Marineland, Florida

Marineland Marina

Exploring the area in our Dinghy!

March 13-15       Happy Birthday to our beautiful daughter, Joy, on March  14th!
     We are still in Florida!  It has been a little over 3 months and we have traveled over 1200 miles in our boat and we are still in our home state!  We have visited 20 marinas and have stayed in places we have never been before, so all is going well!  We are trying to get the timing down of where we want to be at certain times to enjoy good weather!  We have reservations to attend the American Great Loop Cruisers Association spring rendezvous in early May in Norfolk, Va.  This is a meeting of fellow "Loopers" where we will attend seminars to help plan for what is ahead of us!  It also gives us a chance to meet people who are traveling the Loop or are planning to do it.  It should be a lot of fun. So between now and May, we will be continuing our journey through Georgia and the Carolinas!

   
     We traveled a short distance to Marineland Marina.  Our first impression of this marina was, wow, this is really a small intimate marina in the middle of nowhere, a departure from the places we have been staying!  As we settled in and walked across the street, (A1A ) to the beach, we really started to love this place!  Away from crowds, buildings and condos, and even restaurants!  Not one store or restaurant within miles of us!  Just a stretch of gorgeous pristine beach with very few people on it!  The beach welcomed dogs, which we were so happy to bring Salty to let her enjoy it, too!
   
     We attended our first "real" Docktails party!  We visited with our new friends, Joe and Barbara, and another couple we met, Jackie and Jim, who are also doing the Loop!  A couple from a sailboat joined us as well.  A Docktail party is when you meet up together on the dock, bringing an appetizer, your own chairs and your own drinks!  It is kind of a spontaneous occasion and is a great way to meet new people who have common interests! Boats! And boating experiences and adventures.  It was a lot of fun, but we are probably spoiled now, because Barbara and Jackie outdid themselves!  Barbara  made Asian meatballs and even homemade chocolate cookies!  Yum!

Marineland

Red Footed Tortoise

Green Moray Eel

Octopus

Live Coral

     The main attraction here is Marineland Dophin Adventures!  It has been in existence since 1938 and we were pleased to get passes from our dock master at the marina.  We really enjoyed the park, it is a research facility and educational center to learn about dolphin, shark, and turtle behavior, as well as the marine ecosystem.  It is right on the ocean's edge and there were plenty of trainers and tour guides to lead you through the exhibits.  These dolphins are well treated and well cared for.  Once they are in captivity, they will not be allowed back in the ocean.  The oldest female dolphin was named Nellie and lived to be 61 years old.  Her offsprings still live at the center.  We "met" the dolphin who starred in the movie, Bernie the Dolphin

Nellie the Dolphin

Dolphin Movie Star!

 
 We watched both our teams play basketball, Kentucky and Florida State, both were winners that Friday night!  Very exciting to have such great teams to pull for in the tournament.  We always enjoy March Madness and especially this season, because Karl has more time to watch the games!