The Wandering Disciple

The clear waters of the North Jetty Park are a popular beach oasis on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Located on the north side of the Venice Inlet, the beach at North Jetty Pork usually features crystal clear and calm waters making it a popular place to swim in the Gulf. But there is more than just beach to the park; there are plenty of picnic facilities, a playground, an Old Florida waterfront grill and plenty of fishing along the inlet. (Photo: July 4, 2017)

The Gulf of Mexico is relatively calm despite a storm raging off shore.  The summer time in Florida is known by afternoon/evening showers along the coast.  You can almost set your watch to these daily storms which provide a reprieve from the summer heat.  (Photo: May 23, 2020)

A roseate spoonbill wades through a waterway looking for a meal. These bright pink wading birds use their characteristic spoon shaped bill to filter feed along shallow waterways throughout Florida and the rest of the Gulf Coast of the United States. (Photo: July 11, 2015)

A ship sails into the channel of the Venice Inlet. The jetty here is a busy spot as its one of the few places to transition between the intercoastal waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. You can watch the traffic along the banks of the north or south jetty parks. The jetty is also a popular place to fish along the banks of the inlet. (Photo: March 21, 2015)

Get up close and personal with a gator at Pinelands Reserve. The alligator is a common sight in waterways around Florida. In the cooler months, they can be seen regulating their body temperature by sunning themselves along the banks of the water. (Photo: March 12, 2015)

An Eastern Meadowlark belts out a tune for all to hear. A beautiful song bird, the meadowlark has a distinct call that is very soothing and entertaining. This song of this colorful bird can be identified before you even have not seen the bird. (Photo: March 12, 2015)

A juvenile bald eagle stands watch over the Pinelands Reserve from atop a power pole. Bald Eagles are easily identified by their majestic white heads and tails. But did you know they are born without them? An eagle is born with all brown feathers with white streaks. They will remain this until they go through sexual maturity, or about five years of age. (Photo: December 4, 2014)

An alligator lays along the edge of a pond at Pinelands Reserve in central Sarasota County. In Florida, gators can be found in nearly any body of fresh water. They have even been spotted in saltwater from time to time. If there is a source of food, they can survive. But use caution when around bodies of water because even if you can't see a gator, don't assume one isn't there, a gator can stay underwater for several hours. (Photo: December 1, 2014)

Protect and serve, Gulf edition as the Venice Police Department marine patrol races to a call in the Gulf of Mexico. With miles and miles of coastline, its marine units like this one from Venice Police that keep boaters safe rain or shine. (Photo: July 12, 2014)

If there is a body of fresh water in the Sunshine State, there is a pretty good chance there is an alligator calling it home.  While most of the time, you will see them sunning themselves on the banks, they become a lot harder to see when they are in the water.  Their skin color helps conceal them against the darker water and they can also hide under the surface for a long period of time, sometimes in excess of two hours.  (Photo: March 12, 2015)

A family of deer run across a field at the Pinelands Reserve.  The reserve surrounding the landfill is a great place to see all types of wildlife from deer, birds of prey and much more.  (Photo: December 8, 2011)

A white tail deer blends in with the tall grasses of the Pineland Reserve in Nokomis. Deer use the cover of the tall grasses to camouflage them from predators. (Photo: December 8, 2011)

Nokomis, Florida: Every holiday season, the quiet Mission Valley community springs to life with colorful Christmas lights at Enander's Winter Wonderland. The annual event bring hundreds of people a night to gaze at the wonderful creations. The display was started in 1975 with just 200 lights and since grown to over 250,000 lights stretched over 2 acres of land. In the displays are the classics combined with new additions from Disney’s Frozen, the Minions and much more. The event runs nightly from 6pm to 10pm until January 7th and admission is free. Enander's Winter Wonderland is located at 2281 Mission Valley Blvd in Nokomis, Florida. Click on the photo above to view a few more photos from my Enander's Winter Wonderland photo gallery .

A juvenile eagle flies over the Pinelands Reserve. The Bald Eagle is not born with the white head and tail, it gets the iconic look as the bird matures. (Photo: July 11, 2015)

A sailboat sails by the beach at North Jetty Park along Casey Key. The jetty is a main passage for boats from the Intercoastal Waterway into the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo: March 21, 2015)

A brown pelican comes in for a landing in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico at North Jetty Park. (Photo: July 12, 2014)

Nokomis, Florida: Our day of watching wildlife continues as we headed to the Pinelands Reserve. Like past trips to the Pinelands, we were treated with great opportunities that included a one that I have not yet photographed, the Eastern Meadowlark. There were even a few baby Sandhill Cranes walking around with their momma. On today’s trip, we photographed: American Alligator  American Kestrel  Belted Kingfisher  Black Vulture  Double-crested Cormorant  Eastern Meadowlark  Great Blue Heron  Great White Egret  Little Blue Heron  Mottled Duck  Red-shouldered Hawk  Sandhill Crane  Turkey Vulture  White Ibis  White-tail Deer  Wood Stork  Pinelands Reserve is located around the Central County Landfill Complex off Knights Trail Road in Nokomis. If you are planning on visiting, you need to stop at the administration building to check-in and get a map of the property. There is always a dive...

An alligator lies on the bank of the lake at Pinelands Reserve.  The Pinelands Reserve provides a natural buffer around the Central County Landfill and his home to hundreds of animals including a large collection of alligators.  (Photo: December 1, 2014)

Nokomis, Florida: Located at the southern tip of Casey Key, North Jetty Park is a popular place for swimming and fishing. The 20 acre park is bordered by three bodies of water; the Gulf of Mexico, Venice Inlet and the Intercoastal Waterway. The western side of the park features 1,900 feet of coast line on the Gulf of Mexico, great for swimming, snorkeling and surfing. The southern and eastern side of the park are great for fishing. There are picnic pavilions, a playground and much more to enjoy between the bodies of water. The park operated by Sarasota County Parks and Recreation was acquired in 1979. It has been upgraded several times including a recent renovation of the bath house and concession area. The park is protected by lifeguards on the beach all year long. Click on the photo above to view my North Jetty Park photo gallery .

The lime green trucks of the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department have been protected the Nokomis community since 1950. The volunteers of the department staff two fire stations 24/7 and provide fire suppression service and EMS assistance to the residents of Nokomis, Laurel, Osprey and Casey Key. The NVFD also operates a fire academy that not only trains their personnel but is a training ground for many of the firefighters that are with the surrounding fire departments. (Photo: September 24, 2005)