In my post of September 8, 2016 I reported Ranger John’s memorial bench had been damaged by hurricane Hermine.
On a recent visit to the Refuge on I saw the bench had been repaired (or replaced). I was so used to seeing the bench in that location it took moment to remember it had been gone for months.
These two images show how welcoming Ranger John’s bench still remains, though the vegetation will take some time to recover from the effects of storm surge. The view of Apalachee Bay which Ranger John enjoyed so much remains one of the gems of the Refuge.
This is how the original looked before the hurricane:
If you are a devotee of Ranger John’s bench or would like to see it for the first time please come down to the Lighthouse at Saint Marks National Wildlife Refuge.