LIVING IN A ZOO

WP Franklin RV Park and Campground - run by the US Army Corp. 
It is thee perfect place! 
Incredibly peaceful, serene....and here's a quick take on the wildlife we witnessed

We saw a black panther at Indiantown.....now we can add the rarely seen FLORIDA TAWNY PANTHER!

I sighted one casually walking through backyards across from the RV park.
Very exciting thing to witness this huge beast, slowly meandering across the lawns. 
Especially because there was water between us and it!

 

 

 

 

 

 CLICK ABOVE TO WATCH A VERY SHORT VIDEO OF A VERY BIG BULL! 
NO BULL - IT'S HUGE!
NOTICE THE CAMERA WORK STOP AS IT ARRIVES TOO CLOSE TO ME!
 

OUR PROGRESS MAP TO DATE...and a few more pics

CLICK BELOW TO SEE OUR TRANSIT CHART TO DATE:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=202569878209476437873.0004d0206988ee6ab5d9d&msa=0&ll=26.831577,-81.090109&spn=0.000505,0.000955

MORE PICS.......

turkey vultures scouting out Moore Haven tourists

early morning vegetation that seems to like our swim platform

 



a bristle brush tree....???





SUGAR CANE ASH....WAAAA!!!
Time for ANOTHER washdown!
 

Indiantown to our first anchorage in South Bay

We have finally left the dock, taking the rim route around Lake Okeechobee, heading for Punta Gorda, Florida.

Some pics enroute to our first anchorage at the bottom of the Lake, South Bay.  Totally solo for three days - with the exception of gators, howling 'somethings' in the trees around us,

accompanying tunes of the many species of birds.

OUR NEXT BOAT....in our next life!



Our first lock in the Lake Okeechobee Waterway, westbound, Port Mayaca

approaching the lock....dolphins to the right to tie off



ah yes....seagulls chasing the wake - hoping for fish

entering the canal portion of the Waterway

Florida's oldest (and only) manually opened lock

A view thru my galley window in South Bay - sitting on a glass of freshwater

of course it would not be Florida if we did not have a gator riding side saddle - just one here

just another lousy sunrise in paradise



an early morning crop dusting plane put on quite a show....the photo inspired a memory for Peter, of a poem his Mother quoted frequently.......

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

— John Gillespie Magee, Jr

http://www.skygod.com/quotes/highflight.html

you can see the crop dusting dispenser running parallel to the wings of the plane

The small red star is where our boat is anchored - until tomorrow, when we depart for either Clewiston or Moorehaven Lock

a man with a rod.....apparently size does matter because this one is huge...
large mouth bass...3rd one of the day!

sadly, the pristine oasis is destroyed on a daily basis with the burning of sugar cane



this sign speaks for itself...and for the gators!

ashore we took a visit to the top of the levy...
and discovered cars, people and a huge RV park

South Bay RV Campground...what a shock from the view we see below! 
And did a 180 to discover this view!




Standing ashore at the top of the levy...that's Pelican Rose in the bay off in the distance

 

 

AROUND AND ABOUT INDIANTOWN & STUART

STUART CAR LOT......CHECK OUT THE T-BIRD...AND A FEW OTHERS BELOW.....

 

 

 

PETER BESIDE HIS 3116 CATERPILLAR ENGINE

JABBERWOKIES - SANDHILL CRANES....these guys make a very loud prehistoric sound

 

 

 

Indiantown Marina throws an incredible four day marathon of celebrations for Thanksgiving.  Here is one gathering of boating mates enjoying one evening, from left to right:  Cathy of BnG, Thai, Robert of BnG, Peter, Carol Anne and Jim of Seaduction and Wayne of Leeway (originally from Port Whitby Marina...small world out here!)

Jessie and Alex...our faithful work crew who do everything from launch to haulout,
always with a smile and a warm greeting.

A cool night before Thanksgiving and a happy camper.....let the wine flow (and it did!)

1st night dinner - Island Food.....chicken, ribs, baked beans, marshmallow salad...yum!

 

 

 

Celebrating Robert McConnell's FORTY THIRD birthday.

Assisting in the celebrations, fellow boaters who own a catamaran:  Bev and Dave

OOPS!  Someone (who shall remain nameless) spills her glass of red wine on the cream coloured carpet.
All three men to the rescue.  Arrrgggg.....good pirates saving the damsel in distress.....or at least saving the carpet!

 

About 300+ motorcycles converged into this park in Indiantown.  An organized event of some sort.

 

 

Note the eagles worked into this!

Honda Goldwing

 

 

 

Local Gator at our marina....sighted across from the stern of our boat....close enough that we shut the door to our transom.
NO GATORS ALLOWED!

 

A QUICK TRIP TO PUNTA GORDA.....

I WILL LEAVE THIS PIC TO YOUR IMAGINATIONS.