Day 751: Manatee Viewing Center Apollo Beach - Lettuce Lake Park

Manatee

Day #751 * Hike #941* New Track #747
Thursday December 6, 2012 -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!
Manatee Viewing Center - Apollo Beach, Florida
Lettuce Lake Park
My Tripometer: 1 Hour * 1 Mile * +0 Feet

 From St. Petersburg/Clearwater we drove east toward Tampa Bay...

 We passed this area...

And ended up here, a planned visit in nowhere land?

 We made it just before dusk

 There's going to be manatees here???

 

There were at least a dozen manatees around.  Due to the murky waters it was hard to snap photos.  Not only were there manatees, there were all kinds of fish and even ghost sharks...

We were being kicked out because the sun had set.  I still explored the area while the ranger guy was looking the other way...

The Tidal Walkway was closed!  I bet there are some amazing birds back there...

 

All trip we had been coming close to manatees without actually seeing them.  In Daytona we walked on Manatee Island and in the Everglades we passed through the Manatee Zone.  Finally, in the boondocks, we discovered Manatees!

 

 

North of Tampa is Lettuce Lake Park.  In our original agenda my plan was to hike through here.  However, our stay in Clearwater was longer than anticipated so by the time we reached Lettuce, it was pitch black and closed.  We continued our night drive all the way up to Tallahassee that night.

-Happy Birthday Dad.  I hiked on many adventures as you were turning 66.  Geesh Dad, you're getting old :)