Safaris in Central Florida

I had a great time on safari in Malawi - rhinos, Cape buffalo, impalas, baboons, etc.  But the fun didn't stop when I came home.

Friends from New Jersey and Michigan are visiting so we did a little nature gazing right here in Central Florida.  We started with Blue Spring State Park then moved on to Lake Jessup, where we took an airboat ride into the swamps, looking for 'gators.  The next day we headed to New Smyrna Beach, where we saw the sunrise, followed by sightings of a pod of dolphins and a couple of manatees, just off the dock of the restaurant where we were dining (JB's Fish Camp, one of my favorites).

First animal sighting. a dinosaur sitting on the fuse box for the pool.  I have no idea who put him there.

We stopped at Waffle House on our way to Blue Spring.  Kyle was VERY excited.

What are these people staring at?

This huge gator, sunning himself on a log.  Can you spot him?

In the winter, the manatees hang out at the spring.  This mosaic one is there year 'round.

This park is not far from my house and I drag all visitors there.  Be warned.

On the Black Hammock airboat on Lake Jessup.  We saw lots of 'gators.

An osprey nest with a momma and daddy osprey and their babies.  They mate for life, like eagles.

This big guy swam in front of us. One of the dozens we saw.

Can you spot the 'gator in the mud?

Sunrise over New Smyrna Beach.

Their first time driving on the beach.  Happily, we got rain on our drive home to help get rid of the salt on my car.

The manatees and dolphins were too fast for me.  This is a manatee tail in the Intercoastal waterway in front of JB's Fish Camp.

The Safari Continues

After cocktails, we headed out again to spot more game.  This time, with the help of a spotlight.  The most exciting, to me, was seeing three hippos who'd come into the park from the river for the night.  We went back to camp for a quick wash up, then rode off the the sister facility, Mzuu Camp, where we joined the guests there for a barbecue and traditional music and dancing.

Have I mentioned it was hot and humid at Liwonde?  Much warmer/more humid than Blantyre and reminded me of Samoa.  I had my trusty ili (Samoan fan) with me and I made friends by lending it out.

After the dinner and entertainment, we headed back to the lodge for an early evening.  Our wake up call was at 5:30 a.m. (when a hamper filled with cookies and coffee was delivered to our tent) and the next safari started at 6:00 a.m.

Sunday morning, 6:05 a.m.  There were hundreds of impala.  Here are a few.

These are a type of goose.  According to Maxwell, our game guy, they taste like chicken.

In the center  - a baboon dining on a piece of candelabra tree.

Another baboon in the tree.

These guys were play fighting - getting ready for mating season when they'll fight for real over the females.

Fresh elephant dung.  We knew they were there.  We just couldn't see them.

I loved the candelabra trees.

After the morning driving safari, we enjoyed breakfast and headed out by boat.  We passed these fishermen in front of their village, near the edge of the park.

We were headed to this huge baobab tree.

When I said huge, I wasn't kidding.  Look closely, I'm standing near the left of the base of the tree.  I'm almost six feet tall.

Perhaps the bicycle will give a bit of perspective on size.  This is actually two trees.  A fig tree has grown around the baobab.  It seems to be working well for both of them.

One of the cool things about baobabs is that their trunks are hollow.  This isn't a Keebler elf, it's Aminat in a tree.

Aminat and Rocky decided to climb up the inside of the tree and pose.

Uh oh.  Now that I'm up here, how do I get down?

What the heck is that?  A hippo butt.

Marvelous Malawi

Saturday morning, my fellow volunteer Aminat and I hopped into our rented Rav 4 and headed to Liwonde National Park, about 120 km from Blantyre.  We had reservations to stay at the Mzuu Wilderness Lodge and go on not one but three safaris.  One by truck, one on foot and one by boat.

 We couldn't have had a better time.  The Lodge was beautiful, the service excellent and the safari experiences were amazing.  We had been warned that because it is the "green season" we likely wouldn't see elephants.  And we didn't.  But we saw lots of other animals and weren't really disappointed by the lack of elephants.

The green season, by the way, is another way to say rainy season.  The rainy season officially ends the end of February and we enjoyed a dry weekend.  Because of all the rains, though, there is a lot of lush vegetation, which is beautiful to look at and creates lots of places for elephants to hang out - where they can't be seen.  Also, because "every puddle becomes a watering hole" the elephants aren't as drawn to the river's edge.

Elephants aside, here are some photos...

Our trusty Rav 4, delivered by Premier Car Rentals.  Parked in front of my apartment at Villa 33.

During the green season, access to the Lodge is by boat.  We weren't five minutes from the dock when we saw this group of hippos.  

The sky goes on forever over the Shire (pronounced Sheer eh) river.

More hippos.  During the hour ride to the Lodge we saw dozens of hippos.

A termite hill.  I thought we had a termite problem in FL.

Approaching the dock at the Lodge.  Can you see why they call it Green Season?

The deck of our room.  I watched the sunrise here on Sunday.

Part of our attached, open air bathroom. Clean, beautiful and the shower was amazing!

After a delicious lunch we climbed into the camp truck and headed out into the park. One of the first animals we saw (after driving about 2 minutes) was this wart hog.

The iconic baobab tree. The bark on the trunk has been stripped away by elephants.

It's an impala!  I said that a lot.  We saw hundreds of impalas.