The rain finally let up on Tuesday….sort of. It was still gray and overcast but I was scheduled for the Everglades tour. A big double Decker bus worked it’s way down Ocean Drive and stopped right in front of the Crescent Resort. My ride had arrived.

I climbed to the open air top deck but the ride was only to the ticket office.   When it was my turn I was directed to a smaller van operated by “Luis”. When we finally headed out he had a full load. It was a good thing we were in the van too . The skies opened up and it began to pour!

Just before we reached Everglades Holiday Park the rain stopped. It was still very overcast but at least it wasn’t raining. Even if it started to rain again, the airboats at Holiday Park as covered.

Our pictures were taken as we stood inline and then it was time to board.

I passed the time waiting getting a kick out of the local grackle. They were into everything!

After a brief safely talk we were on our way.

The first thing I spotted was an Anhinga, the “snake bird” of the Everglades. They call it that because of its long neck.

Next up were the cormorants perched on the warning sign.

With no sun, alligators were in short supply. We only saw one.

But we had fun with a family of Purple Gallinule.

These funny birds walk on top of the vegetation.

We had a whole family join us including a pretty young chick.

On the way back to the dock we spotted a huge iguana perched in the trees.

He was a beautiful specimen on the one hand, but kind of depressing on the other as this is an invasive species. Along with pythons they are wreaking havoc on the native animals of the Everglades.