The Great Escape

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June 15, 2020

As cases of the Coronavirus continued to escalate, we were encouraged (mostly by my brothers) to write off the rest of this vacation and get home. Although we weren’t totally sold on our decision, the plan was that we would finish off our Weston stay, visit several lighthouses en route to Ormond Beach for a one-night stay and head home from there. ~ March 12, 2020

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
To start at the beginning of this series, visit Dodging the Deep Freeze 2020.

Everglades Holiday Park

Many years ago on our first trip to Disney World, we went on an airboat ride east of Orlando. Although our captain was more interested in showing off his big engines than the beauty of the Everglades, the thrill of racing thru the lily pads and seeing a few gators was a blast!

Fast forward thirty years and today’s airboat ride at Everglades Holiday Park was totally different. Yes – our captain revved up his engines more than once during our ride – but the rest of the trip was a very respectful journey through the pristine landscape that surrounded us. He would get moving pretty fast in the straight-aways, but in the marshy or wooded areas he would slow up so he wouldn’t disturb what’s happening near or on the shore.

If you’ve never been to the Everglades, you should read my previous post called Back to the Sunshine State. On that day trip we took a tram tour along a paved road through Cypress domes and areas where fish, more birds and alligators (and their babies!) make their homes. From an observation deck we could see twenty miles in any direction. I had always thought of the Everglades as a swamp, but that day our tour guide set us straight on a few of our misconceptions about the area.

But back to today! Our airboat driver was always on the lookout for wildlife and when we didn’t see any, he would pause so we could take in the silence and serenity of this place. At one point we could see the bright blue sky and the clouds reflecting in the calm of the water.

It’s Time for Lunch

Although I usually prefer photographing a bird’s frontside, the next series starts with a great view of this osprey’s – lunch. Our captain took great care to make sure everyone had the opportunity to see as much as they could, and in doing so we got great views of this osprey from almost every angle. As he maneuvered the boat, we were lucky this osprey had a huge fish to finish, so he wasn’t going anywhere – for a while.

Serenaded During our Boat Ride

There was plenty of variety when it comes to birds in this area and their singing and chirping made for a peaceful afternoon. While invasive in some areas, water lilies are native in the Everglades where they grow in the calm shoreline waters. Their shade cools the water, they produce natural oxygen and beneficial bacteria, and they also provide cover for lurking gators (last photo).

We’re Checking out the Gators (and vice-versa)

It was fascinating to see alligators in their natural habitat and not being exploited by zoos or sideshows. These guys didn’t seem too intimidated by us as the boat maneuvered so we could get a better look.

Alligator Presentation by the Gator Boys

At the end of our airboat ride, we were treated to a short alligator presentation featuring one member of the Gator Boys Alligator Rescue Team from the Animal Planet. He did a few stunts and tricks and told a few jokes, but mostly he gave us important information about their conservation and preservation efforts for the alligator and their wetland homes.

The show was funny and the alligators were not man-handled or wrestled, so it was very enjoyable. Turns out Holiday Park provides a safe haven for many of the captured nuisance alligators featured on Animal Planet’s hit show.

“It’s quite possible your idea of fun isn’t wrestling alligators. Well, that’s what’s keeping the Gator Boys busy! They’ve become Florida’s go-to guys when locals find themselves crossing paths with deadly 1,000-pound reptiles in shocking locations like master bedrooms, swimming pools or outdoor cafés! The goal of ‘Gator Boys Alligator Rescue’ is for the team to capture nuisance gators and move them to safety before trappers get to them, and then kill and sell the animals for their skin and meat.” — READ MORE

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

We said our goodbyes in Fort Lauderdale the night before, so we could get an earlier start this morning. We were looking forward to another scenic route up to Ormond Beach for one night. Our first stop was about an hour up the road in Jupiter. The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum “has played a vitally significant maritime and communications role since 1860, saving countless ships from wrecking along reefs and shoals between the Florida coast and the Gulf Stream.”

As we walked up to the Visitor Center, the views of the inlet with its gorgeous turquoise waters and large boats were well worth the stop already! On our next trip up this way we hope to explore Jupiter more, with a lunch stop or a walk in the park that’s across the inlet.

Lovely Red Lighthouse

A brief history of the lighthouse can be seen on the sign in the photo, and if you’d like more history, visit the link just below.

“Brick by brick, the tower slowly rose to its preordained height of 108 feet. A circular stairway with 105 treads led from the base of the tower to the lantern room, where a magnificent first-order Fresnel lens manufactured in Paris by Henry-Lepaute was installed. When revolving, the lens’ four bull’s-eye panels, grouped in two pairs and separated by metal panels, produce the repeating cycle of two flashes followed by a period of darkness.” – READ MORE

In 1931, Captain Charles Seabrook (head keeper of the lighthouse from 1919-1947) planted the Banyan tree below, which has been thriving ever since. It provides much-needed shade and frames a lovely view of the inlet.

Time Crunch

Since we were on somewhat of a time crunch and Jim was waiting down below, I only climbed up to the first landing to catch some views out the window. If you’d like to see a view from higher up, visit the Live View from the Top of the Lighthouse! There is also more of an aerial view here that shows the lighthouse in the view that is pretty spectacular. If you are interested in Sunset or Moonrise Tours, Lighthouse Story Time & Crafts for Kids, or Twilight Yoga, check out the Calendar to time your visit accordingly.

The museum was very interesting as well. The map of the lighthouses of Florida is nice to show where Jupiter is located in the state. My last blogpost of this series will outline our stops on this road trip and have links to the posts where more of the lighthouses that we visited can be seen.