Miami | Broward | Palm Beach
Whether it be surfing, snorkeling or just lounging, before I head out to one of our many South Florida beaches, I always check out Surfline’s Beach Cameras to find the best spot for my day’s activities.
Below, I have listed South Florida’s available beach cameras for easy access:
Bookmark this page so you can always come back and find the right beach for your day’s adventures!
The state wildlife commission is offering $1,000 for catching the longest snake in the Everglades, and $1,500 for catching the most. The event is to be called the 2013 Python Challenge.
The challenge will start on January 12 at UF’s Davie campus and move off to the wilderness after a daylong open house on pythons and other invasive species.
Competitors will be allowed to catch snakes at four state wildlife management areas: Francis S. Taylor, Big Cypress, Holey Land, and Rotenberger.
The competition is being sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Nature Conservancy, the Future of Huniting in Florida, Zoo Miami, and others. The prizes will be awarded Feb. 16 at Zoo Miami.
To learn more about the 2013 Python Challenge, check out PythonChallenge.org http://www.pythonchallenge.org/
Let me start this article off by saying I’m a cat person. Always have been and always will, but a little puppy came into my life and has won a piece of my heart over. His name is Thunder and was adopted a few weeks ago by my boyfriend from the Humane Society of Broward County. He is a 4 month old black lab and is oh so sweet and playful. In these hot summer days, I’ve found fun ways to keep little Thunder cool. Check out my list of 5 ways to keep your doggy cool during summer or since we’re in south Florida, you can always refer to this list year-round!
1. Swimming pool
We took Thunder to his grandma’s house for his first swimming lesson. He enjoyed the water and already loves jumping in the air and into the pool. Unfortunately, we don’t have a pool but we got a little wading pool from Toys R Us for him to use on the days he can’t make it over to grandma’s house. He likes bringing his chew toy and eating frozen treats while hanging in the pool.
2. Hose
If you don’t have a pool or space for a kiddie pool, just a good ol’ hose attachment works great! We have a hose sprayer with six different functions so we can spray a soft mist or a stream for him to drink from. You can also set up a lawn sprinkler attachment that moves back and forth for doggy to run through.
3. Frozen treats and toys
Just the other day I froze a bunch of puppy-friendly veggies, treats and raw-hide strips in a Tupperware container. It helps to freeze the water with the treats and toys in layers so that it is evenly distributed. For even extra flavor, I read you can add a little bit of chicken stock to the water. Thunder went crazy for this treat and you can definitely freeze them in various sized containers depending on your size dog.
4. Fresh water
Something basic, yet very important is to have fresh water available, always. It is especially crucial in south Florida as dehydration is a serious issue for both humans and animals. I like throwing in a few ice cubes as well for extra refreshment. We have a high back water bowl and rubber mat so he can slurp away without too much clean up.
5. Stay indoors
If it’s too hot, just stay indoors! We have a long hallway so we play fetch with a tennis ball so Thunder can stretch his legs on those scorching afternoons. While indoors, he can focus well without distractions so we also take “indoor time” as an opportunity to teach him commands and tricks. After some fun, we like cooling off on the sofa and watching TV (or taking naps!).
We haven’t had a chance to take Thunder to a dog beach or dog park yet but those are definitely great places for your dog to cool off while soaking up the sun as well! What are some of your favorite South Florida parks or beaches that get two paws up from your pup?
http://www.humanebroward.com
954.989.3977
I have quite a few photos to go through before I can write about and post photos from my recent weekend camping trip to Jonathan Dickinson State Park. In the meantime, I came across photos from a bike route I took from the heart of North Miami to Haulover Beach Park. My sister bought me a CamelBak® Rogue™ for Christmas last year which I loaded up with cold water and I road, appropriately enough, my mom’s beach cruiser to make my trek.
After going north on Biscayne Boulevard, I made my way east towards the beach along Sunny Isles Boulevard. Along the way, I passed Oleta River State Park which is another great place in South Florida. (I’m sure one of us will write about it in an upcoming post!) After making my way over the bridge, I went south on Collins Avenue until I saw a sign for Sunny Isles Beach Walk (on the east/beach side) and the beginning of the bike path.
You can find a place to lock up your bike at Haulover Beach, drop your trousers and sunbathe at the clothing optional section of the beach or be a prude and continue on the bike path as I did. There are many picnic tables available in the grassy part of Haulover Beach Park but get there early on weekends!
One of the cool things on this bike path, strangely enough, are the showers. They stand out with their interesting architecture and are painted with bright, bold patterns.
The end of the bike path is at an inlet where many people fish off of. I’ve taken a slightly different route at night which takes you towards the opposite side of the inlet and you’ll see people fishing at all hours of the night as well. On this particular day, the water and sky were both a beautiful shade of blue and I made my way back with the sun and a smile on my face.
I bought a Mongoose mountain bike from Wal-Mart (and took off all the stickers) for a little over $200 and decided to give this mountain biking thing a try.
I was told there are two great places to mountain bike in South Florida: Markham Park and Quiet Waters Park.
Quiet Waters is the better choice for beginners or those looking to condition their bodies back into biking shape. The trails are smaller and not as intense as those found at Markham, and it usually isn’t a very busy location since most of the pros prefer Markham Park.
I used the Endomondo Sports Tracker app on my iPhone to track my progress and location.
After biking 4.55 miles in about 45 minutes (with some small breaks), I felt great. And even though the bike I used wasn’t professional grade, it held up to the rough terrain and a couple falls without any problems.
If you decide to give it a try, just make sure you are careful and gain enough momentum before attempting any tough ramps. I learned the hard way. Always wear a helmet. Knee pads can’t hurt either. If you carry an iPhone with you, make sure you have proper protection, like an Otterbox. I dropped mine a couple times while using it for music.
After a few more tries, I’m going to try the trails over at Markham Park and I’ll report my experiences here (If I survive!)
The Perseids are an annual meteor shower that grace our skies between the July and August months.
This year, the Perseids will be at their peak Monday night, August 12th. They are expected to last until dawn Tuesday, August 13th.
Deciding on going out to see the Perseid Meteor Shower? Read this quick guide before you go:
Where can I view the Perseid Meteor Shower?
The Perseid Meteor Shower will come from the north east but you can see it anywhere in the sky. Originating from the constellation Perseus, once a year they will shoot across our night sky to be viewed by all. Look fast, they appear as quick streaks in the sky.
You’ll want to get your eyes adjusted to the night to best view the Perseid Meteor Shower so whatever you do, stay away from anything bright and don’t look at the moon. Leave the flash lights at home.
Where should I go to view the Perseid Meteor Shower?
If possible, try to leave the city and get to a dark area with an open view to the sky. Most places will be fine but the darker the better you will see the Perseid Meteor Shower.
When can I see the Perseid Meteor Shower?
The Perseid Meteor Shower will be mostly active after midnight going into early Tuesday morning, August 13th. It’s expected to last hours into dawn.
Should I bring equipment to see the Perseid Meteor Shower?
No special equipment is required to see the Perseid Meteor Shower. You can see everything with your own eyes.
Leave the telescopes inside, grab a lawn chair and just rely on your own eyes as you take in the evening’s event in your backyard.
Happy star-gazing, South Florida!