A Full-time Life

Fort Lauderdale Escape

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We spent a few days over Easter weekend in Fort Lauderdale — a perfect place for a Holiday escape.  

 

DSCN5840Florida wood stork — adult and juveniles 

Friday and Saturday were beautiful days.  We walked all the lovely boardwalk trails at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, took a lot of pictures, explored the metro area and enjoyed some good meals.

 

2023-04-12Wakodahatchee Wetlands – Saturday April 8

We had reservations downtown for Sunday brunch and then headed to Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, a pretty green space and beach that's pretty much right in the center of the City.  The weather was still fine,  but by mid-afternoon (as we were walking of course) the rain started so we headed off to our "home away from home."  By the time we got across town the rain was coming down in heavy sheets. 

 

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Green Iguana

We had planned to come home on Monday anyway, so it really didn't feel like our get-away had been shortened by the weather. 

 

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Whistling Ducks

 As we drove Monday, it rained until we left the greater Fort Lauderdale area behind,  but the rest of the trip back to Fort Myers was all sunshine and blue sky.    (And that's still what we have here, at least for now.)

 

DSCN5828

Great Blue Heron

In Fort Lauderdale however, on Wednesday the storm that we had seen just the beginning of  turned into what is being called a thousand-year-storm.  The rain there just didn't stop.  The area got over 25 inches of rain in that one day and it continued.    HERE  is a link that talks about the perfect storm conditions, in case you haven't already seen enough about this awful flood on the news.  It's  deja vu to see pictures of the damages the rain caused that city — some of the flooded homes looking very much like those damaged here in Fort Myers after last Fall's hurricane.

 

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I'm glad we had decided to come home on Monday!!   We had thought we were escaping to Fort Lauderdale, but we can't help feeling as if we escaped from it — getting away just in time.  And we are grateful.  

 

THANK YOU to the hosts of these sharing opportunities where we're linking this week:

MOSAIC MONDAY;   NATURE NOTES; THROUGH MY LENS; MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;  WILD BIRD Wednesday; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;   SATURDAY CRITTERS;  and RATHER B' BIRDING

 

 

We appreciate all visitors and commenters! Thank you.

37 responses to “Fort Lauderdale Escape”

  1. Rambling woods

    Lovely scenery Sallie…….Michelle

  2. Rain Frances

    Hi Sallie! ☺ Those are some beautiful photos, what a nice trip you had!

  3. Sharon Wagner

    I try to escape Minnesota as much as possible. Greetings from Puerto Rico!

  4. Adam Jones

    What a brilliant collection of birds. The Wood Stork looks like a giant.

  5. diane

    That was a lucky break! great bird shots. Nice to have a getaway now and then.

  6. hena

    You got so many great animal pictures!

  7. Pat

    It sounds like you had a very nice easter, Sallie, despite April showers. Our April has been cool and we had some snow yesterday–typical Colorado spring. I love the photo of the ducks in the grass–so colorful!

  8. Lavender Dreams

    They really did have as much rain as a hurricane and I know it did so much damage. I’m glad you got to go when you did and get back at a good time too. I love the Storks. They are just the strangest looking bird but so unique! The Ducks are very pretty too and I don’t think I’ve seen an Iguana. Enjoy your weekend my friend and thanks again for the sweet comments about the article and my photos too. You are the best! Hugs, Diane

  9. Eileen

    Hello Sallie,
    I enjoyed all your Florida birds, the Wood Stork and the Whistling Ducks are favorites. I like the cool iguana. I saw recent photos from Fort Lauderdale, you escaped in time. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great day and happy weekend!

  10. Peter B.

    The iguana looks positively prehistoric!

  11. Photo Cache

    Wow, that’s a lot of rain, even for Florida, I think.

  12. Michelle Keltner

    Beautiful photos and I like the iguana. Sounds like a great getaway to me 🙂 Thanks for linking up.

  13. Linda W

    Glad you left before the big rain. You got some good pictures.

  14. ::: Heidrun

    My comment is lost? I try it here on my PC again.
    There are many interestings things here to see, to read about the birds again. I enjoyed your post.
    Thank you for sharing and being part at
    MosaicMonday.
    Have a wonderful week.
    Greetings by Heidrun

  15. Jim, Sydney, Australia

    Good shots.

  16. Jocelyn

    Fun pictures.

  17. Alan

    Wow, you saw some reallly nice sights and made great photographs of the critters you saw but you did dodge a bullet.

  18. mae

    Wakodahatchee is a great place. When my sister-in-law lived in Boynton Beach we often went there and enjoyed the storks, and in some seasons the normally-shy bitterns, as well as other nesting birds. Great to hear that you were out of FtLauderdale before the deluge!
    best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com

  19. somewhereinireland

    Wonderful captures of the birds and critters. Have a wonderful day.

  20. Lorrie Orr

    So glad you missed the big storm in Fort Lauderdale. The images on television were quite dramatic.
    Love the blue heron. The Whistling Ducks are new to me. Great photos.

  21. Breathtaking

    Hello Sallie :=)
    Delightful images of the lovely Wood Stork.I like the image of the adults with the juveniles, such a sweet photo.;=) It’s funny but I had never seen one until Sandra saw my post about storks and emailed a link with some photos she had taken of Wood Storks only a few days ago.
    Beautiful photos taken of the scenery in the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, and the Green Iguana, the Great Blue Heron, and the Whistling Ducks.What a wonderful weekend you had, only marred by a little rain, but I felt so sorry for the heavy rain fall experienced by the residents of Fort Lauderdale, and Florida’s Man of Storms.
    Another super post Sallie and beautifully illustrated.
    All the best.

  22. Carol

    gorgeous photos Sallie – I was so sad hearing about the storm – I lived in Broward County for some time before I moved to the west coast. I still miss the east coast.

  23. Veronica Lee

    Sounds like a great trip.
    I enjoyed the wonderful sightings and stunning photos.
    Hugs and blessings, Sallie

  24. Jeanne

    I want to visit Florida soon, so these photos add a place for me to visit. Reading about the deluge of rain was surprising, I hadn’t heard about it.

  25. David Gascoigne

    I have birded at Wakodahatchee, Sallie. Great spot. I remember that there were scores of geriatric walkers there, all anxious to get in their laps. Fort Lauderdale, as you say, was really hammered. Thanks goodness there was no substantial loss of life, but I suspect people will be cleaning up for months. All the best – David

  26. Amy

    With that nice sunny weather I’d be enjoying walks too.

  27. Angie

    Sallie – it is so hard to comprehend 25 inches of rain … meanwhile, other places continue in drought … We are heading to Grand Cayman later this week and I am so looking forward to green and sunshine and warmer temps!! I suspect we might see a green iguana (or two)!

  28. ellen b.

    Wow, thankful for your timing in returning home. That is soooo much rain in such a short period. Ugh. Glad you had the nice trip in before the storm. Sorry for those folk. Great photos. Happy fresh week to you!

  29. A ShutterBug Explores

    Holiday delight and great nature photos ~ love the ‘feathered friends’~ Enjoy the sunshine ~ Thanks, for visiting my blog.
    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

  30. Cathy

    You have some very lovely photos! I like the one of the Whistling Ducks. They are certainly handsome. So glad you were abel to leave Ft. Lauderdale before the flooding started! Have a grand week!

  31. Linda P

    It looks an enjoyable trip walking the wetland trails. I enjoyed seeing the birds in that environment and I’m glad you escaped the storms and flooding.

  32. Beatrice

    Your Easter getaway looked like a good one, Sallie, and so glad you made the decision to leave ahead of those damaging rains. I watched the news reports and it was devastating to see.

  33. Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie

    Glad that you had good weather for all your gorgeous photos! You did make it out just in time. My son and his family were visiting his grandmother in Delray Beach and flew in to Ft. Lauderdale airport on Monday, but had to drive to Miami to fly back by Friday. Feel so bad for everyone who had their homes and businesses damaged by the storm. You did escape just in time! I love the green iguana! Hope you have a nice, dry week. x K

  34. Penelope Notes

    Glad your holiday escape was a success. The overdosing of rain gives new meaning to the Wetland environments. Moderation in weather is the key but hard to get in many places it seems nowadays.

  35. Jennifer Jilks

    What a great set of birds you saw!

  36. William Kendall

    From what I’ve heard, the right decision.

  37. Eileen

    Hello, Sallie
    Sounds like a great trip. Wonderful bird sightings and photos.
    I love the Wood Storks, the Whistling Ducks and the Heron. The iguana is cool too. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week.

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