Anchored in Pelican Bay, Cayo Costa State Park, Florida, just in front of the manatee lagoon. 

Kayaking to Manatee Lagoon ... we were met with the resident gator and decided the better part of valor was to leave the manatees to fend for themselves with the gator!  He was a good sized alligator too!

Walking across Cayo Costa to the beach, we saw two Osprey's and their nest.  No baby ospreys though.  :( 

Until the wind died .... oh well.  Anchored out and loving the solitude.  Internet connection horrid, but that's OK too!  :)  P.S.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY RON!   And it's going to be 80 degrees today...

Ron, this one's for you!   :)  This filling station is on the Southern Look Scenic Route in the Everglades National Park - but it's "Closed"  because apparently everyone's "Gone Fishing".  Looks like it's been awhile since they came back from fishing!   :)

There's a 26 mile loop of road south of US 41 that was originally part of the highway across south Florida through the Everglades.  But the 26 mile loop was bypassed and now is the route less traveled -- potholes, birdlife, gators and all.  The scenery was fabulous - and the birdwatching was better... 

Every morning when I wake up in our pullman berth, the first thing I see is the sun shining on my conch shell.  The conch shell is anxiously awaiting the return of the tradition trumpeting the sunset! 

One of the best places we've found anywhere in our travels for shelling is the west coast of Florida -- particularly the beaches off Venice (watch for shark's teeth), Boca Grande (Gasparilla), Sanibel and Captiva (altho' they're very busy so it's hard to find shells) and Cayo Costa, but not near where the ferry lets people off...   No people, shells galore and New Years Eve.  Wow.  

New Year's Eve Eve, Charlotte Harbor, FL ... light wind held for almost five minutes before it went dead calm.   :(  Oh well, we tried!

_Did you know that wood storks fish by opening their bills underwater and waiting for a fish to unluckily bump against the open bill. Then in a mere 25 milliseconds - that's 1/40th of a second!, the bill snaps shut claiming dinner.  Yum!