We’re not traveling as much in our fifth wheel anymore so I thought it would be fun to relive some of our most memorable days from previous RV trips.
On this day ten years ago, December 5, 2009, we were camped in the Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park. We spent the day exploring the national park around Flamingo.
After entering Everglades National Park, the drive to the Flamingo Campground is another 38 miles through the park. Flamingo is the southernmost place in the mainland of the U.S. (The southernmost point in the U.S. is farther south in Key West.)
I wandered from our campsite in the morning to nearby Eco Pond where many wading birds were gathered.
Egrets and Spoonbill at Eco PondWood StorkRoseate Spoonbill
Later in the day we went for a boat ride on a big pontoon boat in Florida Bay. There were some White Pelicans on a sandbar close to the boat. There were also hundreds of White Pelicans on a sand bar too far away to take pictures. As we headed back to the dock the rain started coming down.
White Pelicans in Florida BayFlorida Bay on a rainy day
The Flamingo area of Everglades National Park is far from civilization and a wonderful place for bird watching and seeing other wildlife. In addition to the birds visitors can observe alligators and crocodiles in the wild. During certain times of year there may even be manatees in the water.
The next stop on our winter RV journey was Saint Augustine, Florida. We had a beautiful campsite in Anastasia State Park to call home for a few days. The weather was lousy most of the time but we picked a perfect sunny day to do some sightseeing.
At the top of my to do list was visit the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm Wading Bird Rookery. During nesting season wading birds come to nest in the trees in the Native Swamp at the Alligator Farm. The birds who nest here are wild and can come and go as they please. Although it was a little early in the nesting season there were a lot of great egrets and roseate spoonbills wearing their breeding plumage and some pairs were starting to build their nests.
The trees surround a swamp area filled with alligators. A boardwalk winds around the swamp giving visitors close up views of the alligators in the water and the birds in the trees.
A bird gathering at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm RookeryRoseate SpoonbillsBoardwalk through the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm Native Swam and Rookery
The Great Egrets showed off their breeding plumage and pairs worked on their nests.
Great Egret with breeding plumage at St. Augustine Alligator Farm RookeryPair of egrets working on their nestPair of great egrets at St. Augustine Alligator Farm RookeryEgrets at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm RookeryYou can take my picture nowGreat Egret Breeding Plumage
The Roseate Spoonbills were my favorite.
Roseate Spoonbill at Alligator FarmRoseate Spoonbill at Alligator Farm RookeryRoseate Spoonbill at Alligator Farm RookeryRoseate Spoonbill at Alligator Farm RookeryRoseate Spoonbill at Alligator Farm RookeryRoseate Spoonbill at Alligator Farm RookeryRoseate Spoonbill at Alligator Farm RookeryRoseate Spoonbill at Alligator Farm Rookery
Coming up next, more about our St. Augustine adventure including other critters at the Alligator Farm.
Mona Liza over at The Lowe’s RV Adventures recently asked me if I could name my favorite place. I didn’t have to think very hard to come up with an answer. My favorite place in the world is right here at home in coastal Georgia near Savannah. So this summer we’ve been enjoying a wonderful summer in our home state of Georgia.
The highlight of our summer was having the grandkids come to visit. Going to the beach, going for boat rides, visiting museums, making homemade ice cream, and catching blue crabs were just a few of the things we got to enjoy with them this summer.
We also enjoyed getting together with our friends and neighbors. We celebrated numerous birthdays, watched Fourth of July fireworks, and shared many meals and laughs.
One of the things I love most about where we live is the natural beauty all around us. I never get tired of all the birds and other wildlife we see each day. Throw in a few summer thunderstorms, some beautiful sunsets and a few rainbows and you have a summer full of great days.
I created a Mesh Gallery with a few highlights of the summer using Mesh. I hope you like it.
It rained all night our last night in Goose Island. Our 40 miles trek south to our next Gulf Coast destination included a ride on the Port Aransas ferry. After departing the ferry in Port Aransas we drove south about 12 miles to Mustang Island State Park. Despite rain, fog and overcast skies we enjoyed our stay there.
Port Aransas Ferry, TexasBeach at Mustang Island State ParkBlondie going after a sand crabFishing Jetty at Mustang Island State ParkParked on the beach at Mustang Island State PSand Dunes at Mustang Island State Park
The first morning the fog was thick as pea soup when I took Blondie for a walk on the beach. After doing laundry there was still no sign of a clear sky so we decided to drive to Port Aransas. We had heard there were some good birding opportunities there and Henry needed to pick up some supplies from a hardware store so he could repair our steps (there’s always something to fix on an RV).
First stop was Charlie’s pasture, a nature preserve. I spied a lone white pelican and a couple of roseate spoonbills across the marsh. The next stop was Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center where we hit the jackpot. Spoonbills perched in trees, many varieties of ducks, cormorants, American Coot, tri-colored heron, a green heron and many I couldn’t identify. We even saw some turtles.
The next day was still overcast and foggy but we made the drive to Padre Island National Seashore anyway. The park is 60 miles long and extends all the way to the southern tip of Padre Island. The paved road ends shortly past the Visitor’s Center. From there on vehicles must drive on hard packed sand on the beach. Camping is allowed on the beach and we saw some interesting campers as we drove along for a few miles. A picnic table at the windsurfing beach (waterfront campsites with no hookups are available here) was a perfect place for lunch.
Big sand dunes at Padre Island National SeashoreWe saw this rig from Alaska camped on the beach at Padre Island NSWildflowers at Padre Island National SeashoreSignpost at the windsurfing shop at Padre Island National Seashore
We camped in site 17 at Mustang Island. The campground, located just behind the dunes, is a large, rectangular paved parking lot with back in sites on two sides. There is a grassy area between most sites. Each site has water and electric, a shelter with picnic table, and a grill. There was standing water in some of the sites after a big storm the night before. The water drained overnight and everything was fine the next day. The beach access is a short walk or drive from the campground. There is a large area on the beach with picnic shelters where no driving is allowed. Driving and parking is allowed on the beach on both sides of the beach picnic area.
As we continued west through Louisiana on I-10 we passed by many crawfish farms. After a stop at the Texas welcome center we were loaded up with maps and brochures. We also got directions to Galveston which included the instructions “follow the road to the ferry”. Ferry? We didn’t know we would be taking a ferry! What a great surprise!
As we approached the ferry dock Henry noticed a lighthouse through the fog on my side of the road. I was able to get a couple of pictures before we got in line for the ferry. The three mile crossing is on a free ferry operated by the Texas Highway Department.
After departing the ferry in Galveston we had about a 12 mile drive to the state park. As soon as we finished setting up camp we took a walk on the beach. The beach was practically empty. The sound of waves crashing on the beach was like music to my ears.
Point Bolivar Lighthouse, FLRiding the Ferry from Point Bolivar, TX to GalvestonOn the ferry to GalvestonPath to the beachPath to the beach at Galveston Island State ParkBlondie chilling after a day of travelingBlondie was fascinated by the jellyfish
The next day we took a drive to the wildlife viewing area in the park with hopes of spotting some Roseate Spoonbills. The hiking trails were muddy and flooded in places so we passed on doing any hiking. We enjoyed the views from an overlook and walked down a relatively dry trail to the kayak launching area. From the parking lot we stopped to watch some Egrets in a pond when I saw a splash of pink. A flock of Roseate Spoonbills entertained us before suddenly taking off.
The marsh reminds me of homeRoseate SpoonbillsRoseate Spoonbill at Galveston Island State ParkRoseate SpoonbillsSpoonbill and Egret
Our campsite was in the beach campground at Galveston Island State Park. Our site was a paved back-in with a covered shelter, picnic table, fire ring, and water and electric hookups. The beach was just a short walk from the campsite. We enjoyed the park and wish we could have stayed longer.
Wandering Dawgs 