Mangrove Forest

(By Stephanie)

One of the things I wanted to do to celebrate my birthday last week was go on a         mangrove tour way up on the northeast side of the island.  

Here's E & E starting the journey on a cute wobbly canoe....

Going across beautiful waters admiring the villages of Oakridge and Jonesville......

We went through amazing, long stretches of mangroves like this.....

Mangrove forests are a tangle of trees that grow in tropical, saline sediment habitats.   We learned that they are SO strong and can withstand crazy environmental conditions like hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, etc.

George, our guide, said there were crocodiles (or was it alligators?) that once roamed through these mangrove forests but have since left because of too much traffic in the last 20 years. (But we didn't tell the kids the part about them being gone...just to keep them on their toes)

Mangrove forests also provide food and protection for lots of other birds, fish and animals.  We were hoping to see a monkey swing from tree to tree but no such luck.  :-)

Couldn't get enough of these beautiful, green waters....

This is our awesome guide, George, holding a little crab he plucked off one of the trees

 George, George, George of the Mangrove.....

These shrimp boats reminded us of Bubba Gump's Shrimp Co

Big shrimping industry here, but only a certain time of the year.....

Couldn't help but post a few more cool island homes right on the water. 

 Hardly any roads or cars in this area, everyone gets around by boat because all the stores and homes are all along the water.....

Loved this little boy playing and splashing in the water off his porch....