New Google Earth imges for the Everglades

[Juan Estevez]

Has anyone noticed that GE has updated some images of the ENP? The 10K island region looks better, but southeast of Flamingo not that well.

Or maybe is just my computer, can anyone confirm this?

Thank you.

[Keith W]

Yeah, I just noticed this myself. Some areas that I'm extremely interested in have greatly improved (Lost Portage), others not as much. Whitewater Bay and Cape Sable are just plain fugly now! I'll go back to Terraserver for those areas.

[Keith W]

There is an Historical Imagery tool in Google Earth found under the View menu which allows you to go back to previous imagery sets. For best detail is the Oct. 24 2004 data that was available prior to the recent update. There is a later date of Dec 27, 2004 that is not as detailed but shows slightly newer features to be seen than on the Oct 24 images. One in particular is the "new" trail I referenced in the Lost Portage thread. This trail isn't visible in the 10/30/04 images but it can be seen in the 12/30/04 set, so it isn't a new trail after all.

What would be even better is when an update actually improved the imagery instead of making it worse.

[yakmaster]

If we're talking about the trail about 3/4 of an inch (on the screenshot) above the "western portal" it looks to be an old airboat or game trail...or maybe a portage used by our ancestors...


BTW how do you get to the historical versions?

[Keith W]

In Google Earth go to the View menu and click on 'Historical Data'. You'll get a slider control that will allow you to step back through different data sets. The |< and >| buttons land you on each available set. The clearest and most detailed (except for the cloud cover) is the Oct '04 set that was previously used and the one I took all of my screenshots and custom maps from before they did the latest update. Step back to Nov 30 '99 and you'll see the same aerials that Terraserver still uses, only a lot easier to navigate through. You can go as far back as Jan '95, and you will see how llittle the landscape has changed in nearly 15 years.

The "new" trail doesn't appear on the Oct '04 map but it does on the Dec '04 map which places it's origin somewhere within those 3 months, so I don't think it is an old airboat trail. I'm pretty sure that Dec '04 was about the time that Alan Coulter took his Outward bound crew across the Portage.

[Keith W]

One more thing: those step-back dates will vary according to your location. I'm still learning this stuff myself...

[Keith Wellman]

That historical data tool is great! Thanks for the tip.

Keith Wellman

[Terry]

Wow! We finally have a Goggle aerial without a giant cloud right on top of the
south end of the Lost Portage. And, like Keith determined last year that western
path that goes way south of the South Portal then turns and goes back north
does end up back close to the South Portal. Bizarre. Unless that was
purposely wandering around sight-seeing that's an example of some pretty
rough navigating. I did better than that before GPS using dead-rekoning.

Here we go again, it looks so easy from the aerials!

[Jay Place]

Anyone using GE on a Mac? I tried to upgrade from 4.x(?) to 5 and it crashes immediately on start up. Haven't found anything on the GE help forum.

I can still launch the 4.x version and use it, but would like to have the historical map images.

[toofaraway]

I use three or more viewers. Bing Live maps (birds eye view is really cool but is limited to areas close to cities, ex.useful for the area from the main park entrance down almost to 9 mile pond). Another new one I found somewhere was this one: http://demo.geogarage.com/noaa/

Also, Google maps and Google earth. I find Terraserver is still the best for printing purposes although it's very slowwwww lately.

I'm heading from Seattle to the Park on Weds and bringing a cold front with me, how convenient. Happy Thanksgiving and happy exploring! I plan to explore Hells Bay/North River/Watsons and fish a little out front in the "box".

John
TooFarAway!