Archive for February, 2015

Amazing is the only way to describe this

Friday, February 27th, 2015

I have wanted to do this for a very long time.  Paul told me about Manatee and diving with them in the late 70’s and I have remembered.  We finally found the time and booked a tour with Captain Mikes Manatee Tours.  The weather has been less than perfect in Florida this winter so I was concerned about booking and it being cold or rainy but went ahead and I am so glad!

Watching a mom and her juvenile pass beside our boat

Watching a mom and her juvenile pass beside our boat

These gentle giants are so much fun to watch.  They don’t even seem concerned that there are black suited humans wearing snorkles and masks swimming right near them.

Captian Yeve telling us about our tour

Captian Yves telling us about our tour

Our captain was so interested in us having a great experience and the Manatee being taken care of.  We set out into Crystal River about 8:30 am.  It was still quite cold (64 degrees)  but we were cozy with a heater inside the houseboat and we slowly made our way to the springs where we were going to be snorkling with the Manatee.

Hmmmm

Hmmmm

The banks of this area are littered with homes.  It is a beautiful area with crystal clear water.  Our first stop was were there were two small springs and we found 4 manatee resting on the bottom.  The water was only about 10 feet at the deepest.  The manatee come to the springs because that is where the warmest water is.  We spend quite awhile just floating a watching the manatee rest on the bottom and surface for air.  Eventually we left and moved to the Three Sisters area.  While we moved up the river towards the area we found lots more tour boats and knew the viewing was going to be great.

A small spring

A small spring

There were lots of these areas that our captain pointed out.   The really light area is a small spring area.

Everyone out to view the manatee

Everyone out to view the manatee

We finally arrived at the springs and there were so many boats we figured the viewing would be hard as so many snorklers would muddy the waters.  Wrong!  There we so many manatee and they were pretty active.  We found lots moving into and out of the springs.  Two swam right under me on my way in.  They are definitely not bothered by us as the manatee didn’t even stop.  I could have reached out and touched her but I am afraid of breaking rules and there are very strick rules about Manatee protection.  You are not suppose to approach them but when the approach you that is fine.  Paul and I watch one guy stand in the spring in only swim trunks and a manatee  began chewing on his shorts!  He almost was pants!

After awhile I was getting cold, even though the water is about 70, it was still cold outside!  We returned to our boat and continued to watch the manatee swim by.  We had another guest on our boat, Janine from Germany.  She was here on vacation.

Manatee right under Janine

Manatee right under Janine

None of us had a really personal interaction like a kiss but we all were close enough to be able to really experience them.  It was definitely as cool as I thought for over 30 years!  Next trip to Florida we will definitely do this again!

 

Memories of Friday Night Movies

Sunday, February 22nd, 2015

Tampa has a Drive In Movie theater and Paul had it on his bucket list.  We saw Kingsmen.  An interesting movie.

Previews

Previews

We arrived about 30 minutes before showtime and had our pick of spots as no one was there.  The first thing I noticed is they no longer have the bumps to angle your front window for the best viewing.  They also don’t have heaters.  I brought blankets as it has been cold here.  Finally about 5 minutes before the movie started a few more cars showed up.  Everyone wanted to be in the center so we had neighbors.  We took Duke with us and he was very unsure of why we were sitting in the dark, listening to the radio. Everytime there was a dramatic sound Duke was up and searching out the windows.  The snack bar was scary but that is ok, we popped our own popcorn and brought drinks.

Based on this experience I am thinking there won’t be a comeback of Drive In Movie Theaters.  The price is definitely a plus but going to a nice comfortable theater with Dolby sound and clean restrooms is worth the extra $3 to me!  Or, just stay home, invite a friend over and have your own private movie screening!  Then you can have popcorn your way!

Back to the real world

Thursday, February 19th, 2015

Back in the city with all the ammenities and noise.  We are in a very noise, crowded RV park for a week while Paul takes care of some business in Tampa – I’ll get to the beach!

 

That should be interesting!

That should be interesting!

That is a first.  The owner was talking to him just like we talk to Duke.  I just kept wondering how comfortable that would be in a motorhome?  He didn’t bark so I guess that is a plus.

Sand Key Beach was a bit chilly on Thursday but I bundled up and off I went for a really nice walk.

Sand Key Beach

Sand Key Beach

No, I didn't buy these!

No, I didn’t buy these!

Sand Key Beach is near St. Petersburg and has the beautiful blue water of the Gulf.  The sand is cluttered with shells and lots of fun.  I found lots of immature conch shells.  I found one that was perfect and about 4 inches long, however when I picked it up it was still occupied!

A very big boy

A very big boy

I spotted this guy hanging out near the breakwater.  He stood about 3 feet high and I was waiting to capture him on take off.   He was smarted than I and waited until I checked for a text message and off he went.  No noise at all!  I didn’t even know he left.

 

 

Getting away from the everyday

Monday, February 16th, 2015

Peace and quiet, out in the country with more than 30 rigs sounded really good after spending several weeks in RV parks.  We spent a week off the grid, sort of!  We hooked up with RVDreams at there winter Boondocking Rally in Arcadia, FL.  Boondocking means, come full of water with great batteries and a generator that is ready to get busy.   Our new RV is a bit tricky when not hooked up to electricity because of having a residential refrigerator.  Our first hope was we would need to run the generator every other day.  That didn’t work!  Infact the first night the generator thought maybe it should run at 1 am!  That was exciting.  We quickly learned that we would need to run the generator everyday just to keep the refrigerator happy.

A few RVs

A few RVs

The rally wasn’t too far out of town, but it was quiet when all the generators went to sleep at 10 pm.  There was a huge bonfire everynight and I was among the last to call it a night each evening.  One evening Paul got out his newest toy and helped the fire along.

DSC_0098-S

Paul always knows how to get people riled up!  Again he was known as Pyro Paul!  (I stole the Photo from Howard at RVDreams, cause I just didn’t want to run grab my camera!)  The weather was colder than it should have been but the sun was out and we had lots of adventures.

Our rig in the background!

Our rig in the background!

We arrived on Sunday just in time to take a prime spot right where all the group happenings would take place.  We didn’t miss any activities.

We golfed one afternoon for $20 bucks including the cart.  There were so many on the course that 9 holes was more than enough for me.  Wednesday evening I was joined outside to watch American Idol on our outdoor TV!  Only one taker, Linda and I quickly moved inside to stay warm and enjoy the show.

Lots of alligator warnings

Lots of alligator warnings!

Thursday we canoed with 20 boats on the Peace River.   It was a beautiful day and I didn’t have to paddle much as the current was really moving.  We only saw one alligator and he was small and on the bank.  Paul tried to call the alligators the way our guide did on our airboat ride.  I was not impressed!

Howard and Linda, our Cruise Directors!

Howard and Linda, our Cruise Directors!

Enjoying an afternoon of paddling

Enjoying an afternoon of paddling

There were several potlucks and of course there was plenty of food that I just couldn’t say no to!  We met lots of new fulltime RVers that we will definitely meet up with again down the road.

I almost forgot

Thursday, February 5th, 2015

January 9 marked our anniversary of living this life on wheels!  6 years complete.  So far, so good and no plans to change what we are doing.  It has been a great ride and I am so looking forward to what will come in the next 6 years.  There I said it!  Yep, I am all in on this adventure we are calling life for the time being. I miss my family hugely, but we talk all the time.  I miss my friends and getting together, but we make sure that happens everytime I am home.  I miss entertaining people at our home and I miss my yard and that is one we haven’t been able to replace.   It does get lonely sometimes but then I think about all that we are seeing and all the free time we have to explore and I feel blessed to have this life at this time.

 

The Four “S’s”

Thursday, February 5th, 2015

Sand, Surf, Sun, and Shells.  Pretty easy to enjoy!

Another beautiful walk on the beach

Another beautiful walk on the beach

There are just so many places to walk on the beach here on the Gulf of Mexico.   The water is about 65 degrees, which by Florida standards is cold, not for these California feet.  If the outside temp warms up very much I’ll be swimming in the gulf!

Englewood Beach

Englewood Beach

The seagulls were enjoying the fishing

The seagulls were enjoying the fishing

Englewood Beach, rated one of the top 10 beaches in Florida

Englewood Beach, rated one of the top 10 beaches in Florida

It is very nice but I am not sure what makes it so special other than access is pretty good.  The surf is very calm as is most of the gulf coast in Florida.  The sand was very hard to walk on as they have so many shells!

That is all shells

That is all shells

The sand is very soft at the waters edge so you sink in and then if you move up to the dryer sand it is just packed shells!  I felt guilty walking and crushing all the shells!   In fact all the beaches we have been to here are full of shells.  Shells are abundant here in Florida.  They are used for everything.

Landscape in a shopping center

Landscape in a shopping center – Shells

As I was walking along the beach I thought about all the times I bought shells, like when the kids were young and we would go to the beach and end up in the gift shops!  Those baskets of small shells that they always have lots of!  They come to Florida and scoop them up by the bucket full and package them and sell them to us west coast people that never see whole shells on the beach!

My collection from Englewood Beach

My collection from Englewood Beach – 5 minutes!

Not sure I need more shells but they are fun to watch for and pick up!