We checked into Tampa East RV Park just off I-75 & I-4. Great park with 3 pools & a hot tub (finally!!) We drove down to Appollo Beach to a manatee viewing area where we finally got to see manatees -30-40 of them in the inlet along with sharks, 2 spotted eagle rays, tarpon and lots of smaller fish. This is a wonderful facility -a 900 ft pier, wooden boardwalks through the mangrove trees, a manatee museum, butterfly gardens, retired power company workers acting as information hosts. This is adjacent to TECO -Tampa Electric Co -a very Green coal burning power producing plant. The water used in the process is heated and dumped into the bay creating a haven for the manatees. They sometimes have upwards of 300 manatees. The most amazing part -it was all free !!! Pictures include 2 from inside the museum. There is a website you can access and actually see them on a live web cam. www.tampaelectric.com/manatee
We golfed 18 holes at Diamond Hill GC with 2 BC couples from the park. Had a fun day and joined them later for happy hour. They were just ahead of us on the trans-Canada trip so there are lots of stories to share. We were asked to join them for Christmas dinner so we gratefully accepted on the condition that we could contribute Norm's 14 lb turkey that has been taking up big space in our freezer for several weeks. Looking forward to happy holidays.
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