last glimpses

The last plunge into the waves has been taken,

the remnants of the fridge contents eaten,

the last dip into the pool,

the last few blog entries typed in.....

I think that when I am away I need to learn to relax.

I become lightly obsessed with discovering and experiencing -

it is not just about photographing, but also but seeing.

Not just the pursuit of images, but pursuing memories.

And so we head for home

with our tans

and our shells

and our memories

and 547 digital images ......

and thankful hearts.

palm foliage

osprey nest

We have seen these osprey flying back and forth with fish. This time one of them is bringing some nesting material while the other is (I suppose) sitting on eggs.

nature walk near jungle trail

Norah, Marten and I, wandered along a trail this morning in quest of viewing more creatures.

We could smell the methane gas from the swamps, we could hear the calls of so many different birds, we could see quiet waters, herons, vultures, bobcat tracks, and even startled a raccoon.

Valiant little hikers marched 2.5 miles without complaining eager to see what was around the next corner.

trees and other green things

rhizomes on the beach, gradualy covering dunes

embrace of the Sabal Palmetto and Strangling Fig (banyan tree)

The Sabal Palm tree is Florida's state tree. It is tolerant of salt water and therefore survives floodings and storms when other trees do not. This tree was prized by native Americans for a number of uses among them that the "boots" that could be used to thatch roofs and that the tops of the trees are edible.

The Strangling Fig prefers this tree to all others. It starts out life as an epiphyte (grows in the air) in the crook of the tree or within the boots. The boots are the thatched looking coverings of the tree. Tiny sticky seeds germinate and grow quickly getting nutrients from the sun, rain and leaf litter.

The stranglers send out thin roots that snake down the tree or dangle as aereal roots till they reach the ground. Once the roots touch the ground they spread into a wide network eventually strangling the sabal.

(information taken from E Benders-Hyde 2002)

early morning on the water

Rewarded with a photo of a bottlenose dolphin.

birds

On the island this group of birds was sitting on the roots and branches of fallen trees.
There are many trees that appear to have been toppled by powerful winds; skeletal roots creating shelter for animals, birds and sea creatures.

on the island

There are numerous small islands in the the Indian River. Some of the islands are connected by sand bars that are thickly covered with a layer of shells.

When exploring the island thousands of tiny lizards scurry into their hiding places. Bald eagles or ospreys soar overhead. When eyes are closed and ears are opened you hear only the birds, the waves and the wind in the trees.

creatures that fly in the air

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures,

and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."

Genesis 1:20

creatures that race on the sands

creatures that strut across the land

The Wood Stork

Odd looking stork, it seems that its legs bend forwards and backwards, and its head is truly bizarre. This awkward looking bird is between 85 and 115cm tall, and has a wingspan of 140-180cm.

The wood stork is on the endangered species list. It can be found in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina where it seeks out cyprus trees or mangroves in marshy areas.

It fishes in the shallow waters for fish and frogs but will also munch on large insects, rodents and lizards.

As the great blue heron at home, this bird breeds in colonies with groups of nests up in a tree. The eggs and young are food for corvits, skunks and raccoons. Raccoons can sometimes wipe out an entire colony of eggs. The adult birds have few predators except for the occassional alligator.

creatures that swim in the sea

unknown identity

stingray and minnows

on the hunt for manatees

Well, that is the way of things:

we stop at a manatee resting site

where there is not a single manatee in sight
and what do you know-

the dolphins are splashing about.

sunrise on the Indian River

Marvelous and restful beginning to the day of rest!

Quiet boat trip to greet the new day.

breakfast on the intercoastal

These two, the white and the grey

fishing together like seasoned friends.

Grey nabbed something, dropped it, and found it again.

sunrise on the intercoastal

atlantic ocean

106.4 Million square kilometers lap at my feet-

rather crash into my legs.

The very same water that moves past the arctic coast

and laps the beaches of my European relatives.

Waters that touch Brazil-

and stretch to the continent of Africa where Liliane and Neema wait.

This Sea of Atlas covers twenty percent of the earth.

And I can taste it on my lips.

lights at night

looking out along the dock to the Indian River....

looking from the dock towards shore and the reflected lights of a local pub.

flight

Magnificent flights-

the osprey with its meal

and the trio of pelicans gliding, swooping.

We spotted the osprey this morning, Norah and I,

while hoping to see some dolphins along the docks.

We walked and talked of big and little things.

Little girl with eyes and heart wide open-

her small hand tight in mine.

more shore birds

The rain let up and the late afternoon sun shone on these birds

contrasted against the darkening water.

manatees

more about these enormous mammals later....

decrepit buildings

Walking around the shorelines signs of a past prosperous fishing industry speak volumes of where the local economy has gone. Run down buildings, rotting piers, decaying boats.

small creatures

all sorts of creatures present themselves.

an injured moth moved to safety

a crab that had no choice but to pose,

a skittish little lizard caught and released by Izak,

and a tiny bunny that allowed Norah to come quite near.