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Published: January 5th 2016
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All about the Manatees
Happy Birthday Richard
The only reason to come to this park in the winter is the Manatees. It is a beautiful park, lush Florida vegetation between sites, level sites, albeit sandy, paved interior roadways, brand new bath houses, well documented cranky ranger staff, and the manatees. In the summer you can swim in the warm spring, boat and fish in the river. In the winter, not so much.
Up yesterday at 7, to the spring at 7:20. I walked from midway of the spring downstream to where it joins the St John’s River, stopping at all the scenic overlooks and many places between. I saw the ranger out early counting near the join, and he said 9 there. Closer towards the spring the numbers increased. Just a week ago, there were NONE. The river temperature was 73 degrees. The manatee’s food is in the river, so no need for them to enter the spring. They don’t like to stay in the stream longer than necessary – they have eaten all the vegetation there, and these beings do eat like pigs. I took a great video of a baby scratching his back on a downed
tree, unfortunately I fumbled getting the camera open and started, so the video is short.
Wayne Hartley, retired in 2010 from a lifelong career as a Florida State Park Ranger, as Manatee Specialist. To this day, he continues in that role in the winter, with almost daily canoe rides from the mouth to the boil, counting manatees. He is a crusty old curmudgeon, and I have seen him a few times. He can be wonderful and friendly or, like this morning complaining about the cold on his feet. It is almost spiritual, though, watching his canoe skim across the water and the manatees turn around and follow him, kind of like the Pied Piper. I asked him if he had magical food painted on the bottom of the canoe, and he replied that the group around him were the more curious of the herd. I never did hear a final count for the day. I encourage you to check out the various webpages associated with
www.savethemanatee.org, to see Wayne in action.
The rest of the day was spent cleaning inside the RV, and taking naps. I finally might be caught up on all the sleep I have missed
over the past few weeks. Out of curiosity, I watched the second hour of The Bachelorette. I am still shaking my head. I don’t think there was a woman there with anything but fluff in her head. A chicken enthusiast? Sigh.
My new heater works just great. It kept me warm all evening until I went to bed. Then I hunker under the down comforter and am toasty until I wake up to 51 degree inside temperature. Laugh.
Tuesday morning’s walk took me the other way, upstream towards the spring, towards the boil. There were 9 floating giants gently just on the edge of the spring opening. I took some pictures, but with the glare and the ruffle of the water, it is difficult to see the true hole in the ground. You will have to use your imagination. There were easily 100 manatees in the spring this morning. I have to be truthful, I did not see Lilly, Doc, or Phillip. I might have, just no one to ask who was who. I read their names in the literature, so we are just going to say that my pictures are of Lilly, Doc and Phillip.
Kristine
and family gave me a fitbit for Christmas. She and Lou don’t use them, but Tim, Gret, and John helped me set mine up and I have become a step tracking wiz. They have included me in 2 WorkWeek challenges, who can do the most steps Monday to Friday. I came in near the bottom last week, and looks like the same this week. I hate to walk. It hurts my feet, my hips ache, and now I am getting shin splints. I am doing about 8000 steps a day about 3 miles, but the others in these challenges do about 13K to 16K steps per day. So, I will keep striving to hit the 8000, and ride my bike the 3 miles a day I do, and do 15 minutes of arm and leg weights, and 15 minutes of stretching and be very happy. Not bad for 69, not bad at all.
Tomorrow morning I leave here. There is a Publix, Petco, and Bed Bath & Beyond all nearby….groceries, dog food, clip on desk lamp. Then on to Olde Mill Stream RV Resort in Umatilla (I love how that name rolls off my tongue) until Sunday for a
Loners on Wheels campout. Lots of laughs and catching up with old friends.
Kat out
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Barb
non-member comment
Hi
What a beautiful place! It must be wonderful to see those gentle giants in their natural habitat. The scenery is beautiful with the shade from the trees shadowing the water adds to its beauty. Have fun and stay safe.