Guest guest Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hi Carol- I didn't even know the difference between crab types. Looked up the blue crab. A beautiful creature in itself. Love the difference between the female and male...the female having red " painted " nails. Thanks for sharing all of this Florida nature with us. It's great to connect with more than just LBD. Hugs to all- Sandie   Des Moines, IA dad, Merle, passed away from LBD 9-20-02, age 65 mum, Jo, (MIL) passed away from LBD 4-29-07, age 78 -- Re: OFF Several Topics: Manatees and Groundhogs/Carol the ditch connects the Caloosahatchee and the Orange via the power plant. It is on the south side of hwy 80. Carol > > > Hi Dear Carol, > > I loved your letter! It was wonderful. I don't use Google Earth. But do use > Map Quest. > > And, Carol, I am ignorant as to where " Yankee Ditch " is? I have never lived > right in that area, so am unaware of where these Colloquial names are > located. > > My family hung close to the salt water around the beaches. lived on > Del Ray > long after she married. When we visited we still went out to the salt water. > > I am so tired, I'll have to do some searching to find the places you are > talking about. I have found Manatee Park. > > Good night, > Love a bunch, > Imogene > > In a message dated 1/6/2008 6:14:50 PM Central Standard Time, > adhd5464@... writes: > > On a lighter note, and very off topic, I did take the kayak out today > in search of the marvelous manatee. > > With the cold snap we had this week, many of the warm-blooded > manatees headed in for warmer water. Our power plant draws cold > water in from the Caloosahatchee River and dumps warmer discharge > water into the Orange River, via a man-made ditch. > > Imogene, my first date with my husband was at the " yankee ditch " . > We took string, raw chicken necks, and a net to catch blue crabs at > the outlet. I don't think we kept anything we caught, but I knew you > would enjoy a bit of Fort Myers nature lore. We live less than a > half a mile from that very spot. > > Jim has been doing significant yard work and was in no mood to put > the waverunners in the water, so I hand-paddled down to Hansen's > Marine (landmark for Imogene) to sit and wait for my buddies to come > up. Although there seemed to be many manatees hanging around the > marina, they were not the very friendly ones that want you to scratch > their backs or tickle their tummies. > > The manatees that were frolicking on Chrsitmas Day were much more > healthy than today's bunch. The ones that have been up the river for > a while now breathed quietly. The new crowd that was there today had > sounds of congestion in their breathing. > > Usually I rely on their breathing to locate the critters, and today, > that strategy worked great, as many sounded like they had colds. > Last week they could sneak right up, and I couldn't hear them > breathing. Those that are more sensitive to the cold came up and > avoided being in the gulf as the temperatures dropped dramatically. > > Many kayakers were on the river in search of manatees, and there were > small groups in many places all along the river. They love to eat > cattails and leather-leaf ferns along the banks. Before Lehigh > Acres cut a canal into the Orange River, it was a crystal clear > river. Now it is brown, and brackish, and does not support the > underwater vegetation it once did. Still, the warm water from the > power plant provides a place to get in out of the cold. At 68 > degrees, they flock into our river. > > There is a nuclear power plant near the Crystal River, further up the > west coast of Florida where the manatee also take refuge. They have > a longer Mantee season as they are colder than we are all year long. > > I did get to pet one manatee near the marina, but he was shy and just > let me tap him, not a real petting. > > Right up next to the discharge ditch, I was paddling close to shore > and surprised one right next to my craft. I touched him and he took > off for deep water in fright. The water was less than 3 feet deep > where I came upon them accidentally. > > For those of you who play on GOOGLE EARTH, you can type in the > Manatee Park address in Fort Myers, and find the power plant, the > river, and how it drains back out to the Caloosahatchee. 5761 Palm > Beach Blvd., Fort Myers, Floria 33905 > > To see great clear water pictures of manatees, check out Homosassa > River+manatees. Crystal River sites will also have ads for swimming > with manatees. > > I feel bad for you people who are weathered-in so much, and am trying > to bring you some outside joy right on your computers. > > Now if you have big money, and are looking to live in a swanky > development, check the Verandah of fort Myers, by the Bonita Bay > group. > > All the land that is now the Verandah used to belong to Jim's family > years ago. When his grandparents died years ago, Jim's dad was a > minor still, and was dirt poor, as well. The land was sold for taxes > and so all we have of any of that tract is 3.7 acres the family > rescued by the skin of their teeth. It is sad to think that the part > of the family that cared so much for the river, and wanted to > continue to live here, got the short end of the inheritance stick. > Spilled milk, alas! > > I am hoping that during the next few weekends we will have better > manatee outtings, and better stories. I am not above hopping into > the water, and swimming with the beasts. > > if you are a Google Earth nut like we tend to be, if you find where I- > 75 crosses the Caloosahatchee River, you can spot where the Orange > River empties into the larger river. Another fun river to > investigate on the web is the RAinbow River in Dunellon, Florida. > the town is very quaint and they do many things during the winter > months to cater to the snowbirds. They only have two little motels, > and the best of the two, is mediorcre at best, not a destination city > for lodging. > > So, for those of you whose computer is a lifeline to the world > outside of Lewyville, I leave you with some interesting nature sites. > > As for Groundhog's Day, my Canadian friends, that is February 2nd. > it is my favorite holiday, because there is not one bit of > commercialism attached to it. you don't buy gifts, you don't send > cards, and it is a silly superstition, that if the groundhog sees his > shadow on Feb. 2. there will be six more weeks of winter. i just > think it is a great day to spread uncommercialized greetings to > anyone who is sick and tired of all the non-essential hoopla of the > Christmas season. I doubt there are any religious ties to the > groundhog, and therefore, it remains strictly, non-confrontational > turf to spread greetings to all. (I was kidding about the boxed > cards) Until Hallmark reads this post, the holiday is safe! > > So, to all a good night, and sweet manatee dreams. > > Enjoy your surfing! > > Carol > > > > > > > > > > **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. > http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise? NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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