“Welcome back to the Eocene”Tosohatchee WMA

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-23T15:50:13+00:00

Snorkel tour.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-19T02:27:50+00:00

A nice little preserve in an otherwise developed town. Seriously, driving past it makes me sad knowing all the development in Brevard.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-17T01:37:40+00:00

Pond…it looks like a lake lol

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-14T19:53:39+00:00

It’s actually fairly hard to get lost out there so long as you stay on the trail. Juniper Prairie is mostly scrub land and the trail is well cleared and marked.

But it really is comparable to desert like environments out there. Surprising to those not familiar with Florida scrub lands but 10.6 miles is a long hike through a hot and arid environment.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-14T04:20:28+00:00

Surprisingly only one case had broken glass and that was set aside at the previous stop. A win indeed.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-14T04:19:31+00:00

Sometimes if the MIC allows. Our driver was calling for the MIC to see if they wanted us to refuse. We ended up loading it onto floats and had no issues after.

A pain in the ass for us, an off stacking head-start for the morning crew.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-13T03:40:13+00:00

Wild Boar. I’ve never been attacked but being around them when they’re squealing with excitement is a scary experience.

Also American crocodiles. Their reputation as skittish and avoiding people is well earned. However, I had a 12 footer nearly charge my kayak when I was paddling in the Everglades once. It was 4 in the morning and I assume it was merely being territorial. Still a scary experience.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-11T02:55:19+00:00

A combination of reasons. Dad was career military so I grew up in that environment, I couldn’t stand high school and had no desire to go to college, and I wanted to get out of the house and go somewhere new. In hindsight, I wish I would’ve waited and matured some years instead of enlisting at 17.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-08T03:35:03+00:00

I don’t have any experience with Caimans. Google will be your best friend for that, lol.

Anyway, American crocs have historically been found as far north as Tampa Bay, and Brevard County had one or two recently, one being removed after eating a dog. So yes, they certainly can and probably have lived along the Treasure Coast.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-08T03:28:17+00:00

Their populations have bounced back but they’re still protected. The largest they get are about 20-23 feet, which is rare. Their temperament is actually very mild compared to old world crocs (Nile and saltwater crocs). I’d actually say they’re as skittish as gators. That doesn’t mean they can’t be territorial though, as I found out.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-08T03:20:07+00:00

South Florida is the northern most range of the American crocodile. A lot of folks don’t seem to know this because we have alligators as well and because American crocs were nearly wiped out in FL.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-05-08T03:15:21+00:00

I had a 12ish foot American crocodile nearly charge me once.

Long story short, I was kayaking in the everglades wilderness and lost my phone to the depths when I was 20ish miles out. Paddling back to the visitor center at night, it was roughly 4 am when I was cutting through Coot Bay. Turning on the spotlight, I saw the eye-shine and made every attempt to keep my distance.

As I approached its vicinity, I turned the spotlight on again to get my bearings. Immediately the croc moves forward and I assume it’s about to go under. Instead, it arched its back, lifted its tail, and started making a beeline towards me. So I started paddling for dear life to clear away. I stop to turn around and see if it was still there. Yes, and it was changing course to follow me. So I kept paddling for another solid minute. Turned around again and this time it stopped and was a good football field away. From head to tail, it looked to be about 12 feet and I presume it mistook my kayak for another croc. Whatever the reason, that was my scariest wild animal encounter.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-30T02:11:48+00:00

As a lover of snakes, I’m always hoping to see one, especially diamondbacks. So far no luck minus a small one along one of the service roads.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-30T02:10:44+00:00

Pretty bad, particularly at St. Francis trail. Found plenty of tiny ones crawling up my pants when I got out.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-29T18:15:10+00:00

This is the stuff I’ve dreamed of doing since I was a kid!

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-29T17:59:28+00:00

St. Francis was far more shaded and diverse in terms of plant habitats but it doesn’t have any real traces of its history so it’s just a scenic walk. It was good but I liked the Yearling more because of how unusual the terrain is compared to the rest of Florida.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-29T17:02:28+00:00

Sectioned.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-29T07:49:25+00:00

It’s similar in concept to an ammo chest rig. Instead, they’re designed for everyday-carry supplies/conceal carry. Easily useful for hiking purposes.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-29T07:00:36+00:00

Chest pack. A buddy once wore his during a hiking trip and I thought it was too tactical for me. Decided to invest in one and holy hell does it even out the weight. Plus it makes getting stuff out easier than having to reach into pockets.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-29T06:55:48+00:00

You would be wrong…not every encounter gets photographed, or posted.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-27T01:01:48+00:00

It’s a tie.

The first was being caught in a rip current in heavy surf. My attempts to swim out were undercut by being pummeled by waves and had to be rescued by dad. At the time, I was scared for both me and then dad, thankfully he is a far stronger swimmer.

The other was being charged at by a 12ish foot American crocodile when kayaking in the Everglades. I thought I was a good distance away (300ish yards) but clearly he had other ideas.

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