Tuesday, October 13, 2009

BOBCATS, RACCOONS & GATORS, OH MY!





Home in Port Charlotte
High of 93
Above I posted pictures of my latest DIY home project. The deck steps leading to the dock had a board that was decaying. Each time I removed a board, I found another that had to be replaced. Fearing I may have to build a whole new deck I drew the line at 5 boards and a new step. I was pretty pleased with how it came out.
I haven't been out on the boat since my day out with Cardinals Chuck. I had every intention of going out last Saturday for 7 hours but when I woke up I realized how tired I was from a week on the road so I thought better of it and stayed home.
Last Friday night at about 11 PM Kathy called me out to the lanai (screened in porch for you city folk). She was hearing some very suspicious noises that sounded like someone moving rock around. I grabbed a flashlight and a handful of home security and went out to investigate. Our suspect turned out to be a large raccoon that was pulling all of the seashells out from the tree well of one of our grapefruit trees.
Last night Kathy whispered a shout inside for me to come quick! Since she was whispering with urgency I knew it probably meant the bobcat was back. We have become quite fond of this old girl (or fella, we don't know for sure). This is the third time Kathy has seen the bobcat and would only be my second but I missed seeing it as it headed off to the darkness in Bob and Eleanor's yard. My brave wife actually went out to get a picture but scared the cat off.
So today, the trifecta. I had been to Office Depot and came home, rounding the corner on my street, when I noticed two guys with what looked like SWAT TEAM shirts on. Turns out they were with the Florida Wildlife Commission and they were Gator Trappers. I stopped and dropped a window and asked, "Hey I live on this canal, did you come out for a gator?" One of them pointed to his feet and said, "You mean like this one?" HOLY CRAP!
I zoomed home to get Kathy and bring her back. The trappers were really nice guys and opened up the truck to show us the 6'8" reptile they now had in custody. I don't think I'm ever going down the deck to the canal at night again! Wow, talk about instilling fear in the hearts of men. The trappers said that more than likely the gators will flee from humans approaching but if you get one that's 10' or more they can be pretty brazen in their new territory. I may have to strap a side arm on from now on when I go down there. See what happens when a city boy moves out to the tropics?

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