Spring Break 2023

After a fairly long travel hiatus, I finally made my way back down to South Florida for a few days of eco-photography mayhem and carnage. It was admittedly a bit of a short, slap-dash trip, but I managed to rack up some solid time in both Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park — two areas dear to my heart. I also managed to make my way to Coral Gables and South Miami for a few hours of lizard chasing. I did not, however, make my way into the Florida Keys on this particular trip. I thought I might try to slip it in before returning home on my final day, but the weather had turned by that point. No worries. It was still a fairly fantastic trip and definitely a series of experiences I needed.

Featured below are photographs from this trip. Some are simple reference shots (not quite “art”), but others came out quite nicely. On trips like this, I don’t tend to spend heaps of time framing and composing shots. I try to keep myself more in the moment than in the shot. Anyhow, some of the photos that will be featured are fairly rough, but I want to include them regardless.

This portfolio page is of course currently being developed as I process and post photographs to the main feed!

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Saturday 11 March 2023

• Depart Ormond Beach (Volusia county) en route to Mount Dora (Lake county) for the night.
• Heart Island Conservation Area (Volusia county).
• Seminole State Forest & Blackwater Creek (Lake county).
• Arrive in Mount Dora (Lake county) and stay the night with family.

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Sunday 12 March 2023

• Depart Mount Dora (Lake county) with Daylight Savings in effect.
• Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (Collier county). 65 degrees at the start.
• Canal lines along US Highway 29 (Collier county).
• Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve (Collier county).
• Monument Lake campground at Big Cypress National Preserve (Collier county).
• Excursions throughout Big Cypress National Preserve & Loop Road (Collier, Monroe, and Miami-Dade counties).

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Monday 13 March 2023

• Morning excursions throughout Big Cypress National Preserve and Loop Road (Collier, Monroe, and Miami-Dade counties).
• South Miami and Coral Gables park hopping: All America Park, Matheson Hammock Park, A. D. Barnes Park, etc (Miami-Dade County).
• Nighttime excursion throughout Big Cypress National Preserve and Loop Road (Collier, Monroe, and Miami-Dade counties).

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Tuesday 14 March 2023

• Morning excursion throughout Big Cypress National Preserve and Loop Road (Collier, Monroe, and Miami-Dade counties).
• Everglades National Park (Miami-Dade and Monroe counties): Mahogany Hammock, Eco Pond, Flamingo Marina, Pa-hay-okee, Royal Palm, etc.
• Nightime excursion along Main Park Road in Everglades National Park.

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Wednesday 15 March 2023

• Return to Ormond Beach. The morning was cool and entirely overcast, so I began my trip back home. I had planned on doing either the northern portion of the keys or Merritt Island in Brevard county, but the weather simply wasn’t with me. No worries!

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~ fini ~