Melbourne, FL - My hunt for Manatee Sightings
After several attempts, we finally found these beautiful sea cows
We came to Melbourne, Florida to see Jeff’s, Uncle Leslie. Jeff shares the same birthday with his uncle but they are 17 years apart.
We found a quiet Airstream community to stay in for the month. We quickly learned that we are considered SOBs which stands for “Some Other Brand.” 😂
We went to several parks where we had heard that manatees hang out, but we couldn’t find a single one. Finally, there was a cold evening that brought the manatees to a local creek where they find a warmer environment.
Our next stop is the Everglades National Park! This has been on my wishlist for a very long time!
Uncle Leslie and his really cool red tractor.
Finally, I got to photograph to my heart’s content one chilly morning. It was a challenge to get one that surfaces for air because it happens so quickly. We saw boat scars and algae growing on them.
I looked up colorful murals in Melbourne and one morning after looking for manatees we went into downtown Melbourne and found this “Orange and Blue Jay” colorful mural. I put my camera on a tripod and did my best to take our selfies.
One time, I took my Canon R5 on my bike ride with my 600 mm f/11 lens. I love my long reach and light lens. There are so many interesting birds to see.
Bike rides are the BEST! Love exploring and seeing things at a slower pace than riding in the car and faster than walking. We would bike along the coast and then bike over bridges to get some hills and then we would bike along the river banks. It wasn’t the most bike-friendly area but we still made it work.
We got to enjoy some beach time too! I love observing people and the wildlife. And little girls especially capture my affection when they squeal with delight!
Jeff got the new frame put on and it is all fixed. Luckily we were able to have it done at the park. We stayed at Land Harbor and Yacht in Melbourne. It is mainly an Airstream park with strict rules like you have to be over 55 with no pets or children. One resident said even having a goldfish made the board squirm in their seats. It was quiet and very clean.
We were surrounded by water and somehow I felt closer to home (Richmond, VA) being close the Atlantic Ocean and I-95.
Our next stop is the Everglades National Park! This has been on my wishlist for a very long time!