Woman VS. Wild: Everglades Style

So on my day off on Wednesday I decided to use the park resources to my advantage and I took the kayak out and went up Halway Creek and through some of the mangrove tunnels. I was only out for about 3-3 1/2 hours, so not that long but it was a good day weather and tide wise. I saw lots of birds and fish and I believe that rock that I was trying to steer around was actually a alligator...that or one of those illusive disappearing rocks. I did quite well, when I was being a whiz and steering and leaning perfectly and steering around everything that BAM! I would lodge my bow into a mess of roots.

I also want to add that as I was leaving the visitor center my boss was saying "do you have a lifejacket, a whistle, water, snacks, pump, paddle float, radio, sunscreen, hat...." it goes on. I just said "Yes Mom!" When telling my mom this I said "Ya know Mom, if you were here and I said I'm going to go paddling by myself to an area I've never been before you would have just said 'That's nice dear, have fun!' not even asking if I had water with me." She admitted that she probably would have said/done that. (To my bro-in-law...add that onto your list of why my mom is a bad mom...LOL!)

So this is a mangrove tunnel. Actually this is a down tree in the mangrove tunnel. Now where do you think I went through.? I think I first time I went through I was on the left hand side and I just pushed through the sticks. But on the way back I went to the right hand side through the larger part of the tree branch and ducked way down pulling myself through with my hands. Oh yeah, and there are really huge spiders and spider webs... I think I ate a few.
I just realized how bad of a picture this is and I can't figure out how to get it deleted off. So this is me by myself, with my hat, sunglasses and PDF (lifejacket) on. Proof for my boss that I am somewhat capable of doing things by myself.
And I had to add this one. Has nothing to do with my trip but we got this really cool fiberglass stingray for the visitor center. And we interpreters hung it up all by ourselves not needing any man power! Just give us a couple ladders, an electric drill, a couple eye hooks and some fishing line! I even tied the special fishing 'Uni-knot' all by myself! The stingrays wingspan is 39 inches and with the entire tail it is about 7 feet long. This is a spotted eagle ray. We are currently having a name contest. Erin gets to pick, I picked the sawfish's name, George (I will love him and pet him and squeeze him and wash him and tell him bedtime stories and feed him spam and...), and so we are first trying to decide boy or girl then we will get the name...I like Stella, Ethel, or Stevie (ray). Anyone got a cool name suggestion?