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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Canaveral National Seashore

The Canaveral National Seashore (CANA) is a National Seashore located between New Smyrna Beach and Titusville, Florida, in the United States. The park, located on a barrier island, is home to more than 1,000 plant species and 310 bird species. CANA occupies 58,000 acres and was created on January 3, 1975 by an act of Congress. The park's 24-mile long beach is the longest undeveloped beach on the east coast of the state. The southern part is also known as Playalinda Beach and the northern part includes Turtle Mound.

The John F. Kennedy Space Center is located at the southern end of the barrier island occupied by Canaveral National Seashore so access to the seashore is often restricted during launch-related activities at the space center. Mosquito Lagoon borders the other side of the Cape from the Seashore.

The Playalinda Beach has thirteen parking lots numbered from the south. The space shuttle launch facility is easily visible from the approach to Parking Lot #1. The shore north of Parking Lot #13 has for years been an informal nudist beach. Brevard County passed an ordinance making nudity illegal in the county, but the National Seashore administration refuses to spend money out of its own budget to enforce a local county ordinance, so enforcement is spotty and infrequent.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Vizcaya Garden

The palatial villa is surrounded by outstanding formal gardens, statuaries, fountains, and hidden grottoes. Sadly, major damage from hurricanes has left in ruins such monuments as the sculptural breakwater barge in the bay that was designed to be an allegorical representation of Cleopatra's Barge, and the Peacock Bridge, which spanned a small canal that divides the estate with land now occupied by Mercy Hospital.

The gardens were designed by thelandscape architect Diego Suarez, a Colombian native whose taste had been formed in working with Arthur Acton in restoring the gardens of Villa La Pietra, Florence. The plan is of patterned parterres of scrolllwork set in oystershell paths radiating from the center of the villa, influenced by Renaissance Italian and French design. The statues which line the gardens and may be found all over the premise, are upon closer inspection pagan gods of the Greco-Roman era. The French Fleur De Lis, originally a symbol of France's original Merovingian bloodline of royalty can also be noticed outside the walls of the garden. Perhaps most fascinating among all the statues and architecture, is a white marble alter in one of the garden areas nearest the bay.

Inspection of this alter reveals identical sculptures on the front and back of a large centered cow skull, between two roaring lion heads, and with goat heads on all four upper corners. Two pillars made of coral stand beside this apparent alter, and have engraved geometrical symbols (possibly sacred geometry) which at first glance appear to be celtic, but more probably represent the Oak Tree of Gernika;a symbol of freedom to the Basque region of spain, (Basque is the namesake for the Biscay Bay area which the estate lies on)and the original Vizcaya province which was part of the Basque region. Notable botanical sights include a hedge maze, and a good collection of orchids in the David A. Klein Orchidarium. Collections include much of the villa's original furniture and works of art. It is sometimes called the "Hearst Castle of the East", and has been accredited by the American Association of Museums.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Florida Scrub Jay

The Florida Scrub Jay is one of the species of scrub jay native to North America. It has little fear of humans. It is the only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida. Because of this, it is heavily sought by birders who travel from across the country to observe this unique species. It is known to have been present in Florida as a recognizably distinct species since at least 2 mya; possibly it is derived from the ancestors of Woodhouse's Scrub Jay, the inland forms of the Western Scrub Jay.

It is 28 cm long, and weighs 75-85 g. It has a strong black bill, blue head and nape without a crest, a whitish forehead and supercilium, blue bib, blue wings, grayish underparts, gray back, long blue tail, black legs and feet.

Florida Scrub Jays are also one of the few cooperative breeding birds in North America. Fledgling Florida Scrub Jays remain in their parent's habitat for several years and help to rear young, watch for predators, and defend territory against neighboring Florida Scrub Jay family groups. These families can range in size from 2 to 8.

After about 2 to 3 years, fledglings leave the group to form mating pairs of their own. Mating season ranges from March to June. Clutches usually contain about 3 to 4 eggs which are incubated in about 18 days. Fledging occurs in about 16 to 19 days.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Miami

Miami is a major city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Miami-Dade County. With a population of over 404,048, Miami is the largest city within the South Florida metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States with 5.5 million people. Miami and its surrounding area makes up the fifth-largest urban area in the United States.

Miami is ranked a global city for its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade, and is referred to as " Financial Capital of the Americas". Because of Miami's cultural and linguistic ties to North, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, Florida's large Spanish-speaking population and strong economic ties to Latin America, also make Miami an important financial center of the Hispanic world.

Miami is also home to one of the largest ports in the United States, the Port of Miami. The port is often called the "Capital of the World" and the " Gateway of the Americas". It has retained its status as the number one cruise/passenger port in the world for well over a decade accommodating the largest cruise ships and the major cruise lines.

As of 2008, Miami is undergoing a massive building boom that ranks second worldwide for the most buildings under construction that will be over 492 feet (150 m), with over 24 of such buildings currently under construction. Miami's skyline ranks third in the U.S. behind Chicago and New York City according to the Almanac of Architecture and Design. Including other nearby neighborhoods and cities, the Miami has over 80 high-rise towers under construction. Miami currently has the five tallest skyscrapers in the state of Florida with the tallest being the Four Seasons Hotel & Tower.

Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are an archipelago of about 1700 islands in the southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about 15 miles south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry Tortugas. The islands lie along the Florida Straits, dividing the Atlantic Ocean to the east from the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and defining one edge of Florida Bay. At the nearest point, the southern tip of Key West is just 94 miles from Cuba.

The Florida Keys are between about 23.5 and 25.5 degrees North latitude, in the subtropics. The climate of the Keys however, is defined as tropical according to Köppen climate classification. More than 95 percent of the land area lies in Monroe County, but a small portion extends northeast into Miami-Dade County, primarily in the city of Islandia, Florida. The city of Key West is the county seat of Monroe County, which consists of a section on the mainland which is almost entirely in Everglades National Park, and the Keys islands from Key Largo to the Dry Tortugas.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Bahia Honda Key

Bahia Honda is an island in the lower Florida Keys.U.S. Route 1 (the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile markers 36-38.5, between Ohio Key and Spanish Harbor Key 12 miles (19 km) west of Marathon, close to the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge.The island is virtually uninhabited, being home to 524-acre (2.1 km²) Bahia Honda State Park. Founded in 1961, the park occupies most of the island. The channel at the island's west end is one of the deepest natural channels in the Florida Keys.

The 2.5 mile natural, white sand beach was at one time named the best in the continental United States, making it popular for swimming. A nature trail near the park’s oceanside beach skirts a tidal lagoon before passing through a coastal hammock. Bicycling and inline skating can be done on the park’s 3.5 mile paved road, and there are several fishing and picnicking spots in the area.

Kayaks and snorkeling gear can be rented at the park, and boat trips for snorkeling on the reef are available. The park has a marina with boat slips available for overnight rental. Campsites and vacation cabins are available, although reservations for the winter months can be very difficult to get.The park is also a part of the Great Florida Birding Trail.

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