Punta Gorda & the Everglades

From Tampa Through the Everglades to Florida City

After saying our goodbyes and thankyous to Donna who did a great job organising 2 wonderful days in the Tampa area it was on with Mrs Garmin and away. Heading south we bypassed most of Tampa Bay and St Petersburg, had great views crossing the Skyway Bridge and passed by heaps of fishing piers, Churches / Golf Courses / and Gated Communities. Interesting lifestyle..... And signs of the northern snowbirds are everywhere....

Our first stop was at Wayne & Gloria’s at Punta Gorda. Wayne and Gloria are the Grandparents of Ella, one of Julie’s students from Gravenhurst. Their blackboard message welcomed us to their home where we enjoyed a great lunch around their pool. 

 

Spent a relaxing couple of hours talking and touring their the house before saying our goodbyes and heading further south to Naples and then east through Everglades State Park and the Big Cypress  Forest Preserve. But that wasn't before we tasted some of Gloria's Key Lime Cake. Yummmmm. Another time when we wished we could stay longer.

Yummmmmm.

This was another interesting drive as we seemed to have the swamp on both sides of us. That we were in the Everglades was underlined by what we found when we went for a quick walk at the Oasis Visitors Centre. We didn’t need to be on a boat to find alligators!!!!!

There were also lots of cormorants, herons & egrets and also many Panther signs but the panthers must have been away. One thing that was in profusion was the opportunity to take Air Boat tours but we were a bit late in the day and we’d already seen enough gators at the visitor’s centre.

Following the roadside canal for quite a while we saw lots fishermen trying their luck. I couldn’t help wondering what the fisherman would do if a gator took the bait. Hmmm I guess those are questions that will go unanswered for the time being.

As our destination neared we took advantage one of the nurseries that were by the side of the road and bought fresh food to eat in the Travelodge room and enjoyed the Florida City Sunset.