We have arrived; site 124 in Santee State Park along the shore of Lake Marion. After a 7-hour drive we are glad to climb down out of those seats. It has been windy (not quite a head wind) most of the drive and I95 traffic heavy enough that accordion slowdowns just materialize for no specific reason. Kent has powered through it with enough energy left to complete the marathon unloading that comes with every lake stop. With the combination of a long pull through site and some creative maneuvering we are able to unload the whole mess right in the site. A quick trip to the visitor center and we have fishing licenses, we shuffle gear, and Kent runs out for boat fuel. It has been a full day but we are set to explore the lake in the morning. Windy conditions have the lake pretty choppy this evening but milder conditions are forecast for tomorrow.
We are ready for some lake time
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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.
manatee viewing area at Haulover Canal, one manatee makes a quick appearance plus dolphins and brown pelicans cruise about.
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.
Conch fritters, crunchy fish BLT wrap, fish and chips, plus key lime pie to go. It is a delicious stop.
The beach is deserted except for one lone fisherman. It is high tide and a strong wind out of the east brings surf much too rough for me to do any more than get my feet wet. We find a comfy log and take a seat well beyond the waves. Bright sun. Crashing waves. Salty spray. Soft, smooth sand. It is a feast for the senses.
We just have to stop to check out the one that got it started. The main birding trail weaves through the mangroves and is a nice walk. We spot a few snakes and egrets. We come across an open view into a shallow bay and enjoy watching what looks like a collaborative fishing effort of brown pelicans and dolphins. On the lagoon side of the refuge an observation tower provides a nice view of Pelican Island
and a great spot to watch wood storks show off their magnificent soaring and banking ability as pelicans patrol the waters. A few Roseate spoonbills sit in the treetops on the island. Later a Roseate flies right overhead.
long-planned hotel has resumed. The concrete pillar foundation now supports a shipping-container-style construction. They are adding the roof now with posted completion this summer. Looks unlikely to me. The restaurant section is even further behind.
We can’t pass up a tasty version of a Rueben from the lunch truck at the Marina. Pastrami and kraut on rye with lots of mozzarella all grilled to gooey perfection. Delicious. Low light pollution and a late rising moon bring us a marvelous dark night sky. It is a nice ending for the stay.
(4 miles) was easy on the way out but across a moderate chop coming back in. It seemed like the wind blew from every direction and the waves formed like pyramids that the boat slid off of in every direction. The last mile was a challenge. Out at the far end of the lake we wound through a shady, quiet mangrove tunnel. It had one “limbo tree” to get under but we made it through. You can get all the way out into Florida Bay if you continue another 4 miles or so but there was lots more open water ahead and the wind was kicking up so we turned back. Overall, a good trip but watch the wind forecast if you have plans to head out this trail.
An immature bald eagle glided overhead, the first we have seen here. 3 miles out plus a little loop in Coot Bay then we start back. Not surprisingly, we paddle against a headwind. 
We are entertained by the acrobatics of swallow-tailed kites and catch a look at an open-mouthed croc sunning among downed limbs.
A couple manatees, the baby osprey, and a crocodile all made an appearance. We checked out the marina store and visitor center then gathered up Kent to head back to Long Pine with stops at a few high points along the way. It was getting pretty late in the day so it was hot and humid but we walked the West Lake and Mahogany Hammock boardwalks and did a bit of bird watching at a couple other stops. We delivered Carol home and polished off her leftovers for lunch. We were all looking forward to some relaxation in the air conditioning. We headed back to Flamingo for one more day in the park before we start our journey north. So long Carol. Current plans have us crossing paths next in NY for Miss Willa’s b’day.