A mangrove adventure

When Ken and Sue were visiting I suggested that we take the dingy and go explore in the mangroves. (Anna still didn’t feel too good so she stayed at the boat). For those of you that don’t know, mangroves are a type of tree that grows in salt water and will grow roots out from the  base of the main tree so that the roots become a huge collection of “ropy” loops that form around the base.

A salt water channel thru the mangroves

Next to the Boot Key harbor is (surprisingly) Boot Key which is mostly made up of mangroves that are cut thru with salt water tidal channels. There’s actually a printed guide to the kayak trails that run thru the island but lacking that we just went exploring.

Engine up and paddling thru the mangroves

 

 

Low branches in the mangroves

After ½ hour of pulling ourselves through he mangrove trails and motoring thru 2 tidal lakes we finally reached a channel that was getting too tight to pull the dinghy thru any farther. That’s when we saw the leopard!!!

He was sitting up on a branch looking us over. His tail hung down with a slight “J” and he just sat there staring at us with his yellow eyes. "What a way to end my sailing career", I thought. Well, Ken screamed like a little girl (just after I did).... Someone had put a large stuffed toy leopard up in a tree right above the mangrove channel! What FUN! Where else can you explore tidal jungle trails and almost get eaten by a stuffed Leopard… only in Boot Key!

 

We named him "Hobbbes"