peterskucmaphotography

Author

peterskucmaphotography

Panama Canal Cruise Day # 7-8 – at sea and Panama Canal transit – May 20-21, 2022

Another check-off on the old bucket list – our main purpose for this trip. We entered the canal at Colon on the Caribbean side – travelled northwest to southeast traversing the Gatun Locks (three locks that raise the ship about eighty feet) to the level of Gatun Lake and the man-made Culebra Cut which lets the ship sale across the isthmus then on to the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks which drops the ship into the Pacific near Panamá City. The 50 + mile trip took about 6 hours. From a historical sense the canal was first thought about by the Spanish in the 16^th century – in 1880 the French started to build an all-water route but failed because of losses of financial backing and tropical diseases. In 1903 the United States restarted the construction and completed the process in 1914. The US handed the canal and the canal zone over to the Republic of Panama in 1999. Panamá started the construction of an expanded Canal in 2007 and completed it in 2016 to handle the new and bigger containerships and LNG ships.

June 2, 2022 0

Panama Canal Cruise Day # 5-6 – at sea and Qranjestad, Aruba – May 18-19, 2022

Having been in Aruba previously we opted to skip the tours offered for a stroll around Ornjestad then back to the ship for sunning and a swim in the 84-degree pool.

June 2, 2022 0

Panama Canal Cruise Day # 1 – 4 — Fort Lauderdale Florida to Grand Turk – May 14 – 17, 2022

Boarding was slow and then our departure was delayed because the Cunard Line Queen Elizabeth had engine trouble. We departed 13 hours late at 7am on Sunday 5/15. The captain was able to speed our crossing to Grand Turk the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands and we arrived on schedule @ 8:00 am on Tuesday May 17^th. We enjoyed the two days at sea, getting familiar with the ship and the many seminars, entertainment venues as well as the bars and restaurants. We stayed in the Princess Grill Suites and really enjoyed the upgraded amenities – private dining and lounges.

We were excited to get to Grand Turk and its capital Cockburn Town having signed up for a Hummer tour of the small island (11 miles by 1.5 miles). Fooled again, we drove H3’s and the island’s speed limit of 25 mph – no riding on the beaches. The well-informed, friendly & humorous guide pleased us.

June 2, 2022 2

Panama Canal Cruise – Pre-Sail Day — Fort Lauderdale Florida – May 13, 2022

This adventure really began on the 13^th when Plantation Bay friends drove us to our hotel in Fort Lauderdale so we could make our morning boarding time on Saturday. This bucket list adventure will take 18 days and we will disembark in San Francisco, but the trip will not end there but start another phase. More on that later. We will be well into the trip when the postings start to appear and will be sent in groups because internet service on the sea and in some ports will be spotty or non-existent. So, we are off exploring Fort Lauderdale.

The last time I was in the city was too many years ago – in college. All I remember back then was the ocean, canals, and the friends I travelled with. The main street in the town center is Las Olas Blvd, lined with all the shopping and dining establishments you could want. We walked it choosing our lunch and dinner options. The city is also noted for its Riverwalk which is lined with artwork and many bridges that lets boat traffic move to the harbor, ocean, or intracoastal waterway. Boat traffic has the right of way and auto traffic is stopped every 15 minutes or so to let the watercraft proceed. Along the walk we decided to take a 3-block detour to visit the Museum of Discovery and Science, an interactive museum which would keep any curious kid (or adult) fascinated for a full day. In our case since we only had two hours we opted for two IMAX movies – a documentary on the climbing of Mt. Everest and a 3D exploration of Ireland. After dinner we headed back to our hotel for needed shut eye.

June 1, 2022 10

April 2022 – pre-Easter trip to Callaway Gardens

On our way to visit family in North Carolina we stopped at Callaway Gardens to see the gardens in their spring bloom. We toured the gardens on bike covering the 10-mile Discovery Bike Trail and walked several of the parks’ nine nature trails. This was our third visit to the gardens, and we enjoyed this season as well as the fall and winter visits. (https://www.callawaygardens.com/the-gardens/)

April 28, 2022 6

Recent Photos — February and March 2022

This is a short compendium of some photos taken in February and March at several Florida sites. Looking forward to more adventures in April and May including a trip to Callaway Gardens and a cruise through the Panama Canal to SFO. Please follow the links to better enjoy what is available at each location.

Bulow Creek State Park: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/bulow-creek-state-park

Ponce Lighthouse: https://www.ponceinlet.org/

St. Augustine Lighthouse: https://www.staugustinelighthouse.org/

Betty Steflik Memorial Preserve: https://floridahikes.com/betty-steflik-preserve

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive: https://www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/lake-apopka/

The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art: https://www.morsemuseum.org/

April 12, 2022 9

January 2022 Hikes in Bulow Creek State Park

We took two half days to hike the linear 13.6-mile Bulow Woods Trail. The trail connects the south edge of Bulow Plantation Ruins State Park with the parking area at the Fairchild Oak in Bulow Creek State Park. The highlight of Bulow Creek is one of the largest remaining stands of southern live oak forest along Florida’s east coast.

The reigning tree is the Fairchild Oak, one of the largest live oak trees in the South. For more than 400 years it has been a silent witness to human activities along Bulow Creek, including the destruction of the neighboring Bulow Plantation (detailed in a post several years ago) during the Second Seminole War in 1836. Bulow Creek protects nearly 5,600 acres, more than 1,500 of which are submerged lands which makes the trail swampy in spots.

Boardman Pond is a highlight along the trail as a habitat for several bird species.

Prior to starting our hike, we stopped to see the remains of the Dummett Mill Ruins one of eleven known plantation sites located in the park. Most produced rice, cotton, sugar cane and indigo – Dummett specialized in rum.

January 29, 2022 8

October / November 2021

A little behind in posting. The following are highlights of several hiking trips and wildlife refuges that we visited.

Betty Steflik Memorial Preserve

Not the first time here but always a pleasant walk along a boardwalk along the intercoastal in Flagler Beach. https://www.visitflagler.com/listing/betty-steflik-memorial-preserve/270242/

6 Mile Slough Preserve

3400 acres of wetlands near Ft Meyers that runs about 11 miles and only a third of a mile wide – with several boardwalk loops. http://www.sloughpreserve.org

Lafayette Reservoir

An easy 2.5+ mile path around the reservoir – a fun morning with the grand kids. http://www.ebmud.com/recreation/east-bay/lafayette-reservoir/

Silver Springs Forest Conservation Area

The tract includes 378 acres of wetlands along two creeks. The property provides a buffer where forests capture rainwater to recharge the aquifer and augment the flow of nearby Silver Springs. www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/silver-springs/

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located on the subtropical barrier island of Sanibel in the Gulf of Mexico. The refuge is part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States. It is world famous for its spectacular migratory bird populations. http://www.fws.gov/refuge/JN_Ding_Darling/

December 23, 2021 5

Harry P. Leu Gardens – August 28, 2021

The Harry P. Leu Gardens are semi-tropical and tropical gardens in Orlando, Florida. The gardens contain nearly 50 acres of landscaped grounds and lakes, with meandering trails shaded by 200-year-old oaks and forests of camellias. The address is 1920 North Forest Avenue Orlando, FL 32803. The Leu Gardens were started by Mr. and Mrs. Harry P. Leu, who in 1936 purchased Leu House and forty acres of land. The Leus traveled all over the world and brought back many exotic plants and many varieties (240) of camellias for their gardens. In 1961, the Leus deeded the house and the gardens to the city of Orlando. At the heart of the Gardens is Harry and Mary Jane Leu’s home, known as the Leu House Museum, which has been meticulously restored and is on the National Historical Register.

We were able to visit during the Gardens special exhibit called the Fairy Doors. This amazing exhibit has become a Central Florida tradition. This exhibit features twenty, one-of-a-kind, whimsical fairy doors which will inspire your child’s imaginative world of enchanted forests, secret gardens and the magic of fairies. Each door is created by a special fairy and all you must do is find these beautiful doors located throughout the 50-acre gardens.