Down by the Riverside (and Fort): A TCD End of Summer Trip Report

[kampfirekim 260]

I am pro-surprises.

and I am pro-this update.

Looking forward to the rest of the surprises.. you are tricky.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I am pro-surprises.

and I am pro-this update.

Looking forward to the rest of the surprises.. you are tricky.

What else are you a pro at???

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I am proud to say I noticed that the River Country wagon was missing. It was all downhill from there, I was distracted by a squirrel.

Great update, Andrew. Between you and Kim the drive to the Fort has been bearable. :banana:

Sorry. I forgot about you and the squirrel distraction thing!

You sure have been on the road a long time.

When are you supposed to be arriving?

sneaky

Yep.

Sneaky.

That's how I roll.

I am pro-surprises.

and I am pro-this update.

Looking forward to the rest of the surprises.. you are tricky.

Yep.

Tricky too.

What else are you a pro at???

I will say what is trip report writing for 1000 Alex.

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I forgot to take a look at something that we just saw a bit more closely.

Namely this:

That's one of the firepits at the campfire.

This is a photo of the same firepit that I took in June:

I think they changed the rocks.

It looks like they made them so they are all piled closer to the fire pit.

This concrete and rocks are new this year.

When we were there in June, kids were standing on the rocks in order to reach the fire with their marshmallow sticks.

That wasn't a good idea.

Kids with flaming molten hot marshmallows wobbling on the rocks.

It looks like they made the pile tighter so you can reach the fire without standing on the rocks.

Interesting.

Well, it's interesting to me anyway.

TCD

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Sorry. I forgot about you and the squirrel distraction thing!

You sure have been on the road a long time.

When are you supposed to be arriving?

I feel Like I have been on the road half a lifetime :rofl2: It really hasn't been too bad, a minor glitch here and there. We check-in tomorrow :banana:

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

As a second follow up to the last post, here's how the 800 loop bus stop looked before its recent cornerectomy:

Since this post appeared on a new page, and since some of you have short attention spans, I'll post the after photos here so you don't have to look back and find them:

Interesting.

Well, to me anyway.

TCD

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

can you imagine how much damage that corner has cost people in cosmetic repairs....

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

As a second follow up to the last post, here's how the 800 loop bus stop looked before it's recent cornerectomy:

Since this post appeared on a new page, and since some of you have short attention spans, I'll post the after photos here so you don't have to look back and find them:

Interesting.

Well, to me anyway.

TCD

Hey as long as there are no squirrels, I'm good :rofl2:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

OK, so I left y'all hanging a bit with the two big surprises thing.

Sorry about that.

But, the good thing for you is that TCD is no tease.

I deliver the goods.

And here they come!

Where we last left off, we had arrived at the back porch of the Meadow Trading Post.

I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but this is one of my favorite places in Fort Wilderness.

Especially early in the morning.

It was just after 8, so I went in and got a cup of coffee.

And then settled in to one of the rocking chairs in the back to set a spell before returning to POR.

I was satisfied with all that I had seen and the photos I had taken on this little visit.

I had a new TCDRMOG, and two surprises to report on.

Along with some wildlife photos, including my white bird, the bunny, the wicked spid-dah, and the squirrel who drank from the water fountain.

I was good to go.

I would just drink this coffee and be on my way.

In the meantime, I continued to enjoy this view:

Take a moment to appreciate that view- the smooth water, the reflections of the trees, the white bird over on the other side of the lake, to the left, and the canoes lined up on the beach over at the right.

Just gorgeous!

As I was sitting there, something caught my eye.

Something had popped up out of the water, and then quickly dove back under.

What the Fort?

I got up out of my rocker, and got closer to the edge of the water.

Something popped up again.

I saw what it was this time.

I tried to take a photo, but it was too fast for me.

So, I just got the rings of the wave that it made when it dove down:

As I stood and watched for this thing to reappear, I saw something else to my left.

Same deal, as soon as I snapped a photo, it was gone:

Crap.

This was something that I knew I needed to photograph.

But my subjects were not cooperating.

I held my ground.

Then, one of the little critters surfaced and swam right on by:

OTTERS!!!!

For all the talk that there has been among the Fiends about otters, I am here to tell you that I have never, ever, in all my visits to the Fort actually seen an otter in the confines of the Fort Wilderness campground.

Never.

Until today.

And, I didn't just see one.

I saw two!

There's one of them swimming over there:

My friend the big white bird is over there still too.

I had a heck of a time trying to get a decent photo of these two little critters.

For a while, I thought they were gone, but then I noticed some waves on the other side of the bridge toward the pool:

I headed over to the pool for a closer look. The otters had gotten out of the water, and were playing in the grass just on the bank of the canal:

They were doing otter stuff there in the grass, rolling around, and all the while keeping a lookout for humans:

Then they dove back in to the canal:

They swam under the bridge, and toward TnBob's dock:

I headed on over to the dock, and tried to find them. They were in some tall grass, and then they swam under the dock.

Here's an extreme close-up of one of them:

Then, they were back out in the lake swimming all over the place. The would surface briefly, get a breath, and then dive back down.

This made it impossible for me to get a photo.

But, I did get this one of two otter butts:

This is the best photo I got of one of them:

Here's a zoom on that photo:

That looks like an otter, right?

Here's one of them diving under:

And, one of them cruising by the dock:

One of them came back and was looking for something in the grass:

You can see his tail in this photo:

They swam around and frolicked for quite a while.

Then the lake suddenly got quiet and smooth again:

The otters were gone.

The otters were the two things that I saw at the Fort that really surprised me.

After all my visits to the Fort, I never expected to actually see otters there.

But now I have.

And you have too.

I won't name names, but some of y'all owe the OtterSpotter an apology.

Next up.

I return to POR.

Where we got some breakfast and then headed out.

This TR is about done.

TCD

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

KEWL!!!!!

[SCTigerCock 171]

TCD, I think those photos are doctored, b/c we all know otters steal beer and I didn't see any beer cans/bottles/kegs around them....just sayin.....

But maybe those otters are under age or attending AA, if so, then Outstanding! :banana:

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Wow, that is just amazing :banana:

[TheLug 10]

Awesome!!! I haven't seen them at the fort Before but i have seen them twice i think at Buena Vista Palace. My DGF loves that hotel for some reason.

[kampfirekim 260]

I was reading this report without signing in. Then I had to sign in so that I could say..

Outstanding job!!!! Until now I truly believed that otters at the fort was a myth.

:bravo:

[Lou... 3,118]

Until now I truly believed that otters at the fort was a myth.

Oh sure Kim, Debbie and I say we've seen them, I also have photos, and we're chopped liver. But TCD says it and it's Ga Ga Go Go, oh Andrew.

Anyway nice job Andrew. I'm not jealous. Well, maybe just a little.

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Oh sure Kim, Debbie and I say we've seen them, I also have photos, and we're chopped liver. But TCD says it and it's Ga Ga Go Go, oh Andrew.

Anyway nice job Andrew. I'm not jealous. Well, maybe just a little.

well we see where you are positioned on the totem pole, don't we :rofl2:

[Lou... 3,118]

well we see where you are positioned on the totem pole, don't we

Yes we do, and I fully agree with it.

[Hotmamac aka Misty 11]

Otters!?!

How awesome!! We have some river otters at our local zoo and I swear I could watch them all day! Seeing them free and au naturale like that must have been amazing!

Great job on the pics!!

[Lou... 3,118]

Otters!?!

How awesome!! We have some river otters at our local zoo and I swear I could watch them all day! Seeing them free and au naturale like that must have been amazing!

It is amazing. I watch them every now and then, not lately though for some reason, in the tiny little pond across the street from Pleasure Island next to the Hess gas station.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Obviously I have missed the otter debate and said proof before. I would have believed you Lou. Andrew those are some awesome pictures... particularly the close up of the back of the otter at the dock. That's what the hippies would call groovy man! :rofl2:

[kampfirekim 260]

Oh sure Kim, Debbie and I say we've seen them, I also have photos, and we're chopped liver. But TCD says it and it's Ga Ga Go Go, oh Andrew.

Anyway nice job Andrew. I'm not jealous. Well, maybe just a little.

I assumed Debbie was just otter obsessed. She does keep plush otters in her moho window afterall. :rofl2:

As for you young man... I have only heard you say that you've seen them near the Hess station and DTD. Not at the Fort. Nor have you shown me a photo.

You should know I'd have believed you if you'd shown me a photo.

As far as the ga ga ga goo goo goo goes, you're confusing my admiration of the otter photos with the fact that I met TCD in his swimsuit just a few short weeks ago. So there!

well we see where you are positioned on the totem pole, don't we :rofl2:

Now that's funny right there! :rofl3:

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I wasn't surprised to see the Ring Carver's kiosk hidden away. I've never seen anyone actually purchase anything there. Browse yes. Purchase ... no. We've already discussed this subject elsewhere so I'll let it go.

Poned!!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Well I'll be an otter's uncle.

That is pretty cool!!

I'm surprised Jim hasn't come around yet with his Nutria theories. But I've compared your pics to pics of Nutria online. And those sure look like otters to me!

[stefa70 205]

I have caught up on the report now. I'm sad that it's coming to an end.

Great job on getting the otter pictures! I never doubted Lou or Deb, but I like picture proof. I have seen them in Crystal River, but never at the fort. I guess I need to go sit on Bob's dock and wait.

I'm assuming your going to finish this report by the weekend so you can give us some football news/pictures next week?

I'm here til Monday, you are just a short drive away,& you are more than welcome to come over. Though it would probably be wise to do it before doodle gets here as I can't be responsible for her behavior!