Biscayne National Park

 

Biscayne National Park is not like most national parks....in most parks land dominates the picture.  Here water and sky overwhelm the scene in every direction, leaving bits of low lying land looking remote...almost insignificant.   Biscayne NP is a paradise for marine life, water birds, boaters, anglers, snorkelers and divers alike.  The water is refreshingly clean and extraordinarily clear. The Caribbean like climate saturates the park with year round warmth, generous sunshine and abundant rainfall.   Tropical life thrives in Biscayne National Park.

 

We visited Biscayne just the other day and made personal note of many of its wonders.  It is a wonderful place to kayak out among the coral reefs, the many and varied types of tropical fish, the manatees and yes, even the alligators.   We are hoping to have a second visit....this time with our kayaks so we can visit in a more up close and personal way.

 

That said, while we were here this time, we spotted a manatee hanging around the dock area....

 

 Here he is just as we found him (or her, as the case may be).  He seemed to surface just in time for the shutter click on the camera....lucky us.

And here he is again, this time lifting his snout above the water line to blow out water and take in fresh air....just like whales do.   He seemed content to hang around for quite awhile, just taking it easy in his tropical paradise.

Also, swimming around the same area with the manatee was this barracuda.   Very colorful and very long!  One of the many types of fish to be found in the Biscayne area.

This sign at the park pretty much sums up Biscayne's story.  Indeed a piece of our country where just south of Miami one can find beauty and serenity in a quiet place.

 

 

Here Pam enjoys the clear water of Biscayne along with the ubiquitous lush palm and mangrove trees.   We left here and drove to the Playa Grill not too far down the same coastline where, overlooking the bay at an outside table, we enjoyed a nice, peaceful lunch.