Manatees

They claim they are an endangered species. I don't believe it. At least to the extent that the term implies that they are in danger of extinction. They're everywhere!!! We have at least 2 dozen of them right here in the marina, right off the back of my boat, feeding on the grasses that grow at the bottom. They submerge for 3 or 4 minutes and then come up to exhale and inhale. They sound like a dolphin blowing out--or a small whale. We even have one here who has asthma or at least severe bronchitis. You know when he comes up to breathe---sounds like an old man doing that blow his nose thing without a hanky. It's actually quite annoying.
But seriously---they really are all over the place and they are really endangered at least from the standpoint that they are very vulnerable to injury from boat props. The boaters here are very conscious of them and try to go very slowly and carefully through the marina. It's fun to watch them in the middle of the day when they are particularly active. Mostly they just poke their snout out of the water to breathe but occasionally one will come up for a rest and reveal a good bit of his body. They will occasionally stick that fin-like round tail up out of the water like they're waving a fan at you. I am curious however how many the experts think there are and why they are considered endangered---probably because it gives some scientist a job that wouldn't otherwise be available--kind of like that global warming thing---you know--the "Climatologist Relief Act."
We picked up a car yesterday and continued our pattern of land based exploration. We spent most of the day shopping for a bunch of things we needed but did manage to enjoy lunch at a marina cafe in Ft Myers Beach and a fabulous seafood dinner at "Red's" on Pine Island just south of here.
Looks like the mini-reunion will take place: Cousin Jane is going to drive here on Sat the 19th and Jim and cousin Marsha will come down from Sarasota. Hopefully we can get a nice sail in before we settle down to cocktails and "cousin talk". Still waiting to hear from my sister as to whether she'll be able to make it. We're also trying to plan a sail the week earlier to include Jim and Marsha's daughter, Emily, and her fam. It's just plain fabulous the way this has all just "happened" and we couldn't be happier to see everybody.
Immediately thereafter, Diane will fly to Colorado Springs for a 5 day visit to help out Kristin and see the little ones and I'll take the same flight but get off in Houston to take care of a little business there. We'll both get back here on the 28th and prepare to continue the voyage down the coast and around to Marathon in the Keys and then on to the Bahamas. Thus, we hope to be in the islands in early March, weather permitting.