Tidal Estuary. Where the land meets the sea.

The low country, where the vast gulf of Mexico meets the land is a wide tidal zone dominated by a seemingly endless maze of forests of mangroves.

These Black Mangroves (avicinia germinims) form wide mosaics of impenetrable forests in the shallow seas that separates the uplands from the open Gulf. These amazing trees thrive in the salt water environment.

Every seed (and there are literally millions yearly) forms a sprout and roots before it falls from the tree. Seeds that fall during high tides are floated to other locations on the tides.

As the tides recede they rest in the mud and begin sending down their roots. In recent years another variety, in addition to the Black, has begun to take root in our estuaries here at latitude 29 degrees.

The Red Mangrove (risophora mangle). This tree that is most commonly found further south where freezes are rarely known has taken hold here due to a trend in the weather pattern producing milder winters without hard freezes.

This Esturine environment zone existing between the high tide line and low tide is home to dozens of varieties of birds,

crustaceans and mollusks and many fish as well. Many schools of young fish who spend their adult life in the open waters of the Gulf live their youth in these shallow mangrove forests safely avoiding becoming food for larger predators.

The little Mangrove Crab (Aratis Pissionii) spends his entire life here; happily living out his days on the roots, trunks & branches of his namesake trees. Many birds use the shelter of the trees for protection and nesting. Today I saw Black Crowned Night Herons, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons and on a shell island a flock of American Avocets rested out the High tide. 

While the dominant, and almost exclusive tree in these forests is the mangrove; many grasses and salt tolerant plants also thrive here.

Saltwort, Glass wort, Spartina (smooth cordgrass) and Black Needle Rush are some.

Storms and the accompanying high tides often break boats loose and push them far into the mangrove coves and hidden bays.

When the storm tides recede the boats are left stranded and most often abandoned as well. 

As the tidal estuary gradually gives way to the slightly higher, dryer & hotter zone above the high tide line the vegetation changes dramatically.

Sabal palms,

Red Cedar,

Bay, and

Live Oaks and Black Jack Oaks struggle for survival in the instantly hot arid zone. Drought tolerant plants such as the

Coral Bean,

Prickly Pear Cactus, Lantana all are found here in the hot sandy and dry area above the high tide.

Here more than 150 years ago (1861) the first Florida rail road track arrived. Crossing the several miles of estuary to end in Cedar Key. Today I walked along a portion of that raised track bed. Remnants of the long since vanished railroad still remain. Old pilings from a trestle and

cinders from the coal fired steam locomotives. 

Paddleing these calm, shallow waters home to the mangrove forests, here where the land meets the sea, is an excursion that never grows old to me. I recomend you explore for yourself this most amazing of marine eco zones.