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Published: January 11th 2017
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The night at Golden Isles was uneventful, other than being awakened by the garbage truck at 5:15 but I was quickly back to sleep. Breaking camp was easy, just one plug and gone. The new heater kept the rig warm all night long, perhaps too warm. I wanted to get to Blue Spring early in the day; therefore, I didn’t stop at the outlets in St. Augustine that I really was going to do this year. Instead I drove the fastest route, around Jacksonville to the east, seeing the twin nuclear reactor towers and a cruise ship. Both surprising me in Jacksonville.
Blue Spring is one of my favorite State Parks. Home to the manatees in the winter. In years past I have adopted a manatee here for my sons and son in law for Father’s Day. It has a beautiful densely wooded campground with paved roads and hard packed sand campsites. My site was 2 sites away from the paved path that leads to the hot spring. Old friend Joanne also had a reservation here, and she was meeting a new friend to me, Anita. Winston was thrilled to be out of the RV. I hooked him up to
the picnic table on his long lead; he just siffed and siffed and pee’d, etc. He was smiling. Once the other girls arrived, we spent happy hour getting acquainted and reacquainted and reminiscing. Joanne and I have camped together many times, most recently on the rally in New Orleans for Mardi Gras a few years ago. We all will cross paths a few times over the next month as our reservations overlap.
I met a wonderful couple while I was walking Winston. Bob and Priscilla and I don’t know where they are from. It took me a while to realize Priscilla is deaf and read lips. She was working hard on training her very barky schnauzer. Bob said she is a perfect dog trainer because the barking doesn’t get to her. They were both beautiful souls, so very much in love. Married 35 years. I don’t know what he did for a living, but he was Director of MIS at a university. All because her parents put her on the path of reading lips rather than signing.
I also met another couple from NY who wanted to know if I had a TV. They didn’t have one in their rig and they wanted to watch the college football game…..there go those blasted Clemson flags again. I said no, laughingly.
I was a big shot and said I would be ready to go visit the manatees at 7:00 am. Joanne came to get me….and I was still asleep. I woke up at 7:20 and was on my way down the hill by 7:22. At the first overlook, closest to the ‘boil’ (where the hot spring comes out of the ground) there were no manatees. I met other folks who told me to go to the third one down. There were significant amount of manatees. Big ones, little ones. The water is calm and the air is so quiet, it sounded like whispering when they came up for air. Same thing at the next overlook. By this time I was dragging Winston. He had to sniff every leaf, every twig, pee on every tree and pole and poop 4 times. But, I had nothing else to do, so what the heck. I saw the ranger after his morning count. 380 manatees were in the spring that morning. Not a record, but very close. 380!!!! Now, that was the count by the ranger. Wayne, the retired ranger who still get in his canoe and counts, was not there today, and he always gets more than the ranger does because he is in the water, while the ranger counts from the shore. He said Wayne’s wife was sick and he hadn’t counted in a few days. I still can’t get over 380. I saw the Bob and Priscilla were there as well and went over to tell them the count. Such pleasant people.. Amazing.
I am unable to post the videos I took, not enough bandwidth, is that what you call it?????? They will have to wait until another day.
Joanne and Anita came for a quick visit and watched me put water into my batteries. I have 3, they are located under the entry stairs. Not the easiest to get to, those blasted caps are stuck underneath the straps, and I am clumsy at it. I had noticed that my idiot gauge for batteries was never at 100% charged. No wonder, they were all low on water. I put ½ gallon into them!!! Not an easy job for my old arthritic hands, but I did it. I am woman, hear me roar. They now are 100% charged all the time.
Check out time was 1:00, I left at 12 and traveled the 50 miles to my campground until Sunday, Southern Palms in Eustis. Tomorrow thru Sunday is the regular monthly campout with the MidLows chapter of Loner on wheels. Since I left NC a day early, I arrived here a day early. They had room for me so here I am. This is a beautiful campground. Almost 1000 sites, but well taken care of. There are many activities, 2 pools, club houses, etc. The sites are somewhat small, but they do a good job of helping you get into your site so you are straight and don’t put a lot of junk out. I don’t see a lot of rundown full timer trailer. The rest of the group, including Anita, arrive tomorrow, and it will be good to catch up with more old friends.
I got my bike out, pumped it up and took Winston for a run. He was happy. Me, too, I have been pretty lazy for a few days.
Now to go watch President Obama’s farewell speech.
Kat out
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