Day 56 - Alligators and a missing radio message

07.01.17

After the long day yesterday, we take it a bit easier this morning and don't get up until 09:00. After a quick breakfast at the 'Extended Stay America' motel in Miami Sunrise, we head towards the Everglades. On the Tamiami Highway, we drive to the upper end of Everglades National Park towards the west coast. The Everglades NP is actually a flowing body of water, but it moves very slowly at 34m per hour. We make a stop at the Everglades Safari Park and get information about an airboat tour. We even see an alligator lazing around. Unfortunately, it starts raining heavily right after and we continue driving.

We make another stop at the Oasis Visitor Center and see some alligators and birds in the water. By the way, we have passed through the rain front. It's 9 degrees cooler than before. We have another stop at the 'Kirby Storter Roadside Park'. There, we take a short walk and see some young alligators in a 'Gator Hole'.

We continue towards Everglades City, where we want to get information about tomorrow's activities. The lady at the Visitor Center recommends a boat tour that would start in 5 minutes. We accept the offer to explore the flora and fauna in the mangroves. However, it's already after 16:00. We are the only passengers and the boat captain is surprised that we (in this weather) still got tickets. But before we can leave, he has to radio the office for approval. However, nobody responds... After waiting for 30 minutes, we give up and request a tour for the next morning, as the tour would last 1 hour and 45 minutes and it will be dark in 1 hour. After a short discussion, we get tickets for the tour tomorrow at 09:00.

We continue towards Naples where we want to stay overnight. In front of a shopping center, we use the Internet to search for a motel in the area (thanks to free WiFi). After a short search, we find one and check in soon after. Then we go to 'Foxboro' (sports bar) for dinner and to watch football ;-)

On the way back, the thermometer shows 11°C, a bit chilly for Florida.

Photo of the day: Find the two alligators