AN ALLIGATOR AND A FISH--

We had just finished logging an Earth Geo-Cache at the Grassy Waters Preserve near West Palm Beach, FL--my 3,000th cache log--when this young alligator frolicked by our boardwalk vantage point.  I liked to think it was joining our genteel celebration.

The 23.5 square mile preserve itself is celebrated for being a pristine remnant of the once great Everglades ecosystem and serves as the fresh water supply for the city of West Palm Beach and associated municipalities.

Earth Caches are my favorite part of this marvelous activity called Geocaching.  Regular caches are some sort of hidden container which includes a log to be signed.  The latitude/longitude of the cache is posted on the internet and we use hand-held GPS receivers and/or smartphone apps to find these often elusive rascals.  The signed log proves the success of our search.

Earth Caches are mostly prominent geological sites around the World and we find their parking area or trailheads with similarly posted coordinates.  In place of signing a log we usually must answer questions from information found only at the site to satisfy the cache producer of our actual visit.

Our direct reward is a little smiley posted in our personal, on-line caching history, but the far greater reward is enjoying the successful search for cache containers hidden around the globe in places we likely would never otherwise visit.  Earth Caches done seriously and with a touch of scholarship are a learning experience far in advance of the more usual human pursuit of staring at a TV.

By the way, there are more than 2.5 million active geocaches around the world including likely an astonishing number in your home area.

Another reward is like the thrill of seeing a wild, live alligator without it's being restrained behind a steel fence at your local zoo.

Did you notice the fish sneaking behind the cavorting gator?

For the scholars in the crowd we estimated this young Crocodylia/Alligatoridae/Alligator mississippiensis to be about 3 feet long. You certainly are well advised to give these creatures a respectfully wide distance.  An adult can grow to more than a ton in weight, have from 74 to 80 teeth, and their bite can crack a turtle's shell.