Mitzie saved the day/Cousin Delroy.

 The greatest fishermen will tell you that often, they go and spend hours at sea and come home without any fish.

Well that didn't happen to the big fisherwoman, Mitzie, but the rest of us returned empty handed.

Her's was a Silver Snapper 

Oh yea, I got a bite and was bringing in a little one, but alas just feet from the boat, it jumped off and took off like Bolt.

And Bernie got a bite too but his fish did not tarry long at all.

Regardless, we had a wonderful day meandering along on the long, impressive Black River, with its beautiful scenery and serenity.

Quite a big croc

We never saw many large Crocs this time, but a few babies were in the hatchery.

And did you know that the 26,000 acre Black River Morass had natural gas? I certainly didn't but when we saw the smoke, the fisherman explained that on hot days, the sun ignites sections of the morass that are shallow and dry. 

Successive governments have decided not to exploit this reserve though, as it's too important as an environmental resource.

I agree totally.

 As I always say, if I don't learn something every day, it means I am dead. And I ain't, as I am enjoying life.😀 

The only slight disappointment on this trip was that we had heard about this restaurant called Miss Lou which was famous for its delicious curried crab. It's in a district called Slipe. We heard the road to get there is terrible, but we didn't have to drive to get there, as it's right on the river!

In case you never heard though, sections of Jamaica were badly damaged by the terrible hurricane Beryl about 3 weeks ago. 

And while where we are escaped,  almost the  entire island seems to have lost electricity and it is being restored very slowly. So many small businesses people are having serious financial challenges.

Well Slipe still has no electricity so Miss Lou cannot cook her crabs.

Really hard on her.

Slipe bridge

Miss Lou's crab place.

PS. ( August 26, 2025.)  As we had in St. Elizabeth, we took a quick trip to Munro to visit our cousin Colonel Delroy Ormsby who had managed the Silver Sands properties for decades.

We had been unable to get him by phone for weeks so journeyed to his farm where he lived after retirement from Silver Sands.

Glad we did, for although he looked well, hardly had we returned home to the US before we got a message that he died.

Today, 08/26/2025, which incidentally was the birthday of my late mom Madeline Marshall, is the 1st anniversary of his death and I was happy to get pictures and videos from his widow Blossom, of his funeral and memories. I am storing them right here!

His daughter's wedding 

A painting given to him by his squad in the Jamaican defense force.

The late Delroy's son Simon and granddaughter Raquel.

My late dear cousin Delroy's memories.🥲

Below are other fishing memories🙂.

The would-be fishermen below.

 😁

What a beautiful, serene environment!

Captain Kai

Not even this almost empty cooler can spoil these memories.😁

Tranquility

I am happy that in the middle of the hassle of moving, getting people to clean and paint today (3rd December 2022, my Guatamalan, nature loving friend Rosa, called to tell me she was going to Wakodahatchee Park to look at the birds.

You know me. Just say outdoors and I am there!

So, I told her give me two hours. 

Thankfully she did and it was a really a great afternoon. 

The Wakodahachee Wetlands, opened in 1996 are in Delroy Beach, Florida. 

It has a three-quarter mile boardw​alk that crosses between open water areas and islands with shrubs and snags to foster nesting and roosting.

 This site is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and offers many opportunities to observe birds in their natural habitats. 

Over 178 bird species have been identified there, along with turtles, alligators, rabbits, fish, frogs and raccoons and the words that come to mind are peace, beauty and tranquility. 

 I had the feeling I might have been there before with a Meet Up group, but nothing quite rung a bell. But I did, for I found the blog I did on that visit. 

Joan, my views: Alligator mating call (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)

Anyway this is the type of place you visit over and over again if you can. 

In fact we met a retired federal officer who is an amateur photographer and he admitted he had been visiting this park for 47 years! 

We thought this stork was a dried branch! Great camoflage

I suspect he is not the only one, since all around you see dozens of photographers, amateur and professional, toting huge expensive cameras,  just hoping to get that special shot!

This is not just a place for leisure seekers and bird watchers though, for it is reported that each day, the Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility pumps approximately two million gallons of highly treated wastewater into the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, which in turn acts as a percolation pond, returning billions of gallons of fresh water back into the water table.

For us though, it is a place to enjoy nature and find peace and tranquility.

A colorful iguana

A tree covered with storks

George, the Park's mascot!