Last weekend we went to Weedon Island. It has approximately 3,700 acres of mangroves and uplands along the Bay, with several trails and boardwalks running through it. The mosquito ditching done in the 1950’s is clearly visible from Google satellite:
The ditches seem rather controversial in the northeast, particularly around Rhode Island, but comments from west central Florida sound more positive. While obviously ditching intentionally affects habitat, it seems Floridians don’t mind the resulting mangroves for the most part. My hatred for mosquitoes overrides my usual preserve the environment philosophy, and I’m all for destroying every last one if we could do that selectively. I find it terribly unfortunate that mosquitoes have ended up much more difficult to erradicate than the inoffensive passenger pigeon. Mosquito fish can find something else to eat. Instead of pesticides, we can spray fish food if needed. I’m only half kidding. Or, I could continue to only go outside in the beating heat of the most intense sun of the day for my mosquito repellent. Otherwise I’m left to drenching myself in lemon-eucalyptus oil.
It looks like the park may actually be more accessible via canoe trails than foot paths. You’d get more shade that way too. However, from a canoe you don’t get to look straight down into the water to see the fishies.
There are lots of crabs. Most of them small, though we saw a larger blue one from the same platform that we watched the catfish from. These were taunting the small fish frantically guarding its fish bed (lower left):
Here’s a closeup of how the mangroves handle the salt water — they sweat it out on their leaves:
Mangroves not close up, from the fish/crab viewing platform:
I would like to point that in Genesis, god sets man above the all earth as its caretaker. All the earth, not just the parts that we consider cuddly. I find your hatred of mosquito’s, God’s malaria needle, to be completely unjustified and hurtful. I cry for each and every sweet mosquito that is crushed beneath the cold mechanical left hand of the …. the left.
But I don’t hate you. I want to pray for you. So, when I go to pot luck tonight at church, just know that I and all my other crock pot loving friends will have a moment to pray for your hate filled soul. And then we will eat casserole. Probably tuna casserole. Tuna is God’s chicken of the sea.
Wow! What pretty pictures! Looks like fun. I had no idea that mangrove’s sweated salt. How cool is that. Sounds like you guys are having fun.
@Random: I do hope you thoroughly enjoyed the casserole, and thanked the noble tuna fish you ate for providing you nourishment.
I also would like to suggest that you buy additional tissues the next time you are at the store (giving thanks to the dead trees as well) since the mound of fungus gnat carcasses grows higher as we speak. And on the 21st, if the shipping estimates are correct, the sticky, unmerciful glue of a set of whitefly traps will add to our present, tediously manual, style of warfare.
P.S. Thanks for the prayers! Don’t mind me while I’m moseying through your strawberry patch while you are thus occupied.
First of all, I only eat meat that comes from animals that die naturally of disease or predation. Secondly, every time you end a life, Jesus cries.
Do you want that on your conciousness?
Not so sure I would be interested in meat from diseased animals. And predation? Like human predation of cute little creatures like lambs and chickens? If you are talking about predation of non-human carnivores on other animals, then I think it’s downright mean to wait around for some hungry wolf to go to the trouble of stalking and bringing down a rabbit, and then swooping in and stealing their dinner. Does Jesus cry when you steal food, too?