Settled in at Happy Traveler

  Today is Tuesday, November 12. We are fully settled in at Happy Traveler RV Park. We got out of Lazy Days on Wednesday last week. Of course the manufacturer still did not give approval for the warranty work so they cut us loose. By the time we pulled into our campsite it was just about dark. I had never set up in the dark before. It was tricky backing into the site but I got some help from three guys from across the way. The next few days we gave the trailer a thorough cleaning, got our mailbox key, went grocery shopping, got the cable hooked up, and checked out the area. We are close to  I-4 and I-75 and everything else thank goodness. Not like the last place where you had a 30 minute drive to civilization. I can ride the bike to the Winn-Dixie about half-a mile away. We are about ten minutes from Busch Gardens and the Yuengling Brewery and many restaurants and other stores. I can't wait to go to Thompson Cigar which is close. I have started looking at golf courses and there seems to be a fair amount nearby that are reasonable.
  Yesterday we took a ride to the manatee viewing area by the Tampa Power plant. The manatees need warm water and they congregate there during the winter because the plant discharges warm, clean water back into the canal. They must be in water that is 68 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer and the power plant provides ideal conditions for them.

 

 

The power company has constructed a nice facility for the public to see the funny looking critters. The best part is it is FREE. There is a viewing deck and we saw several manatees. There were only a few and it is hard to get a good picture of them submerged just below the surface. Here is you can see one that came close to the viewing deck:

 

  I got him coming up for air here. Manatees are mammals and they can stay under water for up to 20 minutes:

 

  Getting a picture is tough because they are under the surface and you don't know when or where they are going to come to the top. I go this one far out in the bay with the zoom. You can see slight swirls on the surface and then you have to train the camera on that spot and wait for one to break the surface. Here I got his tail fluke:

 

 

  The complex also has a long pier type structure that goes through the mangroves and out into the bay where you can bird watch and watch the fish.

 

  Dan, I hope you approve of the pictures. The zoom is amazing. The shot of the tail fluke was a couple hundred yards away as well of the birds.

  After we left the manatees Doreen wanted to stop at the store to return an item so we drove to Brandon on our way back. After going to the store I was thirsty and hungry. I was scouring my smart phone for places to eat and saw all the usual chain restaurants and nothing really appealed to me. Just as we were pulling out of the parking lot from Kohl's I saw a sign for "World of Beer". Well, that was destiny calling and we went in. They had about 100 beers on tap. We started with a sampler flight then ordered food and more beer. Doreen had the German pretzel and I had a craft pizza. A perfect way to finish off the day.