There be Manatees!

                                   Today we drove to Homosassa Springs to see the Manatees.

These huge gentle creatures are so graceful.  They have 4 that live there full time at the Homosassa Springs State Park.  The animals that they have there were all injured and unable to return to the wild.  Manatees have to live in warm water.  The springs here at Homosassa stay around 72 degrees.  In the winter they put the full-timers in a closed pen and open the gates so that wild manatees can enter the springs.  They have had 80-90 manatees come into the springs to stay warm. Can you imagine that many in one place?

A smaller one is resting on a larger one.  I thought the larger one was a rock when I first saw it.

They had 3 eagles that had lost part of their wings.  Such majestic creatures.  How  appropriate   to have the American flag in the area with them.

A closer picture. Still not good. I had to use my iphone today. I left my camera at the motorhome.

This a beautiful place, if you have the chance you should visit it.  Entry is $13.00 ea. for adults.

 You can ride a tram or a boat from the main building back to where the animals are all kept.  The picture above shows just how close "town" is to this nature center.  That is a motel on the left.  Of course the park is in it's natural state and the animals are a ways back into the woods and nearer the bay.  There are more than just manatees here.  There are flamingos, alligators, swans, owls, fox, wolves and even a hippo!

                               The pretty blue water is the deepest part of the natural springs.

Later he says!