Florida

We spent 7 weeks touring around Florida

DeLeon State Park: 12/30/23

Manatees swimming right by Ken's Kayak

Curry Hammock State Park: 1/7/24

Man of War Jellyfish

Moon Jellyfish

Cassiopea Jellyfish

We got caught in a heavy downpour as we were kayaking around the island

We found BigFoot!

More Manatees!

Check out who's spying on Ken from the shore.

Kayaked from Pickett Lake to this cool hidden Pond

Our hosts: John and Linda on Pickett Lake- Branford, Florida: 2/13/24

Spent Christmas at Dave & Shanna'a House in Fernandina Beach

Happy Birthday Scott!!

Fort Clinch State Park: 12/26/23- the first of 25 State Parks we would visit in Florida

Armadillo!

Talbot Island State Park: 12/27/23

Biked the 4mi Dune Ridge Trail

Kingsley Plantation

Ancient Dunes Trail

Washington Oaks State Park:12/28/23

Barberville Pioneer Settlement: 12/29/23

Our Campground with the gator in the background

Ironwood- the hardest tree in North America

Windley Key State Park: 1/5/24

Old limestone quarry with large walls of cut coral

Fossilized coral

Do not give the Poisonwood tree a hug!

Long Key State Park: 1/5/24

Curry Hammock State Park: 1/7/24- stayed 4 nights- on Marathon Key

Zachary Taylor State Park- Key West: 1/8/24

Lots of chickens roaming the streets in Key West

Everglades National Park: 1/12/24

Alligator scoping out Ken by the bike rack

14 mile bike loop scavenger hunt: found 35 alligators on the side of the trail- dispersed every 1/3 mile

Went to church @ Beach Baptist Church- Fort Myers Beach: 1/14/24

The back half of the tent was the church sanctuary, the front half was a very busy food pantry.

Buildings & Retreat Center were destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022

Most of the neighbors were living in a camper on their property- you can see the remnants of a pool in the photo below:

We helped stock shelves in the food pantry, unload pallets of waters from the truck- then Ken fixed the truck bed because it was lopsided and dangerous to unload, and then worked on the sewer drain!

Visited Steve & Cindy in Venice, Fl.- 1/17/24-2/2/24

Searching for shark teeth

Shark tooth capitol of the world

Biking the Legacy Trail

So excited that Bryce booked a last minute flight to come visit us 1/2 way through our trip!!

Myakka River State Park

Came up to an impasse that was too deep on the trail- had to backtrack and find another way around

Weeki Washie State Park- Mermaid Show- 2/6/24

Animal rescue & rehab

Lu the hippo just had his 60th birthday!

Blue Springs State Park- hundreds of manatees!

Key Largo

Kayaked Silver Springs State Park

Superbowl 2024!

Retirement home for cats, dogs and horses: outdoor enclosure for over 60 cats! -2/11/24

 

Navy base