Where are the Sharks? Where is the Valley?

Posted on March 4, 2013March 4, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Back on the tram we headed back to the info Center. As we traveled through the sawgrass prairie our guide turned to the landscape. The birds and alligators were still there but it was time to learn about the land. We stopped at a mound covered with trees where she explained that this was “Tree Island”. During the wet season it is surrounded by water but the canopy of the trees on the island keep the interior dry and the shade makes it cool. Everything from animals like Florida Panthers, deer, alligators and even humans use these tree islands for shelter. Large tree islands doubled as homes for the native Florida Indians. There is room on the interior for small campfires and dry for sleeping.

Moving on we passed the skeleton of a dead gator and an anhinga looking for a mate. You can tell when an anhinga is ready to mate by the colored circle around its eye. When they are searching for a mate the color of the circle becomes a brilliant color.

Then she asked the million dollar question…why is this area called Shark Valley? As we looked around it didn’t look like a valley. The land looked pretty flat and there certainly wasn’t enough water for sharks. But that’s where we were about to be corrected.

According to the guide Shark Valley is really a valley. To get to the coast you really have to go uphill. The rise may be slight and not that noticeable but it is there. Therefore this area does meet the definition if a valley: 1.low-lying area: a long low area of land, often with a river or stream running through it, that is surrounded by higher ground

Ok so it’s a valley but where does the shark part come into it? The Everglades is not a swamp. The water is not stagnant. It is a slow-moving river filled with vegetation, hence the name “river of grass”, but it’s a wide shallow river still the same. And rivers go somewhere. The Everglades eventually connects to the sea. At the junction where the fresh water Everglades meets the salt water of the sea an area of brackish water exists. Here salt water crocodiles mingle with fresh water American alligators. It is the only place in the world where these 2 species exist side by side. And it is here that bull sharks enter the valley.

Bull sharks are unique in the shark/fish world in that they can survive in both fresh and salt water. So in the brackish water where the ocean and fresh water meet, bull sharks come to hunt. The lower end of this valley connects to the ocean and creates that unique environment. Early settlers saw the sharks and the name Shark Valley stuck.

I attempted an internet search to confirm this explanation but so far my preliminary results have come up empty so I pass this along as a story told by our guide. It rings true to me. Florida is higher at the coast than the interior and bull sharks do survive in both fresh and salt water. That has been confirmed in many places of the world. So Welcome to Shark Valley. Definitely a place to visit when you get a chance.

Shark Valley Observation Tower

Posted on March 3, 2013March 3, 2013 by Dusty Roads

High noon as our tram pulled up the observation tower, the half way point of our tour. Our guide gave us strict instructions to be back in 30 minutes or walk! The limited amount of time would mean no side trips.

I noticed a small side trail but there wasn’t time to explore too far so I turned around and headed to the observation tower.

As a diabetic I have to be careful to make arrangements to eat on a schedule if I want to avoid the uncomfortable effects of low blood sugar. As I approached the tower I began to recognize the familiar signs…fast heartbeat, shaky hands, legs like rubber. I had tossed a bag of peanuts into my camera bag before I headed out this morning but I was annoyed that it had to happen now. Why couldn’t it have held off until I was back on the tram. I only had 30 minutes to explore!

At the tower there were benches and restrooms so I took a few minutes to eat my peanuts. As the symptoms began to subside I made my way up the circular ramp admiring the view as I went. The tower provides a 360-degree view of the Everglades sawgrass prairie.

The tower is about 50 ft high so you get a really clear view. Looking down there is an alligator pond and it was busy today.

Many alligators were hauled out sunning but there were some swimming as well.

We were high enough up to be above most of the tree tops so I found myself looking down on some of the birds too.

From this vantage they looked awful close to those gators.

Off in the distance I could see the loop road the tram had just traveled down and the paved path I walked to get to the tower.

Up here there was a breeze and the temperature was warm but comfortable.

Time was flying so I headed back down the ramp. On the walk back I peeked in on that shaded side path. There was a muddy puddle on the side of the path and I thought I heard a rustling. I froze and tried to peer through the shaded foliage. I couldn’t see anything but when I looked into the water I could see a reflection and it seemed to be moving. I couldn’t make out details but the reflected motion reminded me of a snake. I’m not sure but I might have seen one of those pythons that are invading the park. I wish I could have gotten a better look!

But now I was running late so I hurried back to the tram with the last of the stragglers.

On a Tram again….

Posted on March 2, 2013March 2, 2013 by Dusty Roads

There are 3 ways to visit Shark Valley-walking, bicycling or taking a ride on a tram.

I’m a firm believer in getting the lay of the land before I head off on foot and I don’t have bicycle so the choice for me was easy. Tram Ride.

The tram ride is a 2 hour tour narrated by a naturalist or park ranger. It covers a 15 mile loop trail that is closed to private vehicles. At the half way mark is an observation tower. On a clear day you can see for miles.

At 11:00 am I took a seat on the bench near the Tram’s ticket booth. It was a beautiful, sunny day. For the next 2 hours I’d receive an education about the Shark Valley eco- system and it’s wildlife.

As other riders joined me on the benches one of the attendants came by to chat. It was his role to give us the safety briefing. He told us to stay 15 feet away from all wildlife but especially the alligators and they can be unpredictable. He then went on to tell us about another tourist a few weeks back who kept trying to poke the alligators. Seems he’d been watching too many reality shows like Gator Boys and wanted to see if he could out maneuver the gators the way they do on that show. After being warned repeatedly he was removed from the park and fined.

About then our guide arrived and we loaded onto the tram. Right away we saw wildlife. A red-shouldered hawk perched in the meadow.

A mama gator and her babies sunned by the side of the pavement.

A whole panne was filled with Wood Storks.

Seeing so many of these our naturalist explained that these birds had been endangered because of habitat loss. They are very fussy eaters and if the water in the panne is the wrong depth or temperature or any of a number of other things, they will not feed there so it was exciting to see so many in one place.

Herons were everywhere, all kinds as I had noticed by the info center.

The tram would stop whenever our guide spotted something interesting so she could talk about it and give us plenty of time for photographs.

We met lots of bicyclists. They gave us the right of way and waved as we passed. That looks like a great way to see the sights up even closer than the tram. I believe there is a bike rental kiosk located near the parking lot.

About noon we reached the observation tower. We had about 1/2 hour here so we could climb the tower and take a look around. So far our guide had been pointing out the birds and gators and talking about the diversity of the wildlife in the Everglades. Now she let us head out on our own.

We all clambered off the tram and headed up the paved path to the observation tower.

Birds, Turtles and Alligators…Oh My

Posted on March 1, 2013March 1, 2013 by Dusty Roads

The water was alive. There was no other way to describe it. The surface was in constant motion. Fish jumped, others bubbled and gulped at the surface and gars cruised just under the tea colored surface.

Birds filled the trees. All kinds of birds. There were anhinga, egrets, herons, Great Blue, Great White, Tri Color, Night Herons.

The little birds with the red face were everywhere.

I could see turtles piled on the banks or swimming.

But the alligators were the star attractions. The sidewalk ran along side the water and the gators were hauled out sunning themselves…everywhere! They didn’t seem to pay any attention to the people walking by.

Gators, being cold-blooded, need the heat and sun to build up their energy supplies. They also can’t digest their meals without the sun. If they can’t get warm their last meal can end up rotting inside them and kill them instead of releasing life supporting nutrients.

There was so much to see and I hadn’t even left the parking area!

The information center is located on a wooden observation deck that juts out over the water. From this vantage point I could see so much going on. I felt like I didn’t need to go anywhere else.

While I stood watching a small gator came swimming down the water channel.

Almost immediately a large gator pushed himself into the water and began making a bee line for the smaller one. My first thought was male/ female but my second was that the big gator might have been being territorial. I waited to see what would happen.

The small gator picked up speed but the large guy stayed right on its tail until it seemed to pass an invisible boundary. At that point the big gator turned around and came back to his spot on the bank and the little gator continued on its way. My conclusion… territorial behavior and since the small one kept going it eventually left Big Guy’s turf.

I stayed on the deck watching the action until almost 11:00. I had a ticket for the 11:00 Tram ride. After that I planned to explore some of the trails.

It’s the Journey…

Posted on February 28, 2013February 28, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Everglades National Park. It’s been an unreachable goal on so many of my Florida trips. Normally my visits take me to the Orlando area even when I am not visiting the Theme Parks and Orlando isn’t anywhere near Everglades National Park. Now that I’m in Fort Lauderdale finally getting to the park is a top priority.

I realize that all of my little adventures so far have taken me into the Everglades…but not the National Park. My first decision is which part of the park to visit. There are 3 entrances and they are nowhere near each other. Since wildlife is a priority I chose the Shark Valley entrance. My GPS put me about 45 minutes away so it wasn’t a bad drive. It was highway for the most part.

I was making good time until I got off the highway and made my last turn toward the park. At least there were plenty of signs so you don’t get lost. What I didn’t know was that the last part if the trip was all under construction so it was one lane…literaly. You stopped for the flagmen who let one lane go , then the other.

The Shark Valley entrance opens at 8:30 am and closes at 6pm. As I got closer I saw snake hunters with their snake hooks searching the perimeter of the park for invasive snakes. The state of Florida is sponsoring a snake hunt for pythons. Latest count is at 31. The hunt ended Feb 8. I’m not sure what the final counts came to. I will have to look it up and let you know in another post.

It was a little after 9am when I saw the entrance to the park come into sight. The entrance fee is $10.00 and is good for 7 days. It’s also good at any of the entrances. Too bad this is my last day in Florida for this trip. I’m flying out of Fort Lauderdale Airport in the morning.

The limited parking was almost filled even at this early hour but the rangers were great helping me squeeze my little rental into a spot that seemed way too small by directing me in. I collected my gear and walked across the pavement to the sidewalk and almost stepped on my first “gator”…a big one! The ranger laughed and said ” Welcome to the Everglades. Watch where you step.”