There are times when you can't travel in groups, foreign destinations are closed off, or close contact with other people is too risky. Or simply times when you want to be by yourself, in nature. Luckily, Florida has an answer to all these things. I will show you images that were shot in the recent months, all outdoors in nature, and all in Florida within a 200 mile radius. Maybe this will inspire you to explore for yourself.
Florida has 175 State Parks and countless wetland areas set aside for recreational use. I try to explore a few new ones each year. This is one of them, Green Cay, a nature preserve near Delray Beach. Plenty of boardwalks make for a long enough trail to keep you busy for several hours.
Marshes serve many important functions. They buffer stormy seas, slow shoreline erosion, offer shelter and nesting sites for migratory water birds, and absorb excess nutrients. Besides that, they are incredibly pretty.
This image was taken at Harns Marsh near Lehigh Acres, Fort Myers area. It is the only buffer in densely populated Lehigh Acres and one of the area’s major stormwater retention/detention facilities.
Savannas Preserve State Park in Port St. Lucie protects a representative sample of a basin marsh that extended throughout South Florida prior to rapid suburban growth.
Marshes form a corridor of life between all the human developments.
Old Florida scenery dominates the area around Lake Okeechobee, Florida's largest inland lake. Fisheating Creek, next to Kissimmee River an important tributary to the lake, is an excellent place to view wildlife year-round. Wading birds, hawks, osprey and owls are common. White-tailed deer and Osceola turkey are frequently spotted and alligators are prevalent. Large numbers of migratory swallow-tailed kites gather here in late summer.
Alligator and cypress tree, two ancient lifeforms that are iconic to Florida’s landscape. Both have survived for millions of years, have been on this earth long before humans, and continue to dominate.
Wellington Environmental Preserve is a 365-acre rainwater storage area with nature trails and learning centers in Palm Beach County.
A true gem as far as wetlands are concerned, Blue Cypress Conservation Area is one of the most undisturbed areas in the headwaters of the St. Johns River and contains the largest remnant marsh of its type in the region - 61,000 acres.
Blue Cypress Conservation Area is known for its pond cypress domes. The two cypress trees here look like holding hands while dancing out on the lake.
Located in the middle of the State, the area around Lake Placid has an abundance of lakes. Lake Istokpoga, 5 miles wide and 10 miles long, is the largest of them. The lake is very shallow and therefore dangerous in windy conditions. Local legend is that the word Istokpoga is of the Seminole language meaning "a lake where someone was killed in the water" because a group of Seminole Indians attempted to cross the lake and were bogged in the mire and swallowed by whirlpools. (Wikipedia)
Venice? No, Florida. Rising from the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico near Cape Romano are the four remaining dome homes. The originally six structures were the brainchild of a wealthy retiree. Now, giving in to nature’s forces, they are slowly sinking into the ocean. Completely separated from any land, they are an iconic landmark for South Florida. If you haven't been there, hurry up and go.
The closest "escape route" for me is always the local beach. Nothing beats a quiet evening at the beach. Watching the waves roll in as the sun lowers itself on the horizon recharges your battery like nothing else. You leave relaxed and full of positive vibes.
Credits:
All images by Hilda Champion