After one last night with our temporary cat, we packed up and headed a little farther north. A little too far, actually, as I wrote the wrong state park on my atlas post-it! Luckily it was only fifteen minutes out of the way. So, after a brief visit to Fanning Springs state park, we drove back to Manatee Springs, where our camping site was waiting for us! During the check-in we were warned that the park does not have cell service, but there is some wifi at the snack bar area by the springs.
We parked the RV and did our hook-ups, and then all got in the car and headed to Cedar Key. I remembered the island fondly from a trip my friend Annette and I went on (over 20years ago–GULP!) to Florida together. Some things had definitely changed–there were many more houses, for sure! Some things were the same, like the little row of businesses clustered together jutting out into the gulf was the same. I don’t remember the concrete fishing pier, but we enjoyed walking out on it and checking out what fish were being caught. While we were there one of the fishermen caught a large fish (a black drum fish), but they said it was not good eating and after a photo op they tossed it back in. We watched the stunned fish get its bearings and finally swim away before heading to the shops. After some laughs, a few small purchases, and some ice cream, we headed back to the car and our campground.
On our way out we saw one more funny golf cart scene; check out this guy’s passenger!
After settling in, we went to see the springs (aaaand maybe use the cell service by the snack bar!!). On our way we got the sweet surprise of a little deer family making its way across the parking lot. Another couple had some leftover apple slices they were tossing to the deer, and they let the boys do it, too. After the deer we went over to the springs and watched some turtles and fish in the clear water. No manatees around, but we didn’t expect them as most of them have moved back to the gulf with the warmer weather.
The weather might have been warm for the manatees, but we were enjoying the fact that it was cool enough to camp with no AC. In the morning, more deer were in our campsite, and they were calm enough to stick around even when the boys went out to investigate!
Next up was a long hike in the woods. We started by checking out the springs again, and saw more turtles on the move, along with a few crazy-looking insects. We went around the springs and did the full nature trail loop, with the boys reading all of the sign markers along the way. We learned about the plants in the area (our favorite being the loblolly pine) and also about the Seminole Chickee people and how they lived. We have a Liddy family tradition of making Sasquatch jokes wherever we go, which explains the boys on the bent tree (“everybody knows Sasquatch like to bend trees to mark trails!”). The hut is a reproduction of a Seminole Chickee tradtional building.
Another great place to enjoy the natural side of Florida. Maybe this winter we will come back here and actually see the manatees!