There’s something unhurried and ancient about the way a manatee moves—like a drifting cloud beneath the water. These gentle sea cows, as they’re affectionately called, are more than just symbols of Florida’s natural beauty—they’re living links to a wilder, slower world. Who Are the Manatees? The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), found in … Read more
It looks soft. Gentle. Innocent, even—like a rosette of green velvet drifting quietly on the water. But water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) carries with it one of the most curious and controversial stories in aquatic botany. Is it native or introduced? Sacred or invasive? Helpful or harmful? The answer, as with so much in nature, depends … Read more
There’s a place in Florida where the horizon seems to float. Where sawgrass hums with the breath of wind, and herons lift like ghosts above still waters. This is the Everglades—an ecosystem often misunderstood, often threatened, but never quite tamed. It is not a swamp. It is a slow-moving river, twenty to fifty miles wide … Read more
Gliding just beneath the surface of Florida’s coastal waters is a creature so graceful it seems to fly underwater. With wing-like fins and white spots that shimmer against deep indigo skin, the spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) looks like it was painted by moonlight. I’ve watched them before—near the edge of a sandbar or drifting … Read more
Florida is more than just sunshine and seashells. It’s also hurricanes and hiding places. To the outsider, Florida might seem all pastel sunsets and tourist-packed boardwalks—but as anyone who’s truly lived here knows, the real Florida hides in the hush between storms, in the stillness of a mangrove tangle, in the ghost-gray light of a … Read more
There’s a hush to an estuary, even when it teems with life. It’s a threshold place—where rivers loosen their grip and surrender to the sea. Where freshwater and saltwater swirl and braid together. Where stillness holds secrets and the tide moves like breath. Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, and yet, they’re … Read more
If you’ve ever wandered near a Florida marsh or lake, you’ve likely seen the tall, reed-like stalks of cattails swaying in the breeze. Their distinctive brown, sausage-shaped flower spikes stand out among the reeds, making them one of the most recognizable plants in North America’s wetlands. But beyond their striking appearance, cattails are a powerhouse … Read more
Each morning on my hike, I pass by a plant that many people dismiss as a weed—Bidens alba, commonly known as Spanish Needles. With its delicate white petals and bright yellow center, it doesn’t demand attention like some of Florida’s more showy wildflowers, but for those who know, it is a hidden gem. This unassuming … Read more
Florida is a land of islands—over 4,500 of them, scattered like stepping stones along its coasts and through its winding rivers. Some are world-famous, bustling with tourists and resorts. But others remain hidden in plain sight, their stories buried beneath shifting sands, tangled mangroves, and the slow creep of time. These forgotten islands hold echoes … Read more
Beneath the rolling tides of Florida’s coastal waters, scattered like celestial bodies in the sand, lie the sea stars—more commonly known as starfish. Despite their name, they aren’t fish at all but echinoderms, close relatives of sea urchins and sand dollars. With their slow, deliberate movements and striking symmetry, sea stars have captivated seafarers and … Read more