Getting There: Take I-75 south 45 minutes past Naples to the Gulf Coast Visitor Center (Everglades City).
Access: Visitor Center opens at 8 or 9 - must make reservations in person - show up early (7am) to get good camping spots.
Paddling: Thirty-four miles of paddling around islands, through mangrove tunnels, and across open ocean.
Animals spotted: Dolphins, bull sharks, sting rays, manta ray, manatee, welks, concs, sea anemones, raccoons, giant beach rats, mangrove crabs, scorpion.
Favorite campfire games: Fire volleyball, fire baseball, fire soccer, and giant beach rat trapping.
Coolest thing that didn't make the pictures: Using Patrick's rain fly to sail a canoe across the bay at 6 knots!
Cost:
Gas: $13
Truck gas: $11
Park fees (2 nights island camping): $6
Total: $30
Trip members: Andie, Jeff, Ben, Patrick, Scott, and Sean.
Pre-trip shenanigans
A fungus of some kind
The open opcean
$3 a night for a tent site in paradise
Pavilion Key: A shell collector's dream
The following photos were not modified in any way
Anemone
The torch to signal the start of the fire games
If you look very closely, you can see a flaming ball of TP about to nail Andie in the side of the head
Sharks!
Caterpillars!
Hard, porous orange thing
Scorpion!
Ben and his rat trap