We awakened to a foggy, rainy day. After showers and breakfast, we went to the park marina to jump on the Wi-Fi. I don' think they had it last year. It's only about a mile from camp.
It was about 1:30 when I got off the Internet and we headed back to camp to grab our wine and cheese and head for Charlie and Carol's camper for our traditional wine and cheese party. Long story, but we met them two years ago in Anastasia State Part, then ran into them by chance here at St. Joseph last year. They're from New Jersey. We got a Christmas card from them in December saying that they were going to be here again, so we booked a few days on the end of our trip to meet up with them. I forgot to get a picture of them. I'll try tomorrow.
After the party, Marsha and I walked out on the beach just in time to see a fisherman land a six-foot shark. Then we walked the boardwalk over to the other campground loop.
It rained off and on all day, but at least we're not shoveling it and it still got up to 70 degrees.
We left Rainbow Springs this morning at 10:00. The GPS said it was a five hour drive, but with stops for gas and lunch, we made it in six. Not bad for 252 miles! It was a good day for a drive, but the forecast is for rain off & on, probably for as long as we'll be here. At least it's not supposed to snow nine inches which is the forecast for home!
Today was pretty much a ho-hum day. We did enough laundry to get us home. I took a walk around the campground while Marsha read a book in the laundry. We went to town, washed the car, had a sub sandwich for lunch, went to Mickey D's for Wi-Fi, came back to camp, visited with a couple of neighbors, and sat around the campfire.
I played with the camera a little bit, then we cooked a couple of dogs. We were still full from lunch.
Tomorrow, we head for St. Joseph Peninsula State Park. The GPS says it's a five-hour drive, not including stops. See you there!
We hit the road about 11:00 this morning, headed for Crystal River, about twenty miles away. We wandered around town for a while, ending up at the Nation Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. The lady there told us about Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park which was 8 miles south of there. She said, "It's the absolute best state park!" With a recommendation like that, we just had to go there. We were not disappointed.
Before we left the Crystal River area, we stopped at a bridge, also recommended by the lady at the refuge HQ. We saw dolphins and a manatee there.
We got to Homosassa Springs Visitor Center at 1:15. The choices were:
1. Drive to the park entrance, pay the fee and explore the park.
2. Pay the fee and take the twenty minute boat ride to the park, then explore the park.
3. Pay the fee and take the ten minute tram ride to the park, then explore the park.
Same fee in all three choices above. We opted for choice number two, then took the tram back to the visitor center - all included in the fee.
Homosassa is a rehabilitation center for injured and orphaned West Indian manatees, which reside in the fresh water spring while re-acclimating to a natural environment before being released to the wild. Most of the other birds and animals living in the park have been injured or, for some other reason, cannot survive in the wild.
A huge spring, from which millions of gallons of fresh, clear water bubble every hour, is the centerpiece of the park and the headwaters of the Homosassa River. The temperature of the water is a constant 72 degrees.
The park was fabulous. We didn't leave until 5:00. I took 157 pictures today, the vast majority at Homosassa. Enjoy!
