visual-verbal commentary from Sam Dobrow

The Florida Everglades National Park is home to many species of wildlife which can be experienced close-up. These photos were taken on a reconnaissance visit to the Shark Valley visitors center. We started a bit late in the day and arrived around 2PM. There is a 15 mile bike path which is also used by walkers and a sightseeing tram. Before starting out on your walking or biking expedition, be sure to use your sunscreen and bring plenty of drinking water. Even in winter, this is Florida and you will get sunburned as well as dehydrated.

The “Loop Road” starts out from the visitors center heading due south in a straight line for seven miles along a canal where many alligators can be seen. On this visit dozens were sunning along the side of the roadway. Signs warn to keep 15 feet distance from the alligators and not to harass them but there are some crazy people who let their toddlers walk right up to these giant creatures. I am surprised we didn’t see one of these toddlers get eaten – I guess the gators were well fed, most looked quite fat!

When approaching the observation tower it can be seen for at least 3 miles and it seems to be closer than it actually is. Once you get there, there are restrooms but no potable water sources. At the bike racks are signs warning people not to leave valuables in their bike packs, but not for the usual reasons. It seems that the criminals at this location are the crows! Yes, the signs warn that crows are clever animals who know how to open zippers and steal shiny objects from the bikers.

From the top of the tower wilderness spreads out in all directions as far as the eye can see. To me, it looked like pictures of the African Savannah – flat open space with golden grass and occasional clusters of trees known as “hammocks” where the elevation is slightly higher than the water table. Everywhere else is marsh land flowing with crystal clear water originating from Lake Okeechobee.

The return route on the Loop Road winds through the grasslands where there are more birds and less alligators. The winding road adds an additional mile to the return trip. Since the day was getting late, temperatures were dropping, and we had a good headwind there was little time to explore the second leg. We just completed our workout finishing the entire trip in about three hours. Next visit, I’ll start earlier so I can meander around and experience more of the wildlife. I also plan to bring a polarizing filter with 100mm macro lens to capture some of the details of the wildlife. The sun is bright and the light is harsh so be prepared to handle high contrast scenes. I purchased a $25 annual pass which allows me to bring as many people with me as I can fit into my car so I shall return with guests. Get your bikes ready!