Manatee Move

On Thursday Dec 2nd we said goodbye to Orlando and our friends Millie and Ray and headed off toward the Gulf Coast side of Florida. We stopped for a few days in Crystal River. The park was not very nice, but it didn't matter much because we weren't there most of the time. We went exploring every day. We found the city park where the Crystal River runs into the Gulf. Here is a picture. Note the white sand....

Within 10 miles of Crystal River is a town called Homosassa Springs. We learned that it is home to a Wildlife Preserve/Park. You know me.... if there are critters... I'm there. We paid $10.00 a piece to board a boat, and be taken through canals that are home to ducks, cranes, birds and untold other creatures. The ride lasted 15 minutes. The ranger on the boat told us that should something unforeseen happen, there were life jackets under our seats. He asked if we would, in the event the boat was sinking, take a preserver and hold it over our heads as we walked through 3 foot deep water to the shore. The coast guard mandates that they carry these life preservers even though the water is only 3 feet deep. BUT, if the preserver gets wet, they have to replace it with a new one, so that's why we were asked to carry them. BUREAUCRACY !!  Anyway, back to our tour. The boat dropped us off on an island that was a rehab center for wounded, sick and/or animals unable to return to the wild due to their injuries. The main purpose of the center however is to care for wounded manatees. The warm springs in the area keep the water temperature in the inlet between 74 and 78 degrees all winter. The manatees need a minimum of 68 degrees so many of them come to this area to winter.... just like the snowbirds of Pa. We saw a 3,000 pound manatee called Rosey. They currently have 6 manatees in the "care center". The day we were there, Saturday, was the first day that they opened the bay gates so the free manatees could come into the inlet to the springs. The manatees in the "care center" are kept separate until their injuries are healed. We listened to the ranger explain the system and she showed us the contraptions they have to lift 3000 pounds of manatee to an operating table. It was a wonderful afternoon and I would have paid 3 times the money. I was so intrigued that I forgot all about taking pictures. But what's Florida without pink flamingos.....

Another one of our trips took us to an old archaeological dig along the Crystal River. It was a ceremonial site of the Indians. Many shards of pottery and tools were found here along with human remains. Here is a picture of one of the mounds and the plaque beside it.

On Sunday, we headed on the road again. 2 WalMart stops and then we will spend some time in De Funiak Springs. It is between Tallahassee and Pensacola in the panhandle of Florida. We stopped in this area last year and thought we would like to go back, but to a different park. Last year we stayed at a large park, 180 sites, where John exclaimed...."I don't like it here, there are too many old people". We have reservations at a VERY small park, 34 sites, but in the same neighborhood.