The Wandering Disciple

A tiger takes a break from the afternoon heat at Busch Gardens Tampa. The tigers are one of several hundred animals that call the 335 acre theme park home. (Photo: July 24, 2005)

The colorful flowers and beautiful sculptures were the heart of the Cypress Gardens theme park. Cypress Gardens was Florida’s first theme park, long before the mouse moved in up the road. Although Cypress Gardens was closed forever in 2009, elements of the park like the gardens and the famous water ski show have been incorporated into Legoland which now occupies the land. (Photo: July 4, 2005)

At 122 feet tall. the Sorcerer Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a landmark that only Disney imagineers could dream of. That hat is so large, Mickey would have to be 350 feet tall to wear the hat. It was added to the park in 2001 as part of the 100 Years of Magic Celebration and was based on Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat from Fantasia. Today the hat remains as the park’s symbolic icon as well as home to Sorcerer Hat Shop underneath the hat. (Photo: April 9, 2005)

Sun, waves and aircraft highlight Brohard Beach in Venice. While the beach is widely known for its shark’s teeth, it is also a great place to watch airplanes. The beach sits right on the edge of Venice Municipal Airport, allowing for an up close look at approaching aircraft while enjoying the beach. (Photo: January 27, 2013)

The Collings Foundation's B-17 Flying Fortress takes off from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport of Friday as it heads to it's second stop on the Suncoast at Venice Municipal Airport. The B-17 joined the B-24 Liberator and P-51 Mustang on the Wings of Freedom tour's annual stop on the Suncoast. (Photo: January 25, 2013)

The screams coming from the mouth of the Sea Serpent are nothing to be scared of. Those screams are screams of excitement as rides take the plunge on the Sea Serpent water slide at the Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. The slide is the highlight of the resort’s main pool activity area. (Photo: April 9, 2005)

A tern takes flight at Manasota Beach. The tern was one of several hundred shorebirds enjoying the beach in January. (Photo: January 24, 2013)

Escape the Florida heat with a wet adventure on Kali River Rapids. More then a water ride, Kali River Rapids tells a tale of deforestation and conservation. Added to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1999, Kali River Rapids starts off as a peaceful journey Chakranadi River. But the journey quickly gets rough as you witness the damaging effects of deforestation. The ride features a rapids run, soaking features and a 30 foot drop to ensure that their isn’t a dry rider left on the raft. (Photo: April 9, 2005)

Take a journey to explore the red planet on Epcot’s Mission Space. Opened in 2003, Mission Space is a realistic motion simulator ride that simulates space flight to Mars. To enhance the realism of the ride, the ride capsules are attached to a centrifuge that produces 2.5 G’s to make the flight more authentic. However if you’d like to experience the journey without the intensity, Disney modified the ride in 2009 to include a version in which the centrifuge does not spin and create G-Force. (Photo: February 25, 2005)

No Main Street would be complete without it’s fire station. Main Street USA is no exception, the Main Street Fire Station is a great replica of a small town fire house. But you won’t find a fire engine inside this station, the Main Street Fire Station is home to shopping and a great collection of fire department patches from around the world. (Photo: February 6, 2005)

A giraffe poses for the camera during the Serengeti Safari at Busch Gardens Tampa. On the safari, riders climb aboard an open truck and head out to the Serengeti Plain for an up close interaction with the animals. On the trip, you will have the opportunity to feed antelope and giraffes. (Photo: January 2, 2005)

Rescue 5 of the Remembrance Rescue Project sits on display at the American Heroes Air Show. Rescue 5 was an active rescue in the FDNY and responded to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Eleven of the twelve squad members lost their life in the attack. Today the rescue travels the country as part of the Remembrance Rescue Project to Educate, Honor and Remember those who lost their lives on that day. (Photo: January 19, 2013)

Fort Myers, Florida: Baseball is still a month away but JetBlue Park came to life Saturday thanks to the American Heroes Air Show. The sights and sounds of helicopters ranging from the small Robinson R-22 to as large a MH-60 Nighthawk dazzled the crowd. As the early morning fog began to lift, the helicopters began to appear on the horizon. They started out slow, one at a time. But that quickly gave way to a flurry of activity. At one point, there were four helicopter in various stages of arrival. In a controlled chaos, members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Civil Air Patrol worked hard to put each helicopter in their place. Once everyone was in place, the gates were opened to the public. Masses rushed to the field to get an up close view of the helicopters. You could see the excitement in the faces of the visitors as they looked inside their favorite helicopters or swapped stories with the pilots of their favorite one. The roll call for the event was...

A patrol car from the North Port Police Department is parked at Dallas White Park. The North Port Police provide law enforcement services for the incorporated City of North Port. They provide routine patrol, investigations, school resource offices and have their own emergency dispatch services. The men and women of the NPPD protect and serve over 55,000 residents within the City of North Port. (Photo: August 24, 2005)

A pair of penguins swim past visitors at Sea World’s Penguin Encounter. Here guests can watch the penguins in a detailed replica of their arctic homeland. (Photo: August 28, 2004)

Englewood, Florida: Buchan Airport (X36) is a grass-strip public airfield located just outside downtown Olde Englewood. The air strip is the highlight of the Buchan Airport Community Park operated by Sarasota County Parks & Rec.  Buchan Airport features a lone runway. Runway 12/30 is a 2,040 grass runway marked my white tires. There are no lights nor tower operations at the airport. Buchan Airport is home to a few single engine and experimental aircraft. They also host an annual fly-in breakfast and is a popular spot for flying groups get-togethers. 2012 Buchan-Dearborn Aviation Day The fly-in breakfast is held annually in October. Pilots of various types of aircraft fly into Buchan Airport for a breakfast and conversation. While the pilots are eating and networking, their aircraft are available to view.  The only drawback to spotting at Buchan Airport is the lack of reliable air traffic. Chance of observing air traffic increases on weekends, even...

Rescue 83 of the North Port Fire-Rescue sits outside their main station, Station 81. The department was founded in 1961 as the North Port Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department. Today the NPFR services over 55,000 residents and approximately 75 square miles. They operate five stations and provide fire suppression, advanced life support, fire prevention and emergency management functions. (Photo: December 15, 2004)

Beat the heat with a soaking ride on the Congo River Rapids at Busch Gardens. Opened in 1982, the ride simulates a white water rafting adventure through the Congo. (Photo: June 27, 2004)

The Wildcat speeds down the 85 foot drop, sending guests on a 50 mile per hour thrill ride reaching 3.5 G’s. The Wildcat is one of eleven roller coasters at Hersheypark. Built in 1996, the Wildcat was named after the park’s original roller coasters from the 1920’s. (Photo: May 1, 2004)

The sun begins to set over the giant ferris wheel on the pier of the famous Ocean City Boardwalk. The boardwalk has been entertaining beach-goers since 1902. Over eight million visitors come to enjoy the shops, restaurants, rides and nightlife that the 2 1/2 mile has to offer. (Photo: April 30, 2004)

Standing tall over the national mall is a memorial to our nation’s first president, George Washington. Construction on the Washington Monument began in 1848 and was completed in 1884. At 555 feet tall, it is the tallest structure in Washington DC. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

Located in the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery is a memorial to the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Challenger exploded shortly after take-off in April 1986, killing the seven member crew. Remains of two of the crew members were unable to be identified and were buried below the memorial in Arlington. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

Nestled between the skyscrapers of the financial district lies Trinity Church. The church’s history dates back to 1696 when the Church of England purchases land in lower Manhattan to construct a new church. The church we see today is actually the third one built at the site, the first was destroyed by fire and the second deteriorated due to the elements. This third church was built in 1846. Its 283 foot tall spire was the tallest point in New York until 1890. Today the church continues to host a full schedule of services as well as host a musical programs and house a historical museum. (Photo: April 27, 2004)

Punta Gorda, Florida: Although it lacks in commercial traffic, Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) has plenty of photo opportunities in the air and on the ground thanks to a thriving restoration base and general aviation traffic. The airport is also home to the Florida International Airshow, an annual event that takes place in March. PGD features three active runways. Runway 4/22 is the longest at 7,193 feet and is the primary runway for commercial and jet traffic. Runway 15/33 is 5,688 feet long and is the primary general aviation runway. Runway 9/27 is the shortest runway at 2,636 feet and is rarely used. With the financial problems suffered by Direct Air in 2012, PGD was left with just one commercial carrier, Allegiant Air. But Allegiant stepped up and made PGD a focus city for their operations, offering flights from PGD to twelve destinations. PGD is also home to Trudeau Warbird Enterprises Trudeau is a renowened warbirds restoration company. With their operations at the airp...

A recreated English Village demonstrates what life was like in Jamestown during the English settlement in the early 1600’s. Follow the story of the English settlement at Jamestown Settlement. The tour begins with the Powhatan Indian Village, followed by the settler’s ships before entering Fort James and seeing the English town. (Photo: April 24, 2004)

A historical interpreter leads guests on a tour through the Governor’s Mansion at Colonial Williamsburg. History comes alive at Colonial Williamsburg through stories told by historical interpreters, transporting visitors from present day to the colonial era under the British crown. (Photo: April 25, 2004)

An Amish One-Room Schoolhouse on display at the Amish Village in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Amish children attend schools like these from age 6 through 8th grade. The curriculum is based around the basic subjects of reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. The students will attend school for 6 hours a day for 8 months. (Photo: April 23, 2004)

Opened in 1980, the Scorpion is the oldest roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa. But don’t let its age fool you, the Scorpion continues to pack thrills as it reached speeds of 50 miles per hour thanks to a 45 foot drop. Scorpion has one inversion and a helix, allowing the coaster to pull 3.5 G’s. (Photo: March 26, 2004)

Some of the King’s memorabilia on display in the hallways of Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. Elvis Presley joins other musical greats who have memorabilia from their career on display for guests of the hotel. (Photo: September 20, 2003)

The luxury of the Titanic comes alive in the re-creation at the Titanic exhibit in Orlando. Here the the history of the Titanic comes to life through replicas, historical interpreters and items from the fateful maiden voyage. (Photo: September 20, 2003)

A Marine One movie prop sits on display at Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney. Planet Hollywood combines great food with memorabilia from the silver screen, creating a one of a kind experience. (Photo: September 20, 2003)

Fort Myers, Florida: Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) located in Fort Myers is a busy airport with great spotting opportunities. The airport features just one runway, making it possible to observe all airport activity. Runway 6/24 is the only runway at RSW. It is 12,000 feet long running from southwest to northeast. An average of 228 flights a day operate from this runway, making it one of the busiest single runway airports in the country. RSW is not a hub for any airline, however 19 airlines service the airport. The airlines servicing RSW are: Air Berlin  Air Canada  AirTran Airways  American Airlines  Cape Air  Compass Airlines (Delta Connection)  Delta Airlines   Express Jet (United Express)  Frontier Airlines  JetBlue Airways  Met Jet (Sun Country)  Silver Airways (United Express)  Shuttle America (United Express)  Southwest Airlines  Spirit Airlines  Sun Country...

No entertainment district would be complete without a performance venue. Hard Rock Live completes the City Walk district at Universal Orlando, providing a venue for world class musical acts to perform. Opened in 1998 adjacent to the Hard Rock Café, the Hard Rock Live can host up to 3,000 visitors. (Photo: September 20, 2003)