Leaving the north pole

Time to say goodbye to santa so he can continue to get ready for christmas eve.  By now we are soaked but enjoying every minute of it.

 

(note to self next purchase will be a camera hood to help keep the rain off it.  rain in the lens did give this shot a bit of a bokeh effect though that I liked)

santa says dash away dash away dash away all




even the animals come out to say good bye to us



as we leave another boat of boys and girls pulls in to say hello to santa

gators

As I said yesterday we did stop the boat a few times and it was see a few of these. this little guy was basking in the sun trying to stay warm. Florida has had a cold winter more then usual this year though warmer then where I cam from. Reptiles need the heat so they soak up the rays. This little guy was maybe 3 feet long the smallest we saw

Can you see him?? he was hiding from us another alligator about 4 feet long.
And this last little guy was not so little. he was about 12 feet long and we of course kept our distance.
My brother loves alligators and crocodiles so he was thrilled to get see several on our trip.

gliding through the everglades.

Not the best picture but then we were driving through these mangrove patches on an air boat too. loved how they lined up like this. I think they must cut a trail every so often or these would grow into each other.

at points there was less then a few inches of water as we sped through the grassy parts.



and we even came to a complete stop a few spots along the way. usually to let another boat past but sometimes it was for another reason. and that my friend is coming up tomorrow.

surprise for paul

This is my brother paul and my husband. we surprised him with an airboat ride through part of the everglades.




Air boats can maneuver through the grassy and sometime very little water of the everglades. they are loud and fast and lots of fun.

My brother has never been to Florida and this was our first trip to the everglades. Next time we will spend more time and get further into the everglades its an amazing place to see. lots of birds and creatures.