Trips 'n Toys: Ocean Animals

Showing posts with label Ocean Animals. Show all posts

Random Tortugas: Day Three - Dry Tortugas, FL

Our last day in paradise...

The morning was spent packing up the campsite, cleaning up, and loading all our gear back on to the boat. We got our Junior Ranger books signed off and received our badges. We hit up the gift shop inside the fort to purchase some goodies, and then we went for one last round of swimming, snorkeling, and exploring before it was time to turn in the snorkel equipment and get ready for the ride back to Key West.

The Dry Tortugas was a Bucket List Dream Come True. This was, hands down, the most beautiful set of beaches and the most amazing fort, all experienced under breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, and by the glow of the full moon.

The solitude was unparalleled.

The relaxation, the exploration...

It was all sheer perfection.

We couldn't have asked for a better trip. And we only wish we could have stayed longer.

But, we WILL be back.

Goodbye, Paradise!

Gone Fishin' - Dry Tortugas, FL

Mornings like these...

Hands on experiences, natural encounters...

Pure childhood, pure learning.

How anyone can ever purport book-learning as a superior method to real-world, hands-on experiences is beyond my understanding.

You tell me.

Would you rather read about the food chain on a dry page of a boring old book, or would you rather swim in it as you watch the cycle unfold all around you?

Small fish nipping at tiny bits, while barracudas stealthily approach. Safety in numbers? Birds dive from above, just as quick as the predator fish split the pack from below.

How about the crab? Where does he fit in? Watch out for the birds!

360 degrees, every sense engaged...

Hold it in your hand.

Touch, feel, smell. See it. Hear it. You can even taste it.

Lessons learned forever.

When the world is your classroom.