Manatee Springs State Park, FL

Bluejay grew up spending a few weeks each summer in Florida visiting his grandparents. It was tradition that they also spend a few days in Manatee Springs State Park.  Bluejay chatted the whole drive up there about the crystal clear water, the refreshing cool temperature, and the memories he had at that fun place. He was so right! Manatee Springs is a fresh water spring that stays 72 degrees year round. Because of this, manatees swim up the river to enjoy the "warm" water in the winter! In the summer, it feels quite cool! Bluejay teased me repeatedly about my reluctance to take that first plunge every time we went to swim. At the bottom of the steps, it is about 4 feet deep. Then there is a cliff drop off that goes down to 35 feet deep! But the water is so clear, you can easily see all the way to the bottom! Bluejay and I enjoyed swimming and snorkeling for hours! There was also an elevated wooden walkway that zig-zagged along the Cypress trees and Cypress knees (the Cypress root that pops up through the water). It was gorgeous! Especially when the sun was setting and it illuminated the Spanish Moss that clung to the trees. While the trail and the spring were amazing, Bluejay and I decided that we are not "southern campers". I grew up camping with my family for two weeks every summer and LOVED it! We always camped in the mountains of the southwest or in the northern states. Bluejay hadn't been tent camping more that a few times before we got married. Needless to say, we were not prepared for the HEAT and HUMIDITY of camping in Florida! It simply doesn't cool down. Even after the sun sets! Plus, the cicada bugs were so loud! National Geographic calls them some of the loudest insects. I think that's an understatement! Our ears were ringing for hours after the sun came up and quieted them down. We didn't get much rest, which made driving several hours the next day a bit less enjoyable. But, with images like these, I would GLADLY return to Manatee Springs! Especially if I was equipped with ear plugs and a portable AC unit!

 

The rock ledge at the bottom of the stairs are actually 4 feet under water! And the darker blue beyond is 35 feet deep! So clear!

 

These are called Cypress Knees. It's the root system for a Cypress Tree. So cool!

 

I love the light shining through the Spanish Moss! So quintessentially Southern!

St. Petersburg, FL

Bluejay and I left South Carolina on his Birthday (June 29th... Happy Birthday, love!). We drove down to Florida to spend some time with his grandparents and aunt and cousins. It was really fun. Since it was sunny with blue skies nearly the entire time we were in Myrtle Beach, the rainy thunderstorms in Florida each night were a nice treat. Especially since the lightning was spectacular! One of my favorite summer activities is to sit and watch a storm roll in. Especially if I have my camera and tripod on hand. So when we saw lightening in the distance, Bluejay was sweet enough to pull over into a state park so that we could hold hands while we sat and took photos of the lightning from the storm headed our way. It was magical.

Myrtle Beach, SC

As I mentioned before, there is quite a difference between west and east coast beaches. I said this to several students who have never been to a Californian beach (poor girls!) and they asked me what was so different. The only thing I could think to say was that South Carolinian beaches were so... "southern-y". Real scientific, I know. So I decided to make a list. Let me preface this by saying that I don't like either coast better or worse. They are just uniquely different. How's that for a people-pleaser? Everyone happy?

 

This is what happened every time I brought out my camera.  South Carolina is literally the most humid place I have ever been. It takes about 15 minutes for my lens to clear up before I can take a single picture.  

The condos along the beach are all brightly painted, on stilts, have hurricane shutters on the windows, and have plaques that proudly display the condo's quirky name "Margarita Cove" or "The Beachcomber".

 

The Beach side of the condos back up the the beautiful protected dunes. This is very different from the immaculately manicured boardwalks and beaches of California. The pro is that it's rustically beautiful. The con is that there is no way to rollerblade, bike or long-board along the beach unless you go out to the street without an ocean view.

 

You don't see signs for a hurricane evacuation route in California either!

 

In order to cross over the beach dunes without harming them, there are the old wooden walkways and bridges. This is one of my favorite things! I could have walked along the beach for less than a mile and found enough of these distinct walkways to have it's own blog post. I wish I had! I guess there's always next summer!

 

I wish I could say this is a joke, but the primary form of transportation in Myrtle Beach is a golf cart! Think Bobby Cobb from Cougar Town. This is funny to note because it seems like along the Californian coast, everyone is there to show off. Whether that be their modern house or fancy ride. While there are places in South Carolina that have more class, in Myrtle Beach tourists and locals alike drive golf carts and have mobile homes in trailer parks less a block from the Ocean! We have students at our Project from Ireland, Scotland and India and I had to laugh at the thought that Myrtle Beach (or the dirty Myrtle as we affectionately call it) is their one view of American Culture. We had to tell them that not all Americans drive golf carts, live in the swim suits and shop at Walmart for everything.

 

Every fruit stand along the side of the road offered Boiled Peanuts. I have heard nothing but rave reviews of these nuts, but alas, we kept forgetting to give them a try. I guess that's another thing to try next summer!

 

This is where I rented my first surfboard. It was super fun! If we ever end up living anywhere near the ocean, it will be a must have for me. I'd love to get better at it so I can get up more than a few times!