Friday, December 14, 2012

The Sea's In My Veins

Title from Son of a Son of a Sailor, Jimmy Buffett

Last time we were here, our kayaking trip was rained out.  But this time, the weather was perfect!
 We realized it's been a long time since we've been in our kayaks, but we quickly felt comfortable paddling again.
We paddled in the back country of the Atlantic Ocean in open space and through mangroves.
 Our guide found lots of things for us to look at, including this conch.  I liked the little bit of David's conch sandwich that I tried and the conch fritter was okay, but after meeting one of these slimy sluggy guys, I think I'm done eating conch!  We learned that the conch we'd eaten and the shells we'd seen had most likely come from conch farms in the Bahamas, as it is protected in Florida.
 We paddled right by these pelicans and other birds.  They didn't seem to mind a bit!
 The water was so clear.  These are sea grasses under the water.
This was my favorite part.  We paddled through a narrow path between the crazy roots of the mangroves.  
Next time, we may rent kayaks and spend more time doing this.  So glad we got to go this time!