Spring Flings

So you hear about these spring break dramas where these young kids "hook-up" for a brief fling and then head back to their respective parts of the country. Having never participated in this particular rite of passage, it's natural to wonder if it really happens, or if it's just the fodder of sleazy videos sold on late night TV...

Well, I now have first hand confirmation that it really does happen:


It starts with a little playful teasing, with the taller Eugene standing in water just deep enough so as to be out of reach of the object of his affection, in this case, a young UConn cutie by the name of Callie.


Next, they begin to feel each other out, searching for limits and possibilities...


Then, little by little, they let down their guard and become more and more comfortable with one another.


But alas, their time at the beach is short, and all too soon each must go their own way, with Callie returning to Connecticut, and Eugene off on his own journey.

To Eugene's credit, I have to say that Callie's "person" commented that he was quite the gentleman, and that he had clearly won over Callie with his willingness to allow her little victories in their tug-of-war. Sadly, this spring break story ends with our canine couple stealing longing glances out the back windows as their respective cars headed in opposite directions. Fortunately, alcohol is prohibited at the dog beach- otherwise we'd really be in trouble.

And all the while, as her step-brother's romance played out, tom-boy Meika was content to frolic in the sand and surf.


Just so as not to create too much concern for Eugene's mental well-being, here's a few more photos of him enjoying the dog beach:





Finally, I'll leave you with OG Meika leading her homies astray:



Next up: Florida Recap

Crazy People

Crazy, but looks like fun. These guys were out kite-boarding one windy day when we were coming back from kayaking over on Sanibel Island, and I had to stop and take some photos.

Birding Underground

February 21 was the Cape Coral Burrowing Owl Festival, and since Laura's all about the birds, we of course were in attendance to wander through the booths of crafts, various wildlife and outdoor groups, and the ubiquitous and numerous greyhound rescue groups. Fortunately, we were able to get through the small festival quickly enough that we did not end up returning to the RV with yet another rescued pup destined for the sweet life.

We then were off to the surrounding area in search of the elusive festival namesake. Well, I'm not sure if elusive is quite the right term... Basically, you drive around the neighborhoods of Cape Coral in search white PVC pipes cordoning off ten foot by ten foot plots which appear to be memorials to gophers of a Christian faith who weren't quite dead yet:


In actuality, the little crosses are perches for the owls, and the plots are intended to provide a buffer for the owls. Unfortunately, many of even the well-intentioned owl groupies seem to disregard that buffer in their quest to peer down into the burrows for the elusive feathered digger.


Even more unfortunate is the fact that others seem to have even more sinister intentions:


I mean, I know they're cute little buggers, but there needs to be a line drawn somewhere!

After viewing several of these plots with nary a glimpse of a feathered critter, we finally came upon one with a little feathered bump sitting next to it's perch. While keeping a respectful distance, I was able to approach enough to take the following picture (and quite a few others), without the owl voicing any concerns about my presence.



In fact, when it became clear after several minutes that the owl was perfectly comfortable with my presence, I encouraged Laura to approach closer as well. As Laura is the consummate experienced birder, I knew that she would be similarly respectful of the bird. I was, therefore, unprepared for her spontaneous and uncontrolled exclamation of "Oh, it's SOOO CUTE!" This, of course sent our feathered friend back to it's burrow, though it was not concerned enough to retreat further than the entrance, and clearly still was not particularly concerned about us:




I'll leave you with couple pictures of what Laura tells me is a willet in the surf, though I'm not so sure.


I mean, I've heard of the cowbird, but based upon it's stance, this one appears to be a cowboy bird:


Git along, little birdie, git along...

Next time: crazy people.

The view from the river

So as I've previously mentioned, the manatees have proved to be elusive for us while here in Southwest Florida. As further evidence of this, I offer you our trip to "Manatee Park"near Fort Myers. We went there for two reasons, because we figured that it would offer a higher percentage shot at seeing some actual mantatees, and because it was yet another opportunity for me to drop my kayak in the water for a few hours.

Upon our arrival, we learned that 30-40 manatees were indeed at the park...the day before. Oh well, Laura got to add a few birds to her Florida list, while I had an enjoyable 4 hour or so paddle down the Orange River and out onto the Caloosahatchee, which ultimately connects Lake Okeechobee with the Gulf Coast.
While I was out there, I had hopes of seeing a lingering sea cow, but this was the best I could do:


I guess an on-river manatee sculpture will have to do...


Storks are ugly birds, and apparently, all the trees on one side of an island on the Caloosahatchee were beaten with an ugly stick, 'cause there were storks all over them.

Ugly, ugly birds. Fortunately, the other side of the island was covered with the considerably more attractive Great Egrets:

I checked, and that was not an olive branch, though both types of birds seemed to coexist fairly peacefully...


...although any bird is prone to the occasional hissy-fit:



I have to say that the paddling opportunities down here in SW Florida have been really cool. I've been able to sample different portions of the "Great Calusa Blueway," which consists of almost 100 miles of marked inter-coastal waterway "trails" along the coast, as well as 38 miles of the Caloosahatchee River and 52 more miles of other tributaries. If you're curious, you can find more information on the Blueway at www.greatcalusablueway.com

Next up: more bird pics, and crimes against nature.

Dog Beach: "The Best Place in the World"

OK, so I'll get back to Fort Myers next blog, but first I need to tell you all about the "Best place in the world," at least as far as Eugene and Meika are concerned. That would be the Dog Beach at Bonita Springs just south of Fort Myers Beach, where dogs can enjoy the sand and surf off-lead. We've been there a few times now, and will need to return at least one more time before we leave Fort Myers next week.

While Eugene was his normal obsessive-compulsive self and spent the entire time playing with his ball in an antisocial manner (other then a brief respite in which he obsessively retrieved frisbees tossed into the ocean), Meika gleefully joined the wandering pack of retrievers that alternated romps through the water with the necessary greeting of all new dogs to the beach. The first time we took them, we were still a little worried about Meika, and kept her on a long lead, but she's really earned our trust with her good behavior.

The bonus is that for about an hour and a half, they run around like crazy dogs, but then they spend the next two days sleeping and recovering.

Anyway, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

One happy Eugene!


One happy, happy Meika!











Meika, returning to the pack...

'til next time...

Space Coast

Here's a couple more shots from the St. Augustine area:



This is an Anhinga that liked to hang out at the RV park we were staying in.


And now on to the "Space Coast," the coastal area surrounding Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center:

So far, the manatees have proved elusive for us (well, as elusive as 2000 lb. "sea cows" can be): they've somehow managed to be where ever we are not.

So that's what those necks are for...

The typical birding view of ducks (Laura tells me there's even a guy who has a book out on duck butt identification)...


Definitely NOT a bird...

...and a different kind of bird...



If you want too see more of the bird pics (and don't we all), they'll be on Laura's blog (the "Birding and Other Chatter" that's linked on the right side of the blog).

Next up, we're on to the Fort Myers area.