Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Canoeing with gators


This past weekend we joined some friends and went canoeing in Lake Lettuce Park up in Tampa.  It's a beautiful park of footpaths, jogging/biking trails and picnic areas.  The hardwood swamp forest seems to be a haven to a variety of wildlife.

These are our friends ... always ahead of The Professor and myself.  We were always falling behind ... well ... mostly because of me.  So many things to photograph.

And oh, was I nervous with my camera sitting on my lap the whole trip!  But there were more reasons not to fall into the water other than ruining my camera.


Like all the gators that were basking in the sun!
 
We must have seen two dozen gators ...  from babies to teens to a couple of 10 footers!
Yep ... 
DID NOT WANT TO TIP THIS CANOE!


 There were plenty of other wildlife to enjoy ... from turtles...

 to these beauties ... which I'm thinking the above is a Tri-colored heron?

 ... and these Roseate Spoonbills, which were plentiful!


They may just be my next fave to the Pelican.







After our 6.5 mile canoe trip, 
The Professor and I returned and joined our beach feathered friends ....


 to take in another beautiful Anna Maria sunset.  




Until tomorrow, my friends.
So many photos, so little time!