, coastal prairies, and salt marshes. Everything I read indicate the trail offers excellent birdwatching opportunities, as well as the chance to see other wildlife such as alligators, snakes, and raccoons. All I saw was a cardinal and a school of fish near the bridge at the end of the trail. Near the water, I had to dismount the bike because of thick mud. I parked the bike in the mangroves and walked a short distance to the shore. The insects were heavy but mostly didn’t bother me while I was on the bike. I did stop for a photo of mushrooms and put my right foot in a fire ant mound. I didn’t stay there very long.
West Lake Boardwalk
The West Lake Boardwalk is a hiking trail that is all boardwalk. It is a short, half-mile trail that takes visitors through a wetland habitat and offers a peaceful and serene view of the west lake. The trail offers the typical wildlife view, but I didn’t see any of them. I did see a dead shark floating near the mangroves. There’s an array of plants such as mangroves, sawgrass, and cypress trees. This trail is wheelchair accessible, making it a great option for visitors with mobility limitations. I spent most of my time watching spiders at work on their webs.
Nine Mile Pond
Nine Mile Pond was another stop I made. There were many cars in the parking lot with Kayak racks and boat trailers. It was becoming even more clear that boats were probably the best way to see the everglades. I had read that visitors can view the pond from an observation tower or take a guided boat tour to get a closer look at the wildlife and plants. I couldn’t find a lookout tour and assumed that it might have been damaged by a hurricane. I was wondering if I should book another day.
Mahogany Hammock trail
I drove to Mahogany Hammock Trail and found a shade tree. I made a sandwich and just relaxed in the car. It was now in the mid-90s, with a lot of insects on the trails and I hadn’t really seen any wildlife all day. I decided to drive back to the campground and have an early dinner.
Back At Camp
Back at camp, I filled a pot with water and a little olive oil for spaghetti. The water was boiling and I started to add the spaghetti when I notice the water looked dirty. I realized the the water was covered with dead noseeums. I hadn’t put a lid on the top. I poured out the water and starred over, this time with a lid on the pot. I made a salad while I waited and covered it with a plate. when everything was ready, I went into the tent to eat.
After dinner, I cleaned up and packed somethings anticipating an early departure in the morning. I could hear other people nearby in tents complaining about the noseeums. Somehow they were worst than they were the night before. I tried to read but found my self killing mosquitoes and then trying to prevent the noseeums from getting in the tent. I could see these microscopic monsters crawling on the top of the tent.
I drifted in and out for hours. The sleeping bag seemed to be the best way to keep them off my feet but it was too hot for a sleeping bag.