Flamingo, Monroe County, Florida
Flamingo is located on the Florida Bay is a small community of Monroe County in southeastern Florida, in the Everglades National Park.
Originally, before the establishment of the national park, it was a small fishing village, which was associated with the next largest city, with Florida City to the east via a single road, the Old Ingraham Road. Traces of this road can still be found on the Anhinga Trail, which was part of this road once, and its sequel as Old Ingraham Trail. This is enabled for hiking and cycling. This old, historic street no longer exists so; instead leads the State Road 9336 Florida City about 60 kilometers south-west to Flamingo.
Since the founding of the National Park, the former commercial fishing has disappeared in Flamingo. Instead, a ranger station of the National Park Service ( NPS) was built, also keep an operated by the NPS campground with an adjacent amphitheater at which the evening Ranger relevant lectures on the Everglades. But fishermen with their boats and fishing are still present in this place; mostly locals who already arrive in the morning 5-6 clock at the park entrance and take the hour's drive time on the park road to be, only to find in the fishing grounds of Florida Bay their luck.
Commercially operated a marina. Canoes ( Canadian) and kayaks and boats can be hired with outboard motor, bike rental and tours can be booked with larger vessels such as the pelican. Fuel for boats and cars is available, as camping supplies, relevant literature about the park, snacks, drinks, fruit and other food. In addition, there are two hot water showers, which can be used for a fee of campers - a good alternative to the cold water showers at the campsite.
The busiest time for tourism in the Everglades are the months from November to March / April, so the end and the beginning of the rainy season. The same applies to Flamingo itself; to October rare find in the months of May, campers, and otherwise payable U.S. $ 16 fee per night not to fall. During this time, most facilities are closed in Flamingo; the ranger station not occupied; there will be no park programs and only the little shop of Marina continues to offer his services. But are the mosquitoes and other insects such as the sandflies to a true plague. In the so-called dry season, however, awakens the place of its tourist hibernation; the activity of mosquitoes decreases, but does not go out completely - mosquito repellent is advisable in any case.
The campsite now fills up with caravans and tents, until finally around the time of Christmas and New Year's the climax is reached. Now without reservation to get a seat, can be difficult, particularly as part of the campsite, the loops B, C and D are closed.
As everywhere in the Everglades, as well as Flamingo offers a variety of wildlife and a very interesting natural landscape. Again, there are flat expanses of low growth and high density and high mangrove forest. Trails lead to various places in the neighborhood of the place such as the Christian Point Trail to the waters of Florida Bay.
Flamingo is one of the few places where both crocodiles and alligators live together.
Partial destruction and reconstruction
By 2005, also ( a hotel ), the Buttonwood were ( a restaurant ), a number of cottages and rental of houseboats operated the Flamingo Lodge. In 2005, two hurricanes Katrina and Wilma caused massive damage to the Lodge, the cottages and the amphitheater. The marina was affected; Houseboats are not available at the time. The lodge and the cottages were demolished.
A perennial discussion of the manner of a reconstruction started. Four possible solutions drawn off, which ranged the wide range from the status quo on the restoration of the facilities up to a contemporary reconstruction with ecological weighting prior to their destruction. This final draft, also known as Alternative D, found in August 2008 in the approval of the Everglades National Park Flamingo Commercial Services Plan its preliminary financial statements.
Key points of the fourth alternative are:
- Establishment of a lodge and a restaurant on a raised platform to protect against floods
- Construction of cottages on raised platforms to protect against floods
- Two new Chickees in Florida Bay
- Electrical connections for the trailer part of the camp
- Construction of ecotents, quasi-stationary tents with solar panels
- Reintroduction of Houseboats
- New quarters for the staff of the Park Service and the commercial facilities