Drift wood stump on the Florida Gulf Coast

This old stump is typical of the drift wood you see on the undeveloped Gulf Coast of Florida. Perhaps it washed up? Perhaps it just grew where it was enveloped by the sea.

Old Shrimp Boat in Apalachicola, Florida

This old shrimp boat is on display in Apalachicola, Florida.  It makes a very nice bit of nautical decor.  In a small town steeped in history.

Shrimp Boat on Display in Apalachicola, Florida

The Alligator of Atlanta

Somewhere out there on the Chattahoochee River, an alligator was lurking.  For a cold-blooded creature with a brain the size of a Walnut, he was been very successful in hiding from the people of Atlanta.  He only gets spotted every couple of years.

The Chattahoochee River in Sandy Springs, Georgia

Recently, he appeared on a trail near some townhomes in the area and authorities closed the trail he was on.  He wasn't causing any problems, but some locals were throwing rocks at him.  Apparently, they forget that there is one thing worse than having an alligator in the river:  having a pissed off alligator in the river.  Here is the story from Fox 5 in Atlanta:

Alligator Forces Closure of Popular Trail


If you'd like to see some great photos of the Atlanta Alligator, simply check out this story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC):

Chattahoochee River Alligator Spotted in Cobb County

The National Park Service has had signs up about the Alligator for the past few years.  They are operating under the assumption that he is a "pet" that someone released.  However, I think a pet would associate humans with food.  This alligator has generally been following his instincts to stay away from people.  I guess the park service is too polite to mention drunken rednecks.  I prefer to think that this alligator simply had an enterprising spirit and wanted to do business in Atlanta so he swam all the way up the river.

Now, there is an update to this story.  The Alligator of Atlanta was recently captured.  As is typical and trendy in the news now-a-days, the "he" actually turned out to be a "she!"  There was no way to tell since it never showed up at Target and self-identified.  You can read the story of her capture here:

'Hooch Gator is Trapped!"

Reports say that she has been released somewhere in South, Georgia.  She is probably upset that she no longer has easy access to Starbucks or a Barnes & Noble.

Tall Timbers Photos

Tallahassee, Florida, is never short of interesting places to find and explore. Just north of Tallahassee, we found this nature conservancy called Tall Timbers.

It's a well manicured site that is used for researching land conservation.  It has some very interesting old trees and buildings.  The long dirt driveway is lined with interesting live oak trees gently draped with Spanish Moss.  Sometimes I wish live oaks could talk.

Tallahassee has some of the world's greatest Live Oak trees.

Crab Traps near the Gulf of Mexico

Somewhere south of Tallahassee you can step far back in time to a more traditional way of life.  The watermen make there living in tune with the tides and the weather.  We spotted these crab traps somewhere in the salt marshes south of Tallahassee during in our coastal wanderings.

Crab Traps near the Gulf of Mexico