It is a 1 ½ hour drive and all goes smoothly.  We check into the KOA, not exactly a 5-star KOA, but it’ll do as a base for exploring Merritt Island NWR and the Canaveral National Seashore.

We head out to the beach Friday afternoon.  It is nearly deserted, beautiful and relaxing.   We check out the manatee viewing area at Haulover Canal, one manatee makes a quick appearance plus dolphins and brown pelicans cruise about.

Saturday, we catch a sunrise on the beach then spend the day in the refuge.  The highlight, watching a bobcat up close. Turns out he is hunting for breakfast and we catch the pounce.  Amazing.  Add quite a few roseate spoonbills and some great looks at reddish egrets and flocks of glossy ibis (we typically have seen them one or two at a time) plus an assortment of other fun marsh birds and a sampling of shore birds.  We log around 6 miles on foot through the course of the day then head to the beach to relax.  Nope, not today.  13 parking lots and the place is packed.  We head home 4ish with a quick stop for ice cream at a cool cone-shaped place, Frisbees.  Nice ending to a fun day.