HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 25, 1999 - An Everglades adventure, Part 1 �____�. _ � ___. �
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8A • The Suffolk Times • March 25, 1999 �
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li' One thing we've learned from travel- under shallow water.This 50-mile-wide vast outpost of the Ever�lades National unhitched from tlie pickup and set up, I;
ing about the country with a camper is area has anywhere between a few inch- Park. as there were no hookups for electrici- 1
that whenever possible we travel on a es to a few feet of water all eventually We finally reached our campsite at ty,water or sewage at this campground. I
Sunday. In that way we usually miss the flowing very gradually south into Flamingo. The general area hadn't The only lhing that seemed unnatural �
flow of truck traffic that is horrendous Florida Bay. The highest point in this changed much since our last visit some in this quiet and serene place was an �
at times and in some cases downright whole expanse of grass and water is a years ago. Perhaps 'a bit more shop- occasional generator running from the I
scary.With that in mind,we try to make mere eight'feet above sea level. We worn and perhaps, through our eyes, rig of someone who had to have some
1 d the lon strai ht
of today's modern ameni-
e in trave e
our stays at each campground a we k g g
length and move on Sunday. As road for about 40 miles ties that require 110 volts.
planned we left John Prince Camp- past the National Park Our week at the park was
ground in Forl Worth just about 7 a.m. Visitor Center entrance r . � one of never-ending splen-
' and our drive south was uneventful. near Homestead to get ,° � dor. The weather couldn't
You remember to our campground at � ��, " � have been better: warm
;`�� , " " � `" '"" ?: days, cool nights and
�i; we hooked up Flamingo. On our way �
our fifth-wheel ��CV$ we passed through sandy ; always a breeze. Of
��' camper to the QN palmetto pinelands that �� ���� �� -����.;,��,�--�-� , �, �;,,.'i course, there were a few
pickup the night later thinned out to vast t : ��', ' ;"-:j mosquitoes that proved to
N ATU RE ex anses of saw rass as �,� �<� ° + be first-class opportunists
before so that in P g
t he morning a l l b y Paul f a r as the e ye could see. �` �� � � at finding just the right ,
we had to do was Stoutenburg'h Pock-marked through s� ; spot to bite, but then �v�th
disconnect the these wide ppen spaces �` today's bug repellents they
were hammocks is- were mostly held off and
ower and wa
ter lines and we were ofC � ,
P roved no real problem.
The further south we went in Florida lands)comprised of mix- �� P
the more truck farming we saw. Each tures of hardwoods and One morning we took a
�- ri � � canoe trip into the man-
farm had its own irrigation motor and dense shrubbery. These }
pump mounted on a truck body spew- outcroppings occur grove swamp at Nine Mile
ing out its 300 to 400 gallons of water whenever the underlying � � ��, Pond.As we got out of lhe
per minute like some giant fire hose. limestone creates ridges pickup and looked across
� And two-and-a-half hours we were or slight elevations. � the pond we could see two
s � � � or three large alligators
; passing through the city of Homestead, Mile after mile we � , ,
�� ` slowl cruisin b This
� which, by the way, has been mostly drove. lt was hard to �3� � "� � � ; �'�: � Y g Y'
`� re bui l t b u t s t i l l s h o w s s i g n s o f t h o s e i m a g i n e w e w e r e a c t uall y � �. >� �R � # wasn't so bad, but just
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devastating hurricanes that swept looking acress a vast sea � � � �� � down the shore three
' lhrough this tlat unprotected area. We of grass where slow,ever � � :: more large ones sunned
� , � y �
i made one stop before we entered the so slow, water was mov- `� '`g� themsetves. We were
, � . <m §
f ' par k, a t t he l a s t f a r m s t a n d o n t h e w a i n southward. Even- �� a assured by the ranger who i
Y g �, .�' � � � I
; in.We indulged in a large papaya even tually the fresh water will �� j������, , � r,���" � � :� ' �� �� t was leading our group not
� � �� * � ,°� � � � �����' to be concerned, and true �
though we thoug ht it yuite expensive. me e t t h e s a l t w a t e r o f �y,�� � , � ��� :�.,,�� ��
" �'� � � �' *' � °�'�� to his word the aid liitle
f It was delicious and being such a large Florida Bay. Here the �., � .,n: � � �3 ��� . � ���°�� , � ��, Y P
�w :� £ ` �� � t � g �� ; ;'�� _ � • attention to us. I
� one lasted us for days. What stole my mangroves take over. �,,� k ,� �� � 3 ��, , � , a .y ��� ,� .:
�� , � :�`�" +a , � , � '� ��� .. .
� heart about this particular farmstand First out of the bay are ��� ��,�� �.� � � ,.. Thievery in the air i
? was the large,low purple martin house the red mangroves that �� s�r�oik r�m�5 F���o�o�v F'�+��s��U1e�r�u�gn Once in the canoes we
y that was loaded with chirping mart�ns. anchor themselves to the This �s our only true stork, a soutbem bird that's rarely seen as headed across the pond to �
(7fiey are the largest members o1 �ne soft ooze below wi[h long far north as Long Island. It's having a difficult time surviving �
3 swailow famiiy.)So accustomed to peo- spider-like roots; thcn as because of its loss of habitat, particularly during nesting time. �he opposite shore, where �i
ple at the stand,they would permit you the salinity gradually Looking almost ugly on the ground, it's magni�icent in flight. our canoe trail was to �
� start. Having a bit more j
� to get within 10 feet of them. Needless cllanges, the black man-
to say, we captured these bold and iri- groves take over; and finally, far from therc were fewer campers. Yet it was experience than those in the other six '�
descent swallows on film. the edge of the salt of the bay,the white good to see the tent section going canoes, we arrived first and had time
i Although the park itself is only 26 mangrov�s establish themselves. This strong and it brought back memories to look about. It�vas here we had one I
percent of the actu�l ecosystem of the great mass of roots, limbs and Icaves of whcn we were yaunger and slept on of the gre��t sights of the day. An aclult
' Everglades, it still covers a hefty creates a buttress to storms and hurri- the ground without giving it a second bald eagle and an immature were dive- �
` 1,507,850 acres, most of which are canes lhat occ�sionally pass over this thought. In no time at all we were bombing an osprey that had just
, caught a fisli. We had read about this �
piracy of the eagle with the osprcy and
],.,E 7"�$ LOO K B A C K Were now witnessing it live. Time and
time again the adult dove and
� 75 years ago $1.990 for Howard DGA-15P. P&W 450 Wasp in a harassed the osprey, who in turn tried
March 21, 1924 clean five-place ship. Blue leather seats,full radio,hydro- �o evade it by diving and giving out
Klan paper eomes out: A weekly newspaper to be pub- matic prop with spinner.Flown 10 hours since conversion screams of alarm like a little kid when i
and refinish. Engine OK, airframe good. A real buy for his big brother tries to take away his I
lished in the interest of the Ku Klux Klan of Suffolk the person who wants a cross-country airplane. favorite toy.
County will make its appearance sometime this weck,it�s All planes are based at Mattituck Airbase and may be Finally when the osprey was driven
said,and will be edited by the Rev. Howard Matk�er,pas- �nspected at any time. down to about 20 feet from the water,it
tor of East Moriches Methodist Church. The paper will gave up its prize and dropped the fish.
be called "Klan Kraft." 25 years ago Immediately the eagle was there and
A Iively eampaign:The candidacy of William J.Mills of Mareh 21, 1974 swooped in to pick up the still-squirm-
Greenport for Republican state committeeman gains Townsend elected mayor: Jose�h 'Townsend Jr., 28, �ng fish. It was a thrilling sight to see
strength ciaily.Mr.Mil{s,wherever he goes ahout the dis- t�rp��� �olitici�ns' predictions this Tuesday to win the �nd one that had us checking this spot
trict, has that rare ability of making and holding friends. �st of Mayor of Greenport by 421 to 320, including six often. On one of our stops we saw the
He is recognized as a man well fitted for the leadership of ahsentee hallots. same t��o eagles cavorting in the air,
his party. Incumhent Mayor David Walker, who ���as generally diving toward each other,e1c.,and then
... His many friends predict that when the ballots are �ssumed to be a shoo-in, answered the phone cheerily at just when they were about ready to col-
counted after the primary election that he will be elected h�s home after the polls closed and found people com- ����,one flirped over on its back,feet in
Republican committeeman by a large majority. menting,"Are you kidding?"when he told them the final the air, holding the other �ne at bay.
50 years ago Figures. Another time right in front of us we
March 25, 1949 Even young Joe, usually urbane and imperturbable, saw the adult eagle swoop in, snatch a
Advertisements: Spccial this week: Jumbo shrimp, 15 secmed surrrised at thc plurality of votes he received, fish right off the surface of the water
to the pound, 85 cents; large jumho soft crabs, 35 cents attributing it to villagers'desire lor a change in dircction at and take off in 1he air with it. What a
each;rock lobster tails,$1 per pound;steamer clams,half a time that he feels is critical in Greenport's development. 5�����i
peck, $1.25; and many other seafood items at Pet4's In an election noted for its sportsmanshir on both sides Our c�noes wandered in and out of
Seafood Market.Telephone Greenport 146. —neither candidate said�harsh word about the other— the tunnel-like watery trail that some-
Used aireraR for sale:$325 for Piper J3F-60,manufac- both c�ndidates represented different worlds: Walker a times narrowed down so that the
tured December 1939.Aircrafl TT 2486;engine TT 1456, seasoned, expericnced politician, and Townsend, a new- canoes barely squeczed through. We
Right wing and fuselage recovered 1948. Runs and flies comer to politics with a fresh slant on old problems, the 51�, wood storks using their big open
OK.Will cost$50 to license. Qeople's choice.
See Focus, next page
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