Florida Vacation 2011 - Part 2

Oh man – that’s all I have to say. This vacation has been awesome. I’ve seen some very cool creatures around here, some of which I didn’t even know lived in Florida. I think my Florida Vacation 2011 will now have to be a 3-part series.

So where did we leave off in Part 1?… Oh, kayaking, that’s right.

We kayaked down Rainbow River of Florida. That’s the river I was telling you about before that is fed by underground springs that pump out 400 – 600 million gallons of clear, crystalline (and chilly) water everyday. This river has attracted and sustained humans for over 10,000 years. I think it’s safe to assume that dogs have been by their side since then as well.

Below is a close-up picture of the heron I saw.

river heron

And here’s some more turtles.

Turtles Crystal River Florida

And there’s me in my life jacket with my kayak paddle.

dachshund kayak

The next day, we decided to do some exploring in the boat. We were just cruising along when all of a sudden everyone started getting anxious, and even Laffie’s instincts were acting up. I couldn’t figure out what they were all looking at, so I rushed to the side to take a look. At first, I couldn’t see anything, but then a slight movement under the water caught my eye, and I saw it… Can you see anything in the below picture? It’s there.

can you see the manatee

It takes a fine eye, one refined by years of hunting and tracking. You’ll get it eventually. Take a look at the below picture. Maybe you’ll see it better ; )

dachshund sees manatee

If you still can’t tell what it is, it’s a manatee! They are also sometimes called sea cows. They’re lazy, slow-moving herbivorous marine animals. They are a delicate species, and are very susceptible to the effects from people. They have a lot of trouble with climate change, as even a slight change in water temperature can throw them for a loop. Since they move so slowly, they are often hit by boats, too. In fact, if you happen to see one, it’s quite likely you’ll see a few scar marks across its back from propellers. It was pretty nice to see one, that’s for sure!

To top it all off, as we were heading towards the inlet where the rivers meets the Gulf of Mexico, check out what I saw! Dolphins!

florida dolphins

Those were a good two days. I can now check off dolphin, manatee, heron, and turtle on my life-list of animals to see.

I am flying back home today, but I still have some great material for a 3rd post. Actually, my next post will likely be the best one. I really wanted to go swimming with the manatees, but that was until I saw what else there was in the water! And, I see something else that I never would have imagined lived in Florida… Oh, the suspense!

It’s sad to leave, but every vacation comes to an end. It’s back to reality now – back to being a celebrity. But I’ll be back soon ; )

Keep ballin’,

~ Crusoe

Keep ballin’,

Crusoe

Crusoe

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