La Florida, you surpassed all expectations. From your crystal clear springs to your bird-flocking bays and estuaries, from your keys to your hammocks, from from your barrier islands to your river of grass. Not only were you the place we hit so many personal milestones (namely hitting our stride after 6 months on the road and more importantly fishing independently😅), but we were enraptured by your abundant and diverse ecosystems that kept us on our toes: jumping from lurking gators, spotting endangered species, learning how to chase birds to find the fish, shuffling our feet in the sand to avoid sting rays, identifying the quirkiest of birds and the rarest of shells, and coming to understand what role all they all play in an oh-so delicate balance. La Florida your state parks are pristine, your history complicated, your beauty a gift.

✌🏼Until next time…

PS: Did you know there was once two Floridas? The Apalachicola River once separated the colonies East Florida and West Florida. I didn’t.