Volunteering at Everglades National Park

Who ever thought that retirement meant sitting around watching tv, reading books and taking long naps never volunteered at Everglades National Park. 

We realized that there would be a learning curve, just never realized how steep it was!!

Our position here requires that both Fred and I 'work' 32 hours a week.  For this 64 hours, we get a full hook up site, free laundry facilities and are able to take the boat tours in the park for $5 a person instead of $26.50 (that's a good deal).  However, we didn't realize that we would spend so much of our off time reading and preparing for our tours.

On our day off last week, we took advantage of the sunset boat ride on Florida Bay.  It was a windy day, but we enjoyed it...

and the sunset.  What could be better than this??

We are both enjoying ourselves and our glad of this opportunity to give back to the National Park Service.

Fred has been doing the Nike Missile tours, including a night tour on Mondays.  He has also been getting his exercise while leading a 5 mile Bike Hike through the Pinelands. In addition, he has done a 30 minute talk (Glades Glimpse) on alligators.  Starting next week he will add 'Coffee with a Ranger' and a 30 minute 'Gator Spy'. Taking his Glades Glimpse out onto the trail.

I have been doing the 'Coffee with a Ranger', a 50 minute nature hike along the Anhinga Trail and a 30 minute Gator Spy.  Starting on Friday I will also be giving the 90 minute Nike Missile Tour.  Oh how I wish that I had paid attention to Fred when he talked about life at the Nike site!!!

We have told them that neither one of us wants to do a Slough Slog...2 hour hike into the swamp, guaranteed to get wet up to your knees...

The people that we work with are absolutely wonderful.  Every Friday night is TGIF.  You bring something, be it a fancy hors d'oeuvre or a bag of chips to share and your own drinks.  It's been alot of fun and such a varied group of people.

For my birthday, my coworkers surprised me with a cake and since we try to space out our 'parties' they had a pot luck dinner in my honor on Jan. 16th.  They even presented me with my very own offical junior ranger pin!!!

Despite the number of hours that we work, it is truely a wonderful experience.

And who wouldn't want to spend the winter here, where most days its between 72 and 80 degrees and very little rain.

People have been asking us for a picture of our campsite.  We are in the employee housing area within the park.  There are over two dozen housing units within the compound and eleven RV sites.

This is the view from our front yard.  The little building is a bath/shower room and the laundry facilities.  Two nice, new washers and dryers that are free!!