The Everglades, by Lilly Eckhard.
What is the Everglades? It is flat, swampy and filled with seldom seen rare animals seldom seen. Perhaps it is the sense of the unknown which hides the true beauty and mystery of the Everglades at first glance. However, the Everglades hold some spectacular sights for the casual visitor.
The Florida Everglades covers a vast portion of the southern half of the state. They stretch 100 miles south from Lake Okeechobee down through Cape Sable, Florida Bay and the inner Keys.
The Everglades is comprised of some of North America's finest ecosystems starting with Pinelands as the uplands and progressing seaward to Hardwood and Mahogany Hammocks, Swamp Lands, Sawgrass Lands, Coastal Prairies, and Mangrove Forests. The true meaning of the word Everglade is best explained by dividing the word in two. The second half comes from an old Anglo-Saxon term glyde (or glaed), meaning a bright, shining, open space in the forest. The first part of the word promises an eternity of grass and shining water without limit.
The Everglades offers a protective area for some fascinating mammals and reptiles to flourish. One such animal is the sea cow or manatee—aquatic mammals that normally inhabit saltwater. During the winter months, when the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean grow cold, they will enter the rivers and clear springs for warmth.
Their formidable size and weight can run up to 13 feet and 1,300 pounds. Although their size is intimidating, the manatee is known as a timid mammal with a mild disposition.
One of the most famous reptiles of the area is the alligator. Floating like a half-submerged log or lounging in the sun on the edge of a canal, the alligator is no more at home than when in the Everglades.
The alligator can be found in most of the bodies of water in the swamps of the Everglades. It is a protected species in Florida, although there is a limited hunting season on the alligator, which is done on a lottery system (to control the species). Alligator tail, with its juicy, tender meat, is a long-time delicacy of Southwest Florida.
Perhaps this brief summary of the Everglades has explained the beauty and mystery that surrounds the area. The animals and birds that are abundant here only add to magic of the Everglades, which has to be experienced firsthand to be truly appreciated.
Everglades City
Rich in history and folklore, Everglades City is an obvious destination for anyone who loves nature, outdoor pursuits and adventure.
During your magical stay with us, you will have the chance to experience and explore all of the wonders of the Everglades while you are “roughing it” in luxury.
We welcome individuals, families, small and large parties—including bus tours, biker teams and corporate groups.
As a “one-stop shop” destination, we can provide you with scenic, comfortable accommodations; our Oyster House restaurant has received national honors for its succulent selections; we have a deli/general store (that includes beer and liquor); and we can supply fishing gear and bait. You are minutes away from some of the most amazing hiking, biking, hunting, fishing and boating opportunities in Southwest Florida—and you have access to our friendly staff—a team of locals who are happy to share their love of the Everglades with our guests.
As part of the 100-mile Wilderness Waterway and Blue Waterway, and centrally located between Fort Myers and Miami, Everglades City is home to Everglades National Park—one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Discovery Channel named the Everglades one of the Top Ten Natural Wonders of the World, and the Seminole Indian tribe is native to the area—which is also known as the “Stone Crab Capital.”
The Wilderness Waterway connects Everglade City to Flamingo, and is an inland water route that’s mangrove-lined with creeks, bays and coastal shell beaches. The National Park Service has marked the area to encourage self-guided exploration of the Everglades have to offer. It can be navigated by powerboat, kayak or canoe, and it has some of the world’s most abundant wildlife. (We offer the only powerboat rental to navigate the Wilderness Waterway from Everglades City to Flamingo.)
Not only is Everglades City regarded as ESPN’s #1 fly-fishing destination and attracts sports figures such as Bobby Knight and Fuzzy Zoeller, but several movies, documentaries and commercials have been filmed here also. Sean Connery has been to Everglades City, and actors Danny Glover and Joe Pesci stopped by the Oyster House while they were in town to film scenes from their 1997 movie, “Gone Fishin.’”
More recently, documentaries about the area’s prevalent drug smuggling industry have been filmed in Everglades City.
Celebrities enjoy the quiet and privacy Everglades City provides, and we enjoying welcoming back our regulars—like Swiss cartoonist George Fuerrer (sp?), who has promoted the area with his work, and whose Dixieland band performs here occasionally.
We also believe it’s important to give back to our local community, and we host several fundraisers and fishing tournaments throughout the year to collect donations for cystic fibrosis and other worthy causes. We also sometimes treat area schoolchildren to lunch in the restaurant.
Everglades City Nature Trail
The 10,000 Islands are predominately made up of the same red mangrove trees that surround the Oyster House Restaurant. They are often called the "walking trees" because of their roots that arch above the ground like crouched legs. Come see them for yourself on our nature trail, which allows you to inspect the mangroves up close as well as spectacular birds and other native wildlife.
The mangrove is a natural land builder. Long, pointed cigar-like seeds sprout on the parent tree, drop off and float until they lodge on dry, shallow land. A tree then grows and begins to drop its leaves, which are trapped along with seaweed and organic debris in the prop-like roots. This tree spouts seeds, some of which lodge nearby, causing an island or “key” to develop.
Within these keys and islands, the freshwater flows over saltwater. Where the two meet is the great food-producing area of the Everglades—a nursery for shrimp, oysters and countless other forms of life, such as manatees, dolphins and an occasional alligator. They await your visit!
Activities
Everglades City is as close to nature as you can get, and we can help you with any outdoor activities you wish to engage in while you’re here! Our knowledgeable and friendly staff will gladly work with you to come up with a fun-filled itinerary to maximize your stay with us.
We are close to 70,000 acres of wilderness that is perfect for hunting, fishing, camping, biking, hiking, canoeing and kayaking excursions--and we can provide van transportation to your starting and stopping points. We can also help you secure the licenses and permits you need.
You’re welcome to set out on your own, or we can customize your adventure and have one of our many experts lead the way. These trained locals can give you guidance as to what equipment and bait to use and where the current “hot spots” are for fish and game.
Hunters are just minutes away from wild pigs, deer, and the small but challenging Osceola—one of the coveted Grand Slam species of turkey.
Our marina gives you instant access to boating and fishing out on the gulf and the bay, and we’re the only place in the county to rent state-of-the-art Sundance flats.
Fishing is wildly popular in the Everglades, and whether you’re an expert or a novice, with the quantity of fish around, it’s a good bet that you’ll catch something while you’re on the water!
Guided multi-day chartered fishing extravaganzas for up to 12 guests are available, and it’s highly likely you’ll hook some tarpon, snook, redfish and permit at some point during your outing.
Camping is also popular here, and as the area’s “camping concierge,” we can customize your stay by providing you with camping gear and also by shuttling you and your equipment to and from the camp site.
Bike rides and tours are available, and we can provide bikes for those who need them. A hike along the nature trails is a great way to spot birds and wildlife. Photographers will have plenty of great shots to take of trees, flowers and animals.
Canoeing and kayaking are popular on the Everglades, and we can provide whatever equipment and guidance you need. (Kayak fishing has become a hot sport with our visitors, and this is a great place to give it a try.)
We work closely with our sister company, Salt Water Sports, to make sure you have whatever transportation, equipment and gear you need for whatever activity you are pursuing.
With its unparalleled eco-system, Everglades National Park is designated as a World Heritage site that photographers, historians and animal lovers should experience during an eco-tour with our very own Captain Judy. The sights, sounds and stories—including tales about pioneers and Native Americans—will create memories that are sure to last a lifetime.
• Captain Doug's Everglades Airboat tours - The Everglades City Original Since 1984. Learn about unique birds, mammals, and alligators, as well as Native American history and folklore.
• Corey Billie's Airboat Rides - Experience the everglades' history and folklore of past centuries as the native Seminoles lived. Tour a 250-acre private piece of the Everglades.
• Double R's - Manatee viewing & nature tours, the only local eco tours where you will view manatees & experience the Everglades.
• Everglades Area Tours - Offers Tours that open up remote, unspoiled areas of the everglades.
• Everglades National Park - The largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, boasts rare and endangered species. It has been designated a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and Wetland of International Importance, significant to all people of the world.
• Naples Kayak Company - Naples Kayak offers on site Kayak rentals, and tours here at Glades Haven Marina.
• See Manatees - Captains Barry and Carol Berger offer guaranteed private manatee sightseeing trips.
• Speedy's Airboat Tours - The ONLY boats in Everglades City that can take you through the mangrove jungles and grasslands.
• Touch Browns Airboat Tours - The only tour in Everglades City, that gives you a choice of back country or open water to Touch's Island.
• Wooten's Everglades Airboat Tour - Offers airboat tours of the glades and swamp buggy rides through the marshes that allow you the opportunity to see the exotic plant and wildlife in its natural habitat.
• Boat Lift World - Boat lifts at wholesale prices. Boat lift parts and accessories available.
• BoatVille - Float on Down to Boatville USA - The Ultimate Online Boating Community website.
• AnglerWeb.com - Your Best Catch for Fishing Resources.
