Fishermen still waiting for the right conditions to launch and cast their nets. The nets look quite large rolled up and stowed on the canoes.
I never got to see the bridging crews installing this lake bridging so I've no clue how they did it. I know in places the water was over six feet…
We headed over to this patch of water to see three relatively young alligators - but my photos of them suck, to put it politely. However, I rather liked this view to the north. In the background to the left the rain is pouring down from a passing thunderstorm while the trailing edge of a different storm hangs overhead.
This clump of trees was the furthest point north and west that we went on this trip. My Captain turned opened the throttle and as we started to clear the trees I captured this view of the Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area. This is a view east and if you look really closely you might find the airliner on it's descent into Miami International Airport. I toyed with the idea of cloning it out but decided to leave it.
This overhang in the limestone rack face was a significant swift nesting site. Out of harvesting season, there was no one working on this day. Bird's nest harvesting is a regulated industry and there were signs above the jetty here warning trespassers off. All the bamboo poles you can see here are used by the harvesters to reach the rock ceiling where the swifts build their nests.
The ferry also stops by some of the local attractions on it's way into the islands. Here it's pulling up to the limestone cliffs so the passengers can see some caves where locals gather swift nests for birds nest soup. Quite why a soup made from bird spit is so sought after I don't know. I've never tasted it myself. But I'm left wondering...