Salt Water up Elephant's Trunk

courtesy of Todd Unbehagen

Just as mini me was about to blog "you never know what you will see on the beach ..." she discovered . . . Mystery elephant, wading in the gulf.  Turns out this elephant paid a visit to a 60 year old's birthday party just up the beach from us last Saturday.

In addition to
an elephant, this week we had some giant floatables on the sea including an inflatable green turtle and a yellow hamster wheel (look closely).

It is a hot, steamy Memorial Day long weekend here in the States complete with rumbles of thunder; yesterday I finally succumbed and midday turned on the air conditioning (A/C) as temperatures reached 90 F/ 32C and humidity at 80%.   Everyone is out to play at the beach.

Here is the view to the South from my balcony complete with boaters, jet skiers, paddle boarders (you can also paddle board The Thames from Putney Pier), those hoping to make a buck from metal detecting in the shallow waters, and John's Pass in the background.

Glancing out the window I saw several micro lights & a sea bi-plane zoom past -- as they didn't give notice, I didn't have time to grab my camera -- rather like the pelicans swooping by so close I feel I could touch one .  Today our view includes many sand castles and a boat pulling a banner advertising free daiquiri drinks at the bar across the street including an abbreviation for our city - known fondly as Mad Beach (Madeira Beach).  And sauntering across the beach you never know what the sea might bring in for you ... these are whelk egg cases.

John's Pass is a big area for fishing and the Tarpon are now running turning the Gulf waters into a silver shimmering undulating sea.  The fishing boats are numerous, and you can also catch these giants from the shore in something called 'wade fishing.'  Other catch include Snook, Trout and Redfish.  Birds of all sizes ply the beach looking for food and occasionally walking with the tourists - my favourite is the Great Blue Heron.

We also have a lot of beach night-time activity - apparently party goers worse for wear, memorial hot air lanterns sent up at dusk, night fishing/netting for crabs, strangers with flashlights and the turtle patrol. 



At last -- after diligently looking out nightly during the full moon to see if there are any turtles about -- a nest has been found just north of us. Marked to help avoid disturbance sine the mother lays the eggs and then returns to the sea, leaving the eggs 'on their own.'  See the brown leaf on top of the nest indentation?

Trust the elephant didn't find a turtle's nest, as his big feet ...well doesn't warrant thinking about!


Mini me is watching a nearby osprey nest; the parents fish in the sea and fly closely past our window with the catch in their talons.   When they feed the chicks, the little ones whole head goes inside the momma osprey's mouth - amazing.

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The thunder is now rumbling like a giant's deep belly laugh and the sky is bright with lightning; a marvellous show.  Good night!

Mother Nature's Sound and Light Show

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/lightning-profile/

Last night our after-dinner show was watching the coast guard practice night-time rescue manoeuvres -- well at least I assume that is what they were doing raising and lowering a man into a motor boat offshore in the dark.  No I don't think this was nighttime sandbar volleyball - although we did see beach volleyball played on a sandbar in the middle of John's Pass waterway last week (with boats parked all around the field of play).   I am pleased to say the coastguard looked very competent although mini me and I hope we never have to avail ourselves of their services.

Then the May swarm of  'Love Bugs' came for a visit.  We understand they will return in September but thankfully they neither sting nor bite and only stay for a matter of  weeks.  According to the website About.com Insects:

First, a mating swarm of males, 40 or more in number, takes to the air. Sperm-seeking females fly into the swarm, where they are quickly grasped by partners and whisked off to a more romantic setting in the vegetation. After mating, the pair remains entwined, and together they head off on a honeymoon of sorts, feeding on nectar and choosing a site for oviposition of the couple's fertilized eggs.  At times, the mating Florida lovebugs become so abundant in an area that they become a serious traffic hazard.



Source:  Debra Young at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/lovebug.htm

A pair (or two) of Love Bugs is kinda cute, but a swarm is a menace!  Poor mini me was a bit overwhelmed by these swarming bug pairs.  Wait until she meets a palmetto bug!

And now as I write this on the 13th May, we are having a magnificent thunder and lightening show off the coast; first time I recall seeing lightening travel upward and sideways.  It is pretty spectacular.  My point and shoot camera doesn't capture it, but I found a National Geographic photo above that will give you a pretty good idea.  Mini me has taken cover in a suitcase.

Our temperatures have been averaging 32 C or about 90 F for my US friends. A thunderstorm is a welcome bit of cool breeze here, not a damp chill as it often is in the UK.  So what to do to stay safe in a thunderstorm??  Read a scary book (or write a blog) me thinks as you should:
1.  stay inside and away from windows and concrete
2.  stay out of water - swimming pools and bathtubs/showers
3.  don't touch electrical goods nor landlines

What then wonders mini me are the people we can now see on the beach with torches/flashlights doing?  It seems a bit early for the turtle watch -- which runs from 9 pm to 2 am every night now until October.  We have mainly loggerhead turtles with an occasional green sea turtle or a Kemp's Ridley according to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.   Once the eggs are laid the female never returns to the nest and hence the eggs/hatchlings are vulnerable to sea birds and other animals that see the baby turtles a tasty snack.  So there are daily patrols to identify nests and then protect them.  The first turtle nest of the season was spotted 9 May just north of us so mini me is planning an outing to go and spot it; babies could hatch anytime from July.

And if you are wondering . . . the glorious sunsets I have been posting don't happen every evening - I would say about 50-60% of the time.

Will He or Won't He? Pelican and Mini Me Standoff

Anyone for lunch?

With life-sized me's sis in town, it is time to hit the sights and leave the renovation headaches to another day.
 

Mini Me found dolphin pods and pods

First up was a visit to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary just 5 minutes up the road from where we live.  They rescue all sorts of injured birds.  Mini me, having a slight fear of being swallowed by a pelican for lunch or taken off to a new home by an osprey (5-7 feet wingspan!!), understandably decided to stay at home, scan for dolphins off her balcony and nap.  Yes, this dolphin photo was taken from our balcony and a paddle boarder is just out of shot.

Can you see me? asks Mini Me

Next a trip to Mullet Key and Fort De Soto where we could see historic battlements and then catch a ferry for a short ride to Egmont Key a great site for shelling! 

You see all sorts here in Florida and this t-shirt should give you an idea of what the culture is like ---



Upon arrival we ran into a couple of gopher tortoises; they move

Anyone home?  Yes there is!

quicker than advertised. And spotting a nest was useful and not as obvious as you might think;  soon we will have nesting sea turtles on our beach.

 
 
Sis wanted shells and so we scoured the beach ... and life-sized me even found two whole sand dollars.  Mini me came along and her fears of being snatched by a bird were confirmed when a man's wallet was taken by a black grackle!  Fortunately the man saw the bird, ran in from bathing in the sea and was able to retrieve his wallet - all valuables then went into the cooler bag.  Those sneaky creatures!!  Drama over, mini me went off for a dip in the sea to cool off under the protection of life sized me.

The Florida sun was really beating down and mini me had to take shade to avoid sunburn.

What do you think of our shelling haul?  There are shells on our own beach, whole ones too, but they tend to be smaller and of course there are more people about to snatch the best ones up --- so I may have to learn to be an early bird .... or return to Egmont Key where we got this great stash.


All too soon is was time to board our chariot and return to shore

passing a few ships heading for the port of Tampa along the way.  We made a slight detour to see dolphins and a few manatees.  Husband was not impressed which tells you how much we can and have already seen off our own beach - how lucky is that!?!

The next day we drove northeast inland to Ocala to meet up with friends of sis.  On our way we did a double take -- we saw two camels!! Unfortunately didn't get a picture and they had gone indoors by the time we drove back.  Ocala being a small place equidistant between Tampa and sis' friends in Jacksonville we met at the Horse and Hounds (Ocala being horse country) where the friends were introduced to mushy peas.  Mini me now has friends in Jacksonville, which may prove useful if one needs a safe haven for a hurricane evacuation -- as we are living below sea level evacuations are mandatory and enforced.

Before we knew it, we were taking sis back to the airport.  On our return home our local drawbridge delayed our journey for the first time
-- and we laughed as everyone jumped out of their cars.  Our drawbridge, one of many in the area,  only takes a few minutes and we were then on our way.

 
Now packing up our things getting ready for the renovations to start -- first to deflate sis' airbed (yes we are sleeping on one too) ... and then distracted by another dolphin pod passing by, some bicyclists on their way to work (see guitar on his back)

and a beautiful sunset.  Cannot believe I LIVE HERE!!



Who Didn't Move My Cheese & Busy Bee Mini Me Goes Volunteering

Feeling a bit disoriented (who didn't move my cheese - see below) and needing to keep active/get connected, mini me has been looking around for volunteering activities to help her make new friends.  Before leaving London mini me checked out the local marine rescue organisation - Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) - now world famous as a result of two movies about the injured dolphin, Winter.  Volunteering here entails a very rigorous process including a 'tattoo policy' -- only one 2"x2" tattoo is allowed to be seen whilst on duty -- as well as passing some on-line training and a background check before starting.  Fingers crossed we will get a call soon.  Hum just as mini me was considering an eyebrow tattoo - better put that on hold for now ....

At the other end of the spectrum almost immediately mini me found a volunteer help wanted ad for the city hall and made contact.  End of April a spot opened up, so mini me, hubby and life sized me trotted off (yes we can actually walk there!) for our first volunteering stint on the reception desk of the city hall (no jokes HW) for a town of circa 4,000 (no that is not a typo!).  Acceptance consists of willingness and training is 'on the job.'  We also found a newly published book on the history of our area - all 110 years of it!

Duties include greeting and triaging all visitors to the city hall,  issuing resident parking passes which allows those living 'off beach' to park for free at the local city beach front parks, answering the phone and distributing the post.  Queries range from the mundane to the bizarre and are always good for a laugh.  The combined city hall/fire department is also where one gets building permits for renovation - but of course no ulterior motive there for life-sized me.  The planning officer is a new post and is a great money maker as the city hall proudly publicises.  Two jail cells are now used for storage as policing has been outsourced to the county; eagle-eyed hubby spotted a window sticker from the London Metropolitan police stuck to the cell peek hole.

The remainder of the week consisted of getting sorted for our first guest, life-sized me's sister -- no small feat when one has no furniture.  We also got insurance for and bought a car, completed our application for USA medical insurance (now approved - yippee!) and met more contractors.  Found another volunteer opportunity at the Florida Craftsmen in St Petersburg -- not so sure about the name, however the products are beautiful and there are many women artists exhibiting - just had a tapestry exhibit which has inspired me.  Don't know if volunteers get a discount, but my enquiry about volunteering was met with lots of enthusiasm.  Life sized me will have to ration her time given away for free! 


A bit down market and round the corner was a bit of fun art ...

. . . which reminds me that I have developed a real hunger for ice cream living on the beach!  Still cannot get over the portion sizes especially in restaurants  (I eat often from the 'doggy bag' of the night before)  and do I ever miss British cheese - it certainly didn't move here with us; we have a choice of very rubbery local stuff or vastly inflated imported cheeses.

Off for a week of fun with sis ---- and oh our sea shipment has landed and cleared customs - hurrah - now where shall it go whilst we have renovation dust and chaos???