Monday, January 31, 2011

Into the Mangroves....

   We finally decided to venture away from the beach, and the shells and the shell bombing birds to explore the rest of the island. We started with a quick drive around Sanibel and Captiva exploring the other beaches to make sure they were not better than ours ( for shells that is). They were not. So after stopping in at some local stores and ...a restuarant ... Doc Fords.....he is mine and Shawnette's #1 hero in the Doc Ford series by Randy Wayne White... which you really must read if you have not already!) Randy ( the author) opened a chain of restaurants named after his,  strong but silent, hunky marine biologist/CIA operative protagonist that he obviously modeled after himself!!! We were hoping to find the author in residence but unfortunately we did not. :( 
   So next we decided to learn a little something about the island so we signed up for a tram tour of the nature preserve that takes up over one half of the island. We had a great naturalist that entertained us as he educated us on the birds, reptiles, fish but most of all the giver of all life on the island...The Mangroves!! I cannot even begin to tell you all that we learned about these life sustaining tangled trees that lined the bay side of the island. I can only say that it was so interesting ..that everyone should see a mangrove coast and explore it and marvel over its complexity! They make you feel childlike,very Tom Sawyeresque..I cannot explain it...you must go see!
  OH and tune in for our airboat ride in  Everglade City... to make you feel like a true explorer of wild and untamed places.....tomorrow....
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