For a change of pace from wildlife and landscapes I took in a Grapefruit League baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon. The City of Palms Park where the Red Sox train is very intimate and I actually prefer this venue to Fenway. Baseball has to be one of the most boring games on the planet to watch or play but I can handle nine innings once every few years.

This morning I set out in search of Manatees. I learned that they are very sensitive to water temperature and will seek out warmer water during the cold winter months. Power plants use river water for cooling and the water that emerges is a few degrees warmer than went in making an ideal gathering area for these gentle creatures. Their true beauty can only be appreciated from under the water but I did my best to photograph them from above. Very often the only glimpse one gets of them is of their nostrils as they come up for air. I encountered a half dozen including one baby.

After completing my kayaking tour I spent the last few hours of the day at a place called Corkscrew Swamp. Spotting the Barred Owl was the highlight of my day. If not for a well timed and distinctive call to his/her mate I would have walked right by this exquisite creature without noticing its motionless body hidden less than ten feet from where I was standing.

When I reached my original put in point I continued upstream where I found two lagoons and much more wildlife. I wanted to get a photograph of an alligator from short range and found the best way to get close was to glide up from behind them. When I took this photo the tip of my kayak was over its tail and I was still moving forward. After getting the shot I quickly reversed and once I reached a safe distance also resumed breathing. The alligator was aware of my presence but did not perceive a threat or opportunity and just remained still. I considered paddling along side of it for a full length shot but decided not to push my luck and to heed the requests of my children to not get eaten.

Does anyone think I am going to worry about the challenges of a new job after getting this shot?

At the end of the two tunnels the river widened substantially allowing me to turn the kayak around to head up stream. The return trip took considerably longer as I was fighting both the current and the tide. Thankfully I did not encounter any alligators in the tunnel which would have been very unnerving. They seem to prefer open areas such as this.

This morning I rented a kayak and paid to have it shuttled to the Turner River where I spent 6 hours on the water. During that time I encountered two other paddlers and a half dozen alligators ( a good ratio in my opinion). Paddling down stream I encountered two very long mangrove tunnels varying in width from 1.5 to 4 boat widths. The mangrove roots were so densely spaced that they would have made an effective set of prison bars. The upper branches formed an equally dense canopy creating a true living tunnel. There was insufficient clearance to paddle and it was far easier to simply grab the branches and pull myself through the tunnels.

It is hard to imagine how the day could have been any better from a photographic perspective. Even as I am heading to my tent site I am treated to a beautiful sunset. I initially feared that the Everglades might not be as interesting as some of the higher profile national parks I have visited recently but I could not have been more wrong. You simply need to get off the beaten path.

The variety and abundance of birds in Florida is quite amazing. I could spend days instead of hours getting similar photos in New England when these same birds migrate north for the summer.

Here is a small sampling of my alligator shots. I was hoping to catch one eating a bird for lunch but they typically hunt and feed at night.

Alligators, if not surprised or cornered, will seek to move away from adult humans. I took great care to approach those on my side of the canal without startling them and was able to get quite close for good pictures. I am told they can out run a human over short distances but do not believe this to be true. If this guy turned to chase me I can guarantee you that I would set a new Olympic record for high jumping to the top of my rental car.

This afternoon I discovered a canal paralleled by a dirt road that was chock full of birds and alligators. I was able to drive down the road and get out anytime I spotted something interesting. I literally encountered dozens of alligators. Fortunately, 90% of them were on the opposite side of the canal.

I spent the morning doing a little macro photography before stowing my gear for the return trip to civilization.

After sleeping like a baby I arose to enjoy a magnificent sunrise which bathed the island in golden light.

As I had hoped, the island was a photographic treasure trove and I spent hours wandering the beaches in search of interesting subjects.