The Everglades

The Travels of Running Tide
Mick Norman
Mon 19 May 2014 22:31
The early means of getting to Key West was a railroad which was built in
1912. However the labour day hurricane of 1935 damaged the railroad badly and
there wasn’t the money to sort it out. The railroad bridges were then converted
to roads which were replaced with what is there now in the 70/80s.
On the way back to FLD we called into the Everglades National Park. That
was really interesting. Like all wetlands it under threat and is not as it was
50 years ago. The water levels have fallen and bird life has been reducing in
recent years as a result of competing water needs of farmers, local
residents and tourists. Runoff rich in nitrates and phosphates has caused algal
blooms which has caused local wildlife to suffer. Anyway we went off walking on
the trails seeing gators, vultures all sorts of wading birds. Its an amazing
landscapes dominated by sawgrass plains and hammocks tropical forests.
The wind driven boats are not part of the National Park so that wasn’t an
option. There are lots of canoe trails so maybe next time that would be an
objective.
The drive back to FLD was on Hwy 1 but we chickened out when we got to
Miami avoiding the downtown area. After seeing Miami FLD looks positively
provincial.
![]() The Sun Doesn’t Always Shine Here
![]() The Quartermaster Checking our Stores
![]() Seven Mile Bridge
![]() Seven Mile Bridge the Old Railroad Bridge on the Right
![]() The Remains of the Railroad Bridge
![]() Typical Key West House
![]() Key West
![]() Historic Marina
![]() Marina
![]() Sunset from Mallory Square
![]() The Museum at Pidgeon Key
![]() Our Anchorage at Las Olas Bridge
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