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.
And here’s some more turtles.
And there’s me in my life jacket with my kayak paddle.
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.
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 ; )
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!
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
Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund
PO Box 1769
[…] got around to writing my 3rd and final post about my Florida Vacation. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 […]
Hi Crusoe! I wish I could send a picture of me here. I’m a bit of a celebrity around here as well. I am Pu-ki the zen dog! I’ve been really sick lately. They say I have a tumor in my lungs. Mom says she will nurse me as long as I am comfortable and enjoying life. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do without me and that worries me. We watch your videos together. I live up in the mountains and often see squirrels and birdies. My favorite thing is the rabbits that decided to make a home under my deck. I like to lay there and watch them until I fall asleep in the sunshine. The babies came scampering out and I didn’t know what they were at first because they were so tiny! Then Mom said they were baby bunnies! There were four of them and I was careful not to scare them. I had such wonderful dreams because I went to sleep watching them. They continue to play around me then they went back under my deck to their home. Once their mom knew she could trust me they all came out and played together. I’m a big fan!