Long Key State Park

Stopped to kayak at Long Key  State Park on the way to Key West to celebrate Thanksgiving.  A wide selection of birds, above, and family, below.

Home from Key West, time to tell the Thanksgiving Tales. 

  I was on the road before 6 am Thanksgiving morning.  Stopped at John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo for the first time.  Intended to kayak, but once I saw the east wind blowing the waters from Largo Sound through the narrow launch area, I decided it was not a good day to explore Pennekamp.  Back on the Overseas Highway.

35 miles later, I stopped at Long Key State Park.  Figured the trail in the shallow lagoon "Long Key Lakes" 

would be a good windy day paddle.  In the water around 11:30.

Went off the Trail, down Zane Grey Creek to Long Key Bight.  The rough seas caused me to turn back as soon as I took the above photo.

I saw a few distant white shapes as I launched, unknown ibis or egrets, a few kingsfishers, cormorants, and an ibis.  No photos.  Had to take a pic of one of the vultures circling the nearby landfill just to get a wildlife shot.

I was approaching the launch site when investigated those distant white shapes.

The white shapes were snowy egrets. With blue and tri colored herons.

Ibis, too.

For a paddle that had no birds for 90% of the trip, it ended up well.

Landed about 1, 20 minutes later, was driving across the Seven Mile Bridge.

On Big Pine Key, I saw a Key deer on a side street as I drove on US 1. First one I've seen other than on Long Beach Road and Coupon Bight.  I think I got to Key West and Bill Rowan's open house, pot luck, about three.  I brought beer and pie.  Those of you reading this for kayaking Tales, I now move on to family photos.

 I had turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, stone crab, oysters and a clam. Had to save room for desert. Brownie and blueberry pie.

Afterwords, I hung out at the Santa Maria, with my sister Clare and family.  Nice place, but Jets fan Aidan needed a place to watch the game, and the hotel does not have the NFL Network.  Arlo and Evan suggested Jack's Flats.   I wonder if the name is from all the flat screen TVs.  Great place to see a game. 

I spent the night at Arlo's and Ashley's.  Rested up for day two of my four day Turkey Day weekend.