2/26 WP Franklin Lock & Dam Campground

Almost every dam or lock that is built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a campground connected to it.  The Corps does an excellent job of providing recreation areas and campgrounds, and they are among my favorites nationwide.  I have been to this one a couple of times before, but always enjoy it because of the view and quiet location. 

Very nice formal entrance with all the young palm trees. 

My spot overlooking the Caloosahatchee river.  It had rained the night before, so everything looks a little grey.

This turkey vulture was enjoying a fish.  There are two kinds of vultures in Florida: turkey vultures and black vultures.  You can tell this is a turkey vulture because its feathers are more brown and spotted, and it has a red head and face. 

2/23 Sarasota Bay Boat Ride

Sorry, but this should be located under February instead of March, but I have been lazy at posting and need to do a better job of keeping up.  

Many thanks to my cousin, Tom, and his wife, for taking me for a boat ride from Venice Inlet north through Blackburn Bay almost to Sarasota.  I have seen this area from the highway and a few parks, but seeing it from the water was something I have always wanted to be able to do. It turned out to be a beautiful, sunny but not too hot, day.

This is the back side of the condo building my aunt and uncle have a unit in.  The far end of the building is directly on the Gulf of Mexico, so it sits on a narrow spit of land with views both directions. 

We are headed north, with the homes on the left on Casey Key which overlooks the Gulf.  The land and homes on the right are on the Florida mainland. 

It is the beginning of pelican breeding season so these birds are sitting on nests. 

Here, we are heading out to the Gulf on Venice Inlet.  

Back heading north past a loft bridge.  Not sure what road this is.  

There are some huge homes as we head north.  Some look more like hotels!  

And another bridge, but this one turns sideways to let larger boats through.  We can go underneath. 

A huge home on a spit of land so it has views of the bay on both sides. 

Time for a lunch stop!

And a couple more big houses on the way home.

 

2/22 Venice & Snook Haven

I ended up having to do a bunch of last-minute rearranging of my schedule when my uncle ended up in critical care in the local hospital.  I had been planning on spending some time way over in the Everglades, while my uncle was hospitalized on the southern Gulf coast, but I have medical responsibility for him, which meant I did not feel comfortable being so far away.

Luckily, I was able to get a few nights here and there in the area, and my cousin and his wife were kind enough to let me camp next to their driveway--with a 30 amp hookup, no less!  This is driveway camping luxury!!  And it was great to catch up with him and compare family stories. 

So, on Saturday, we went out to lunch and drove around Venice a bit.  Lunch was at a unique place called Snook Haven.  Snook is a kind of fish and this place had been everything from a southern bootlegger camp to a bordello.  It is on the Myakka River, parts of which has been designated a wild river. 

This photo shows looking down the river towards the restaurant dock. Unfortunately, the tour boat shown is out of commission because of low water levels, but I will keep it in mind for another time.

Hard to see because of all the trees, but this is just part of the restaurant.  You can eat in or out on the patio. 

The next couple of photos are a mysterious blue.  I tried to adjust the color, but it did not help much.  Somehow, I must have pushed a button and reset the color.

Way in the back, you can almost see the live band playing.  They have live music almost every day here.

Same place, but a few minutes later, and my photos are turning out normal colors!  I have no idea what I did wrong or right. 

Heading back to the truck after a very good meal!  

2/16 Ding Darling National Wildlife Reserve on Sanibel Island

I have been here several times, but you can always see something new.  There is a one-way road you take through the reverse that you can drive on or ride a bike.  There are also some tram tours, but I prefer to drive or bike so I can go at my own speed.  

There is also a visitor center with lots of nice volunteers who can answer your bird questions.

This is one of the outside walls where someone has painted a large mural.  The restrooms are the pale blue doors. 

Some white pelicans--very large birds!!

And a small sandbar with a lot of pelicans and other birds. 

Need to look these guys up, but they are some sort of terns. 

This is a reddish egret, which I have never seen before.  The bird books say he is in breeding plumage because his head and neck are dark.

Very busy fishing.  One thing interesting about this bird is that he will use his wings to shade the water so he can see fish better.  I saw him do this but could not get a picture of him doing this.

Same bird next to a snowy egret.  You can identify a snowy egret by the black beak and black legs.  His feet are pink, but they are in the water. 

Sanibel Island prides itself in not having stop lights.  Instead, it has traffic directors at all major intersections.  Wouldn't traffic lights be more efficient?

By the way, if you are ever on Sanibel Island in the busy season, make sure you leave by no later than 3:30 pm or it will take you an hour to drive the three miles just to get on the bridge!  I got off on time this trip, but one other, I got stuck in the late afternoon traffic jam, so I know this from experience.