Monday 3-26-18
This morning was cloudy and
raining. We went to the library to catch
up on the blog. The day was spent inside playing cards.
Suppertime found us at Bull
Creek Restaurant. Linda loves their
shrimp and grits with cheese. So I tried
them too. They are really good. I had some kind of optional sausage added to
give it a bit of a bite
Tuesday 3-27-18
Went fishing solo today. Only caught one. It was barely a keeper so I let him grow for
next year’s catch.
Interstate 75 between Naples
and Fort Lauderdale is Florida’s official “Alligator Alley” but I found one
this morning. On the south end of
Crescent Lake on the east shore just before the cut between the two lakes, I
came across half a dozen gators in less than 50 yards. They varied in size from 2 ft. to 6 ft. (not
that I used my tape measure). I moved
about another 50 yards past them and anchored to fish. Then in the distance, back in the woods, I
could hear the call of a baby gator. Chauuulp Chuuulp Chauuulp (okay use your
imagination). It’s one of those sounds
once you identify it you never forget.
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| The New Alligator Alley |
After about a half an hour
someone must have challenged someone else’s territory. I heard a huge splash and looked up to see
water flying about four feet into the air.
Then about fifteen minutes later another confrontation. Maybe one of the gators was a momma. They are fiercely protective of their young. Alligators are cannibals and will gladly make
lunch of another gator’s brood.
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| Like two ships passing in the |
As I left the area I saw
numerous gators in the water. One of
them I followed for about a quarter mile using the trolling motor. Then I wore out my welcome and it disappeared
into the black water.
Thursday 3-28-18
Clear skies, calm winds, sun
warming up the landscape. Time for a
quick trip to Dollar General and the hardware store. Then vacuum out the boat and transfer gas
from the spare tank and make ready for a cross-the-lakes voyage to Crescent
City for a restaurant called Three Bananas.
It’s supposed to be a bit of Key West right here in central Florida.
Everything ship shape and away
we go. A picture perfect day. On the way out the canal Linda said she keep's forgetting to get a picture of the beautiful palm tree at the fish camp. So, a quick stop and click.
As we left the canal I saw an
owl on the light pole at the boat ramp.
Another quick detour for a picture.
Almost every evening we hear owls calling back and forth. What a surprise to see one in broad day
light. What a bigger surprise to see
that it’s a plastic owl meant to keep birds way. Apparently we are the only ones fooled by
this according to the amount of bird poop running down the owl’s back.
U turn toward the lake and
throttle up for adventure. Dead Lake was
dead calm. Turning into Crescent Lake
there was a bit of a southeasterly breeze.
By the time we reached Crescent City the wind was kicking up a one foot
chop. We made two attempts to dock on a
pier that is four feet above the boat.
This was a good opportunity for someone to get injured bouncing into a
piling, so we backed out and headed for home. (Camp) Home is where you park it!!
Lunchmeat from the IGA will
have to do for today. Then a short
nap.
In the afternoon we went out
fishing again. Linda spotted a big gator
as we anchored. She said “Did you see
the size of that gator. It was
huge”. It slipped into the water from a
log as we came to a stop. We watched it swim around a bend in the shoreline.
No luck fishing this time so
we turned it into a jungle cruise. As we
turned the same bend that the gator made, we spotted it on a hump of ground sticking
out of the water. We got pretty close
and it didn’t seem intimidated in the least.
After several minutes eyeing each other up it slowly crawled back into
the water with a tail longer than the head and body that was out of the
water. This had to be at least a six maybe seven footer. (Once again I couldn’t find the tape measure.) It headed straight toward the boat and gave
us the once over, then passed less than fifteen feet away and continued going
back around the bend. Our closest
encounter yet.
We normally pack away the
fishing rods and tackle boxes before we head in for the day. While packing up I suddenly saw an unexpected
passenger on board. One of the crickets
that got loose last Thursday ran out from the transom well and took one look at
the guy that puts them on a hook and ran back for cover.
Yesterday I mentioned about fishing bobbers everywhere. Let’s play the game…Where’s the Bobber? Each picture has a bobber in it and a clue in the caption. See if you can find it. Tomorrow I’ll show you where they are.
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| Pickle in the middle (green bobber) |
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| Down at the Longbranch |
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| Red on the edge |
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| A red squirrel fish? |
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| I thought this was a yellow bobber. It's yellow flowers on the bush |
Thursday 3-29-18
With no particular plans we
decided to visit the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford. Linda feels she made a connection with a
giraffe when we were there last year. So
off to see what’s new at the zoo.
The things you see when you
don’t have you camera ready. As we drove
through a construction site, with no place to pull off or turn around, we saw
two cowboys driving a small herd of cattle into a path leading to the loading
chute. What a neat pic that would have
made. Ranching is big in north central
Florida.
When we arrived at the zoo the
parking lot was packed and on the side lot were eight school busses. Clearly not the day to have a relaxed day
schmoozing the giraffe!
Where to next? Linda suggested Steak and Shake for
lunch. Daytona here we come.
Linda called Nancy to tell her
we were at Steak and Shake and find out where they were. They made it back safely to VA and will be
headed for PA soon to visit family.
Where to Next? How about a
drive to Daytona Beach and follow A1A up to Flagler Beach. It’s interesting to watch the changes from
high-rises to surf side mansions to cozy beach houses and cottages as you
travel north out of Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Ormond By-The-Sea, then
Flagler. There is a state park south of
Flagler where there are no buildings on either side of the road for three miles. A quiet respite from all the hustle and
bustle.
Back at camp for a nap.
Our biker neighbors are
heading north tomorrow so we wished them a safe trip home.
Okay here are the answers to Where’s the Bobber?
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| Pickle in the middle |
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| Down at the Longbranch |
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| Red on the edge |
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| A Red Squirrel Fish? |
Friday 3-30-18
The trailer next to us are
some folks from Waycross, GA. They are
only here during the week for three months.
Ernest owns the rig. He will soon
be 87. One week his wife is with him
then the next he will have a friend or two stay (Johnathan and /or Jim). They have been coming here for over twenty
years. These guys are avid fishermen taking coolers full of fish home on the
weekends. They set up fish fries for
local churches and other organizations to help the less fortunate. Each one of these gentlemen have shared
techniques with me on catching fish in the local waters. They have been great neighbors.
I took a solo trip up Bull Creek this morning
using one of Jim’s tips and sure enough it worked on one hungry Blue Gill. Jim was also in Bull Creek across from me and
called me over to show me a gator hiding behind a bush. It took two pictures, one on each side of the
bush, to get the whole thing in. I tried
to make a composite from the two. He had
to be at least an eight footer.
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| The front half |
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| The back half with tail curved behind |
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| My attempt to make a composite photo |
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| Empty handed again? How disappointing |
It started to sprinkle on and
off starting around 3 PM. Linda and I
passed the time playing a new card game we invented. We haven’t given it a name yet but it kind of
Rummikub with cards not tiles. Rummy-4-Dummies??
Rummikub Kards?? I Drew: It’s Your Turn?? Whatever you call it, it keeps us
entertained.
Saturday 3-31-18
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| Lind engaging Gage |
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| That smile makes the trip worthwhile! |
She spent much of her time there watching them being fed by the visitors while I stumbled around taking photos of other creatures.
The venomous reptile show was interesting. They showed an Aruban Rattlesnake (from the island of Aruba), a Pigmy Rattlesnake (native to FL) and a Mexican Pebbled (?) Lizard found in the southwest US and Mexico.
The zoo had a special Hippity
Hop Adventure for the kids. Many of the
exhibits had plastic Easter eggs “hidden” in them. When a child spotted the egg they could go to
the designated table and pick up a plastic egg with a prize inside. Everybody seemed to be having a great
time.
This little Screech Owl greeted everyone. We learned why he can turn his head 180 degrees in either direction...Owls do not have eye muscles. So to see in a different direction they must turn their head. They also have two ear openings (one high and one lower) to focus in on exactly that mouse is.
The tufts on the head are not ears but help camouflage the owl.
We left about 1:45 PM and Linda was exhausted.
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| She was fascinated by the otters |
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| That is one brave frog Sleeping on a sleeping snake |
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| Cougar |
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| Warthog |
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| Florida Black Bear |
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| Cage for Florida Jumping Jacks |
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| Wild Florida Granny Bunnies giving the kids their prizes |
There is also an activities park with Walk on Water and an aerial walk/zip line.
This little Screech Owl greeted everyone. We learned why he can turn his head 180 degrees in either direction...Owls do not have eye muscles. So to see in a different direction they must turn their head. They also have two ear openings (one high and one lower) to focus in on exactly that mouse is.
The tufts on the head are not ears but help camouflage the owl.
We left about 1:45 PM and Linda was exhausted.
Back at camp we went to the
Bull Creek Fish Camp restaurant for the Saturday special of All You Can Eat Fish
and Sides for $10. What a deal! I didn’t make a pig of myself but I did leave
pleasantly stuffed.
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