Margaret asked me what the animals were that are in my blog header photo. They are manatees. I took the photo at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida. Some of the manatees stay there year round. Others come in when the ocean waters get cold. The water in the St.John's River at Blue Springs is 72 degrees year round.
Photo from WikipediaThese gentle creatures are endangered because of their habitat and the fact that boaters speed through the areas where the manatees live. Many are chopped by boat propellers and some are killed. The manatee areas in Florida have speed restrictions for boaters. If only they would slow down. If you would like more information about saving the manatees, click here.
I loved visiting this park when I lived in Florida. We would take a picnic lunch and sometimes rent a canoe.
Photo from Blue Springs State Park websiteI have lots of hilarious memories about canoeing. Like the time where we got our canoe stuck under some brush. It was covered with spider webs AND spiders! Makes me shiver to think about that! Thankfully, the water was shallow enough for me to jump out of the canoe fast!!!
This park shows you a part of Florida that you may not have known about. I get homesick just thinking about it and the beaches, of course.
1 comment:
Thank you for explaining Kathi, I looked up our dugongs and they are related to the manatees, very similar. Dugongs live in the waters of northern Australia and particularly Western Australia. They are beautiful, placid creatures and should be protected.
Your photos of Florida are beautiful, no wonder you miss it sometimes.
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