One of the best decisions we made this trip was to push on last night for Sebastian Inlet State Park. It was glorious to wake up right next to the ocean and take an early morning swim. Hard to believe this was the same ocean when we were here a week ago. It was more like a lake. Right before we got into the water we spotted something out a few hundred yards. We knew it wasn’t a dolphin so thought it was a logger head turtle. We went swimming and about an hour later...OMG...I felt something close to me. I looked down and it was a manatee. I had to pull in my arms and legs not to bump into it! The manatee was that close, less than a foot from me. I never felt such a mixture of joy, exhiliration and surprise at the same time. We spent the next couple of hours floating in the ocean watching the manatee pop up occasionally around us. What a great way to start our day.
Another amazing thing that happened? We drive from California, Marc & Sheila drive from Illinois...we get to the check in station at Fort Wilderness Campround at the exact same time!! They pull up directly behind us. What are the odds of that??
We’re camped at Fort Wilderness Campground. Next door is the swanky Fort Wilderness Lodge. The last time Ned and I were here we found a way to ride our bikes to the lodge. We vowed that the next time we came we would sneak in and swim in the pool. Marc, Sheila and the boys were down for sneaking in. Game on.
We had fun biking, grilling and goofing around.
Tonight was a sing-a-long and movie at the campground. We had fun singing campfire songs, dancing with Chip and Dale, roasting marshamallows over the fire and watching a Disney movie on the outside screen. Good times. And yes, Marc hooked us up with Manhattans, Bourbon, beer and popcorn. I don’t know how I’m going to survive 3 days, but I’ll give it the ol’ college try.
