I was traveling from Rainbow Springs, and my kayak adventure, on Rt. 98 north up the west coast of Florida to the Panhandle, not exactly a blue highway, but not interstate either. I was "collecting" unusual highway business signs and making reasonable time without going at breakneck speed. The signs are a hoot: Big Willy's Swimwear (whaaat?), Gulf Coast Hypnosis Center, Mild II Wild Tattoos, and the Adult Super Center with Cafe R Esque. Honest!
I didn't have a long drive ahead, but by early afternoon I was looking for a place to pull over, make a sandwich, and take a break- a rest area, or anything but a McDonald's parking lot would do. Suddenly, I spotted a little sign that said St. Mark's lighthouse, left three miles. That sounded like just the spot, and I quickly pulled into Ouzts Oyster Bar parking lot paved with oyster shells to turnaround. Ouzts is a bit of a rundown, but authentic looking seafood restaurant with the customary faded buoys and fishnet draped over the exterior plank walls. Soon, the fiftyish, blonde, proprietress joined me outside and said they wouldn't be open until tomorrow. Overcoming my natural shyness, I explained I was just looking for a place to make a sandwich and asked if she could tell me something about St. Marks. In our conversation, I learned that the original owners of Ouzts were German, that they don't steam the oysters until you order them, and that St Mark's is a wonderful National Wildlife Refuge, with a visitor center about two miles down the road and the lighthouse another 4-5 miles beyond that. www.fws.gov/stmarks/ Not only was she enthusiastic about the refuge, but she said I should also stop at Wakulla Springs, the world's largest natural spring, just a few miles farther up the road. She pointed out that there is an historic lodge, built in the 1930s, and that while it doesn't have tv or phones in the rooms, it has a good dining room, and its a fun place to stay. http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/
Down the road I went to St. Mark's, stopping at a nice visitor center, where I was pleased to learn that my Senior Pass to National Parks also provides free admission to National Wildlife Refuges! With map in hand, I headed through the expansive natural environment of woods, marsh, fresh water ponds, and saltwater lagoons. My first stop was a small, observation platform built about fifteen feet up off the ground approximately a 1/4 mile off of a small parking area. I was having a ball spotting osprey, a variety egrets, and migrating ducks in the large, reedy pond spreading out beyond the platform. About 70 yards away, I spotted an alligator, half hidden in the reeds, but very large and scaly in my binoculars. I got a few, not terribly dramatic pictures, when I spotted another large alligator, not far from the first. Then I took my binoculars and more deliberately scanned the shoreline all along the pond and discovered the place was loaded with alligators, including two four-five foot guys who were in the reeds and grass at my feet below the platform! Thank the lord alligators don't climb stairs! They were motionless while I took some more pictures and probably glad to see me leave as I eventually made my way on down to the Gulf and the lighthouse, which was delightful and loaded with birders and photographers, intent on their past times with big scopes and lenses. In part, through their excitement, I spotted Pied-billed Grebes, a gorgeous Redhead, some fairly rare, white Pelicans, and an Eagle, plus Eagle nest (pictures to follow). It was a great time and I could have spent a day or two there with new friends and fellow photographers.
I reflected on a couple of things as I left. One was that all the wildlife, including the alligators, were content for the most part to let us humans pass them by. Some, more shy than others, moved comfortably out of range, but most remained in place, serene in their experience that if they stayed still, we would move on. It seemed a message for the much longer term as well.
I also thought how fortunate I was to have experienced St. Marks at all. My visit was a coming together of being in the right place, at the right pace, and an openness to another's experience. This opportunity probably started long before I got on Rt. 98 that morning. Noticing the alligators on the pond was a lot like being able to see down into the open pools on Rainbow River. I had to pause, let my vision clear in order to see past the sparkling ripples on the water, and see both what was right in front of me and just beyond in the deeper water. Some, I guess, call this mindfulness.
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