Shark Valley

As we entered the Everglades National Park our first stop was Shark Valley visitors area. Treating ourselves to the tram tour that runs 15 miles into the swampy saw grasses out to an observation tower was a great choice. We noticed several walkers and bikers that looked fatigued. This is common as most people neglect to bring enough water to stay hydrated, in fact a helicopter landed at the visitor center with emergency crew to check on a women that was having trouble breathing. She refused the flight out and it's easy to understand why when we learned that it costs $10,000 for the trip out! Our tour guide was well informed and very happy. We learned at the end of the tour that the first row of the tram held his family including parents, wife and baby, all happy to take his tour. Along the road we learned about the Everglades including flora and fauna with several opportunities to see many species of birds and alligators with babies and prospective mates, it is the season when love is in the air if you are a gator. At the visitors tower we climbed as far as we could for a excellent view of the area. Sightings: great, snowy and cattle egrets; great white, great blue, little blue and tricolor herons; 3 species of ibis; spoonbill; wood stork; purple gallinule; black crowned night herons, a bittern and brown pelicans.