This year we left Annapolis on January 1st. We drove to Key West making only one overnight stop, in Georgia just north of the Florida line. We arrived in sunny and warm Key West at the Sigsbee RV park at 4:00PM on January 3rd. This was vacation and R&R time. After staying in Key West for about two weeks, we started our slow trip home. Our first stop was at the Miami-Everglades campground for about a week. This gave us time to tour the Everglades and the upper keys. After leaving the Everglades, we went to the Titusville area for several days. This was to allow us time to tour the wildlife refuge at Merritt Island. We arrived home on Saturday, January 29th, just missing the ice storm that hit Georgia and the Carolinas Saturday morning.
Photography by John Horm
We were able to get a waterfront site at Sigsbee looking at the clear blue tropical water. We also had a few trees to give us some shade which was a blessing since our awning got torn off a few days before we left.
Since I didn't include many photos of the famous Key West chickens from last year's trip I will start off with the chickens. It is amazing how many chickens are walking the streets since Key West hired a full-time chicken catcher about a year ago.
Maybe there's a reason the chicken catcher can't keep up with them. GO CHICKENS!
The chickens can be found everywhere, on the sidewalks, stairways, fences, rooftops and snuggled in the shrubbery.
Let's leave the chickens and take in some of the character scenes from Key West.
This is from the second floor porch on Hemingway's house. He had a fabulous view of the lighthouse from here.
If you take the aquarium tour, you will be able to pet a shark. They feel like sandpaper.
This is one of the many cats roaming around the ground of Hemingway's home. This one isn't doing much roaming right now but he does wake up at feeding time.
Pelicans are found everywhere.
The butterfly conservatory is a popular attraction. It has many colorful butterflys from around the world.
In addition to their butterflys, they also have a number of very colorful birds.
Key West is known for its sunsets. Every evening a sunset celebration is held at Mallory Square featuring numerous vendors and street performers.
How about a tightrope walking dog wearing shorts?
A sunset cruise on the schooner America.
People are not allowed to panhandle but cats are.
Sunset ends the day and our tour of Key West. Let's move on to the Everglades.
We stayed at the Miami-Everglades Campground which advertises you get to park under fruit trees. We picked up several fresh from the trees avocados.
Our primary reason for going to the Everglades was the wildlife. The wildlife photos are from Royal Palm, Shark Valley, and Flamingo.
Here are two views of Double Crested Cormorants. Not shown is the hooked bill.
And this is an Anhinga.
A Snowy Egret.
A couple Great Blue Herons
The Great Egret
Another Great Blue Heron
A Green Heron with the catch-of-the-day.
An adult Purple Gallinule.
Hiding in the bushes is an immature Purple Gallinule.
Another Green Heron in a typical position.
A Double-Crested Cormorant with lunch.
Yes, he did eventually get it down.
This young Red-Shouldered Hawk was at Flamingo.
A White Ibis coming in for a landing.
A Snowy Egret .
A White Ibis perching in a treetop.
This Yellow-Crowned Night Heron was on Tavernier Key.
A Little Blue Heron
A Double-Crested Cormorant showing off.
A Double-Crested Cormorant coming in for a landing.
A photo journey through the Everglades is not complete without alligators.
The Monkey Jungle was not far from the campground and seemed like it would be an interesting place to visit.
The advertising says the monkeys run wild and the humans are caged.
The Monkey Jungle was a fun and interesting stop. I would reccomend it if you are in the area.
Let's move on the Merritt Island, our last stop this trip. We stayed at The Great Outdoors RV Resort in Titusville. Very nice, neat and clean but very expensive. It is close to Merritt Island and more wildlife.
We awoke one morning to find this fellow, a Sandhill Crane right outside our RV.
A Glossy Ibis.
This American Coot didn't want to come out of the shadows.
Merritt Island was teeming with Roseate Spoonbills.
In addition to the Spoonbills, we found a Snowy Egret.
Turkey Vultures are not really bad looking birds are they?
Here we have a Reddish Egret.
This Snowy Egret would not stop showing off for us.
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