Summer travels - Florida, Part 3

Mike, Sandra, Bobbie and Buddy on the beach at Eagle's Nest

I had never imagined going to Marco Island -- didn't know it existed. But when my sister and her husband invited Mike and me to join them for a week's stay at a friend's timeshare on Marco Island, we gratefully took them up on it.

Eagles's Nest Resort

As we drove over the bridge and into Marco, we realized that this is an island of mostly resorts. Our resort was Eagle's Nest, and we had a generous view of my beloved Gulf of Mexico from our ninth story balcony. The condo was our cozy nest in which to rest and recover from each day's forays -- turned out that Marco is right next door to Naples, Corkscrew Swamp, and the Everglades.

We first visited nearby "Old" Naples. In my view, the "old" part of town is not so much historic as it is boutiquey. We did have fun strolling, windowshopping, and taking in the tropical landscaping along the city streets.

An unidentified tree in spectacular bloom in old Naples

A spray of white orchids hangs from a palm

My favorite Naples storefront

Hundreds of airplants inhabit this old tree in old Naples

The visit to Naples became mere preamble compared to the natural riches we found during our time in Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and the Everglades.

Buddy and Bobbie on Corkscrew's boardwalk

Unidentified butterfly (a monarch?)

Tropical plant leaves are stained glass in the summer sunlight

A red-shouldered hawk, sitting on the boardwalk railing just in front of us, took off and landed on an old snag not too far away

Pickeral weed in bloom

Corkscrew Swamp protects the largest remaining stand of virgin bald cypresses in the country

Strangler figs (epiphytes whose seeds are bird-dispersed in trees; the host tree may or may not die over time) on one of the Sanctuary's many cypresses

Swamp lily, Crinum americanum, a lovely resident of Corkscrew

Sandra and Mike on the boardwalk

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary was a wonderful experience for the four of us, but real fun was in store for us the next day when we took an airboat ride out of Everglades City. It was something I'd wanted to do for years, and I wasn't disappointed.

Mike, Buddy, Bobbie and Sandra onboard the airboat in the beautiful and mysterious mangrove forest

Our guide, Captain Ken

Captain Ken knew how to give important Everglades ecology lessons while also thrilling us with rapid rides through the swamp and with great sightings of ...

ALLIGATORS!

We also got great views of the mangroves whose vast root systems lie both above and below the tea-colored swamp waters. Birds like to sit on the roots and watch for something to eat in the water below.

Ibis and egret, coexiting peacefully in a swamp rich in fish and wildlife

As Captain Ken piloted us out of the swamp, his whistle brought a couple of pelicans flying fast. One in particular took a beeline for us.

The adorable pelican sat on our boat and looked rather longingly at us -- wish I'd had a fishy reward handy

From the airboat ride, we headed for Everglades National Park, containing 1,508,537.9 acres of Florida's native plant and wildlife riches. Of course, we were able to see only a tiny portion of the Park in our time there, but that tiny portion was a whole natural world unto itself. (If you would like to learn more about this beautiful wilderness and the challenges it is facing, go to Everglades National Park's website.) We decided to go on water again, this time on a pontoon boat.

On the water in a boat, one of my favorite places to be

We passed through the manatee area with the boat on idle, required by law (spotted some manatees coming up for air!)

What is so rare as a day in July

An islet is home to flocks of seabirds

An osprey watches for snacks

The day before we left, we relaxed and enjoyed swimming, reading, and walking along the beach. Unexpectedly, there was an abundance of shells. As always, I had to gather a few. Sorting the shells later in the condo, I discovered that the tiniest crab I'd ever seen had hitched a ride inside with my shells. I took its picture first and then returned it to the edge of the calm Gulf waters.

Also, on our last day we went to our daily lunch place, Snook Inn. The Inn overlooks the waters of a harbor and serves scrumptious seafood. I especially enjoyed the scallop-stuffed shrimp (and I don't usually like scallops and am pretty picky about eating shrimp).

Our last night at Eagle's Nest was memorable for a rainbow ...

... and an unexpected traipse down nine flights of stairs when the emergency alarm system went off at 9:30. The fire trucks came as we and the other residents loitered about outside. No harm,false alarm ... probably set off, said the firefighters, by some kids looking for some excitement on the last night at the beach.

The next morning we said goodbye to the tropics of southwestern Florida, whose exotic beauty and mystery beckon me back someday.