February 3, 2015

Slept very well last night.  Today was devoted to shopping for household essentials, such as actual "glass" glasses for our drinks, basic food items, paper towels, and other items that make life much easier.  After lunch and a nap, we took an exploratory drive.  Pine Isand and its beach on the Gulf is abouta 5 minute drive.  Hernando Beach about 10 minutes.  There are a couple of state parks with fishing piers within those time frames.  The entire area is, get this, a bear sanctuary!

When we got back our hosts who are also our next door neighbors, called over to inform us that there were about a dozen Manetees just down the river from us.  They invited us aboard their pontoon boat to have a look.  What amazing creatures!  About the size of a cow, these great gentle mammals come up the rivers and canals around this time of year to give birth to their calves.  We spotted numerous huge ones, and several smaller ones.  Sadly, one of them had a number of scars on its back; evidence of careless boaters who strike them with their outboards / propellers.

We also spotted thousands of mangrove snappers and several large snook.  A fisherman's paradise!

Tomorrow I hope to wet a line to see what I can bring in.

A word about temperatures.  So far, we have had below normal temps.  In the mid to high teens while in Georgia, and about the same here.  The outlook for the next week is about the same; 14 to 16C.  But clear and sunny.  And regardless, one helluva lot better than what our kinfolk in the great white north are suffering through!

This is an awesome place for anyone who loves nature and isn't too picky about accommodation.  In other words, kinda perfect for us!