Stuck in a Manatee's Pocket
AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Sun 20 Dec 2009 22:56
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27:09.18N, 80:11.76W
There appear to be no Manatees in Manatee
Pocket. They've disappeared somewhere else. Maybe Florida is so short of these
loveable creatures that they get kidnapped and taken to other resort areas. The
most likely reason though is that the poor critters keep getting clobbered
by the million odd fast powerboats that inhabit this creek and have sought
safer waters, and who can blame them really.
So where are they all? The problem is, we
being so intent on continually staring into the water
around us looking for Manatees, Phil became
alarmed when he thought he saw an alligator sticking it's snout out of the
water right next to the dinghy until Nikki calmly pointed out that it
was a floating brown coconut. But then she wasn't inches from its
'snout' being still safely on terra firma after just completing
an expedition down one of the tiny creeks to a local West Marine store.
Apparently, according to the locals, the sure fire way to see one (a
manatee that is - not an alligator) is to play a freshwater hose into the water
so creating a fresh water pool which they like to come up and drink from.
Unfortunately, like many other activities in the 'sunshine state' this is
strictly illegal. Spoilsports.
  Early morning fog chases us down
the
ICW........... and
a posse of eagles!
We are about to spend our third night here waiting
for this latest Gulf low to clear through Florida. We're not alone as there are
about 12 cruisers anchored in the vicinity, presumably all here for the
same reason. However, civilization is a mere dinghy ride away where the
basic requirements of sustaining life as we know it exist a mere stroll over the
main road (4 lanes) and across the single railway line. We entered the
convenience store and into a different world - nobody was speaking English!
The shelves were loaded with tortillas, fajitas, Mexican spices and strange
looking objects in the cool cabinet. We stuck with food we were familiar with
and bought a pound of shrimp and some recognisable vegetables. Then
the usual daft interchange of us trying to speak basic Spanish with the
staff replying in perfect English prevailed and we exited the shop just in time
to get absolutely soaked in a downpour on the way back to the
dinghy. Having then unlocked the boat and stowed 'dink' back on the
davits it duly stopped raining, leaving plenty of wet clothing to raise the
humidity a tad higher onboard. Still we had our pound of shrimp to
look forward to.
   Early morning
showers........................
more rain on the line, spot the Christmas
tree.................... consolation shrimps.. lots
of garlic, wine & herbs yummy......
Since arriving when we anchored north the wind has
blown hard from that direction, then from the east, before backing into
the south early this morning. Just to ensure we complete the
circle it's due to go west later today through tomorrow when we will make
our escape back into the Intracoastal towards Lake Worth about 20 odd miles and
seven opening bridges further south where we then expect to head back out into
the Atlantic to cover the remaining 70 miles overnight to the Florida Keys,
hopefully missing out on the delights and vices of Miami. Once in Key
Biscayne just south of Miami we are nicely poised to make the 50 mile leap
across the Gulf Stream to the Bimini group of Bahamas islands where many yachts
check in to start their winter cruise amongst the reefs and clear seas of this
beautiful part of the Caribbean.
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