The Wandering Disciple

Most people think of sandy beaches with turquoise surf when they think of Florida. But did you know that Florida is also home to over 300,000 lakes as well. In fact almost 3 million acres of Florida land is covered in lakes. The state is also home to the nation's fourth largest lake, Lake Okechobee which spans 730 square miles. This photo is from Lake Dora near Mount Dora, a 4,000 acre lake part of the Harris Chain of Lakes. (Photo: March 18, 2020)

Our nation's oldest city, St Augustine has its fair share of haunted history. But on a sunny Wednesday afternoon it was the paranormal haunts that made St Augustine a ghost town, it was the lack of tourist and locals walking the streets as the nation practices social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDC guidelines and orders from the President and Governor had people staying at home in an attempt to flatten the curve of infected patients. (Photo: March 18, 2020)

Fort Myers, Florida: The COVID-19 pandemic has really changed the dynamics of the airport.  From triple digit flight cancellations and planes parked around the field due to reduction of flights, the volume of traffic in and out of Southwest Florida International is way down.  I managed to get a few photos this past week including a good chunk of the grounded aircraft.  There is rumored more to come as the industry struggles to manage the pandemic.  I also managed to get the Thank You livery aircraft from Delta Air Lines on a rare Sunday trip to RSW.  Here is a look at what I saw this past week: C-GHLV – Boeing 767-300 (Air Canada Rouge)  N6A – Embraer Phenom 300  N201FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N213SY – Embraer 175 (SkyWest Airlines/United Express)  N218WN – Boeing 737-700 (Southwest Airlines)  N256JX – Embraer 135  N342FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N391DN – Airbus A321 (Delta Air Lines/Thank You ...

The invention of the automobile and the later invention of car camping led to an explosion of growth for the nation's oldest city. Known as tin can tourists, these campers would roll into town and live out of their campers. It popularity led to St Augustine and the rest of the state of Florida becoming the tourist hot spot it is today. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

What better way to cap off a busy day of exploring the ancient city than by taking a moonlit stroll through town. The old city takes on a new look under the light of the moon and the night lights of the city. From the brightly colored stain glass of the churches to the glowing historic structures along the historic district, the city looks much different when the sun goes down. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

Way before we had major pharmaceutical companies to mix up medicine to cure our ailments, the sick and injured required the needs of an apothecary to mix up a cure. A good example of this early art of medicine can be found at the Spanish Military Hospital Museum in St Augustine. Here you can see an 18th century apothecary and learn about how plants were used to help heal soldiers during the second Spanish occupancy of St Augustine. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

The Axis of Evil stand shoulder to shoulder across the aisle from their Allied counterparts. This isn’t a peace convention during World War II but an exhibit at the Potter’s Wax Museum in St Augustine. The nation’s oldest wax museum, Potter’s helps to bring the pages of the history book come alive with life like wax replicas of politicians, military leaders, government official, inventors, music and literary icons and even television and movie actors. There are over a hundred figures spanning the generations all on display within this historic facility. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

The Schooner Freedom sails across the Mantanzas, giving a glimpse into the past and what early St Augustine residents saw when they looked out on the harbor. The Freedom is an authentic replica of a 19th century blockade runner. The main sail rises 62 feet above the ship and helps steer the ship along the coast of the ancient city. The Freedom is the only schooner charter from Charleston to the Key and you can catch a sail on your next trip to St Augustine. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

A police officer patrols the streets of the oldest city in the United States. The St Augustine Police Department has the responsibility of protecting the city, its citizens and the rich cultural icons located with the city. It’s officers have been at the forefront of history and continue to evolve to face threats in an effort to keep the city safe. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

Come on in, do I have a deal for you. A new product that is guaranteed to fix any ailment you have and even ones you didn’t even know you had yet. Don’t you want to live your life ailment free, good so do I. How many can I get you? The fast sale pitch of the general store comes to life at the Oldest Store Museum where you turn back the clock to experience a shopping experience unlike today’s mega stores. And it gets even better when you reach the warehouse and see what goods are coming up in the early 1900’s market. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

No air conditioning, no windows to keep out critters, no indoor plumbing. This is what inmates today would consider cruel and unusual punishment as well as a violation to their civil rights. However this was life for an inmate of the old St Johns County Jail. Don’t let the mansion appearance fool you, this was far from luxurious accommodations. From working in the heat all day long to sharing a cell with over six fellow cons. In fact the 2 ½ story jail housed 72 male and 12 female inmates at once. The Old Jail remained in operation until 1953. Today you can tour the jail and see what life was like behind bars. (Photo: March 17, 2020)

Tampa, Florida: With most attractions closed and social distancing an order from the governor, I was looking for a way to get outside and enjoy some sunshine while staying away from large groups of people. What better way to do this then by a little planespotting. With flight schedules majorly reduced, I chose to go to Tampa International Airport and spot a little while from the parking garage. Locally they had the best amount of scheduled flights remaining following the airline cancellations. When we got there, you could see how much the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the airline industry, the parking garage was pretty much empty and traffic was painless both on airport property and the interstate system, a rarity in season on a Sunday afternoon. While the air traffic schedule was about 1/3 of normal, I still managed to get some aircraft photographed. What was in the air was routine, there was some good variety on the ground at the MRO's including three Thomas Cook Airlines ...

The St Augustine Lighthouse shines her light over the Atlantic Ocean, lighting the way for ships out on the sea. Towering 165 feet over the water, the light from the tower can be seen up to 21 miles offshore. This is the second lighthouse built on Anastasia Island, the first suffered from beach erosion. This tower was completed in 1874 and went into service with a first order Fresnel lens. The original lens continues to light the night sky today just as it had in 1874, the only difference is the light is now automated. (Photo: March 16, 2020)

Over the course of operations of the Old Jail in St Augustine, many inmates met their death under this live oak behind the jail. Sheriff Perry had him a knack for hangings, making them public events and even scientific experiments. The gallows of the jail saw 8 hangings in an 11 year span including a triple hanging in 1912. You can hear about these hangings and those that might still be hanging around the jail during the Ghost and Gravestones Tour or if you’re not up for the ghostly tour, they offer a daytime tour that focuses more on life as an inmate. (Photo: March 16, 2020)

The waves break along the shores of the St Augustine beaches. Unlike the calm seas of the Gulf of Mexico on Florida’s west coast, the Atlantic Ocean along Florida’s east coast provides some great wave action. There are several great beaches along the St Augustine coast like this one here at South Ponte Vedra Park. (Photo: March 16, 2020)

A male Indian Peafowl poses for a photo along the fence line at the Fountain of Youth in historic St. Augustine. The peafowl, more commonly known as the peacock, roam freely throughout the 15 acre waterfront attraction. They boast a flock of over 30 peacocks including males, hens and even white peacocks. (Photo: March 16, 2020)

A baby crocodile clings to its mama’s back as it moves across the habitat at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park on Anastasia Island. A mama croc can usually be seen with her young taking a ride on her back. This little guy is a baby African Slender Snouted Crocodile. The park is home to a wide variety of alligators and crocodiles. In fact, the St Augustine Alligator Farm features every living crocodilian species on Earth. (Photo: March 16, 2020)

One of my favorite things about road trips is getting of the interstate and cruising through small towns. The sights of these small towns frozen in time are a nice calming departure from the hustle and bustle of city life. This beautiful church built in 1893 was found near the center of Citra, a small town in central Florida with a population of around 5,300. (Photo: March 16, 2020)

St Augustine, Florida:   After skipping our annual road trip last year because of transitioning to a new job, I was really looking forward to this year's trip.  We had originally planned on Charleston for the trip, but we were still recovering from an extended time without pay during the transition so we decided to stay a little closer to home.  The choice for this year's trip was St Augustine. We were in St Augustine a while back but left with only scratching the surface of what the city has to offer.  So during this trip, we decided to experience more of what the Old City has and by doing this we used the Old Town Trolley and Historic Tours of America to enhance our exploration of the city. As the trip came closer, the world and the country began to spiral out of control with the COVID-19 pandemic.  Disney closed, Universal closed, Busch Gardens/Sea World closed, much of Florida and the country was closing.  We were concerned that the trip wouldn't ...

A youthful Western Lowland Gorilla hangs around at Zoo Atlanta. The zoo is home to one of the largest populations of gorillas in North America. They have five distinct habitats here at the zoo which provide home to the gorilla troops. Since its inception in 1988, the zoo has troops have given birth to twenty-one offspring including a rare set of twins in 2015. (Photo: June 5, 2016)

In just a few short days, we will be hitting the road for our spring break road trip. This year's trip takes us to the old city of St Augustine. Our trip will take us to the Old Town Trolley, Ghost and Gravestones tour, the Old Jail, the Oldest Store Museum, the Potter's Wax Museum, the St Augustine Alligator Farm, the Fountain of Youth and who knows what else we may squeeze in during our trip. This will be our second trip to St Augustine but all these attractions are first time visits for the site. Be sure to check back during the week to see photos from the adventure. (Photo: June 10, 2016)

Just like the cartoon islands of days gone by, the barrier island of Boca Grande is protected by sharks. But unlike the sharp tooth sharks circling the cartoon island, these sharks are the nicknames of the fire trucks of the Boca Grande Fire Department. Take Ladder 231 pictured here, also known as the Hammerhead. (Photo: March 7, 2020)

Despite the modernization occuring throughout the island, the rustic feel of the fishing village can be found throughout the heart of Boca Grande. Restored fishing shacks, railroad depots, old country stores make up the main shopping district of this unique barrier island on the Gulf Coast of Florida. (Photo: March 7, 2020)

It takes an amazing power to take a terrible mess and turn in into a wonderful message and that power from God was felt all night long as Zach Williams rocked the packed house at Robarts Arena during his Rescue Story tour. All night long, the powerful music of Zach praised the work of the Lord during an amazing night of worship. (Photo: March 8, 2020)

Your forgiveness is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips. Like the sound of a symphony to my ears. Like holy water on my skin. The popular chorus of the song by We the Kingdom as they opened for Zach Williams on Sunday night at Robarts Arena. The family band's song "Holy Water" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Christian songs list just last month. (Photo: March 8, 2020)

Venice, Florida: The Lemon Bay Manta Rays JV squad traveled to Venice High School for a game against the Venice Indians. After a hard fought game by both sides, the Manta Rays fell to the Indians 3-2. Lemon Bay took an early lead by scoring a run in the first inning. But Venice bounced back with two runs in the bottom of the second. Venice added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Lemon Bay scored again in the top of the fifth but that was all they could push across as Venice held on for the 3-2 win. Click on the photo above to view the Lemon Bay/Venice photo gallery .

Growing up in Alabama, three siblings shared a room together and began to sing together. Times have changed by Taylor, Madison and Logan still sing together as they travel the country as the Christian band Cain. They opened the night at Robarts Arena for Zach William's Rescue Story tour. (Photo: March 9, 2020)

Hi! I am a Black bellied Plover and I enjoy long walks on the beach. This little guy is one of the many shorebirds that can be found foraging in the surf along the beaches of the Suncoast. (Photo: May 8, 2016)

Sarasota, Florida : Robarts Arena in Sarasota came to life on Sunday night as Zach Williams brought his Rescue Story tour to a sold out arena.  Through the music of Zach Williams, We the Kingdom and CAIN, the sold out crowd worship God through amazing music on a great night of praise and worship. The night got started with CAIN opening the night with a set.  Their performance helped get the crowd up out of their chairs and set the tone for the night.  The next performer was We the Kingdom who continued rocking the crowd and kept the tempo up.  They wrapped up with their Billboard number two song "Holy Water".  Following a brief intermission, it was time for Zach Williams to take the stage.  He performed a high energy set of almost twenty songs which kept the crowd dancing and praising the Lord all night long. Click on the photo above to view the entire Rescue Story Tour photo gallery .

The clear and cool waters of the Gulf of Mexico are a great place to enjoy a relaxing dip in the sea. With miles and miles of turquoise waters, the Sunshine State of Florida has no shortage of beaches to see and enjoy. (Photo: April 24, 2016)

Boca Grande, Florida: Located on the barrier island of Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island State Park encompasses over several miles of beachfront.  From these beaches, visitors have access to some of the nicest stretches of Gulf of Mexico in the state of Florida. There are four primary beaches as part of the Gasparilla Island State Park.  The beach access are: Sandspur Beach (home of the Gasparilla Rear Range lighthouse) Seagrape Beach Seawall Beach/South Beach Lighthouse Park on Boca Pass (home of the Port Boca Grande lighthouse) Each of these beaches have their own unique characteristics and are all excellent facilities. The Florida State Park system oversees all the beaches at Gasparilla Island State Park.  They charge $3 per car for access to the park and it is paid via honor boxes at each beach access. Click on the photo above to view the Gasparilla Island State Park photo gallery.

The Boeing 737 Max 8 performs test flights at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in April 2016. The Boeing Max program has been grounded for months as engineers try and resolved problems with the flight computer. While the aircraft did not experience any problem while testing in Sarasota, the entire fleet remains grounded until further notice. (Photo: April 18, 2016)

Punta Gorda, Florida: The Lemon Bay Manta Rays couldn’t counter the high scoring offense of the Charlotte Tarpons as they fell 8-3 in a JV baseball contest Friday evening at Charlotte High School.  The Tarpons jumped out to a big lead scoring 5 runs in the first three frames. The Manta Rays scored a run in the second and another in the fourth before Charlotte posted three more to the scoreboard in the fifth. Lemon Bay collected a lone run in the sixth but when the dust settled it was Charlotte picking up the 8-3 win. Click on the photo above to view the Manta Rays/Tarpons photo gallery .

A fish swims by in the clear waters of a freshwater pond at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers. The slough is a slow moving waterway that not only provides a safe place for threatened wildlife, but also acts as a filter for the water as it flows slowly south into the Estero Bay. (Photo: April 17, 2016)

Englewood, Florida:  The Lemon Bay Manta Rays could not hold back the hard charging offense of the Out of Door Academy Thunders as they were shut-out 8-0 on Wednesday night at Lemon Bay High School. The Thunder dominated all night long, posting eight unanswered runs on the scoreboard to cruise to the win. Click on the photo above to view the Manta Rays/Thunderphoto gallery .

The light of the Boca Grande Lighthouse provides a beacon of light in the night sky. The lighthouse was commissioned in 1890 and remained in service until 1966. It was reactivated in 1986 as an aid to navigation under the US Coast Guard. You can tour the lighthouse which is part of the Gasparilla Island State Park. (Photo: April 16, 2016)

A bird's eye view of the Sarasota Bayfront as seen from the roof of a bayfront condominium. The skyline of downtown Sarasota is constantly changing but the backbone of the iconic bayfront remains the same along the US-41 corridor in the heart of downtown. (Photo: April 20, 2016)

A pair of aircraft do some formation flying along the Gulf Coast of Florida on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The skies over Florida provide pilots with some of the best flying in the country and is a popular place for formation flying like seen here over South Brohard Beach near the Venice Municipal Airport. (Photo: April 10, 2016)

A general aviation aircraft buzzes South Brohard Beach on a Gulf of Mexico approach into Venice Municipal Airport. This municipal airport lies along the coast making the beaches a great place to watch airplanes. While Venice does not service commercial aircraft, it is a popular spot for general aviation and flight schools. (Photo: April 3, 2016)