19 July, 2010

Summer vacation 2010!

Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Is all I have to say!!!!  Boy , we really needed it!  We packed up and went down to Ft. Myers Beach!  The hotel was great, the view spectacular, and the natives were amazing!!! 

We had a fantastic view from our balcony!!!  Sunsets were the best!!!  The balcony was screened in which made this mamma ALOT more comfortable being on the 11th floor!!  


First up...  Beach time!!!!!

We saw and played with all kinds of sea life.  Sand dollars, crabs, starfish, conchs, fish, and yes... some sharks.  I local fisherman was fishing about 10 ft from us off the sand bars and caught a little black tip shark.  He let the kids pet it!  YIKES! 

This is a conch!

This is a sand bar about 60ft off the shore!!!  So cool to be walking on the beach in the middle of the ocean!!

Next was a dolphin site seeing boat tour!  The tour ended with a trip to Lover's Key island to do some shelling!!! 
This was another speed boat that the dolphins followed to play in their wake!  So fun watching them .  There were about 4 of them!  I have some cool video I will try and post later!!  After this speed boat left they came and played with us a bit!!  The kids LOVED it!!!  Monkey is now obsessed with dolphins.  Can you blame her?  Swimming with them is on my bucket list!

 Here they are right off our boat deck coming to say hello!!
The boat dropped us off to do some shelling!

 On our way back to the dock!
She is a little pooped!!
All these shrimp boats are parked waiting for some relief to go back into the gulf to shrimp.  Oil spill is affecting everyone one way or another!

 
Then we were on to more beach fun!!

Lastly was a trip to the everglades to get a little education about Florida history!!!  Oh, and an air boat ride through the everglades!!!!  So fun!!!
Weather looks fabulous , right?!  Well that is what you gotta love about Florida!!!  We checked in , payed for our tour, and sat to wait for our driver.  Then the sky opened up and a huge storm hit out of nowhere!  UGH... we were soaked.
Here we are hiding in the bathroom on the side of the building! 
Finally the storm portion passed.  We got our rain gear on and set out!

Here is another friend just off the deck of our ship!  WAY too close for my comfort.  I am thinking, " umm... don't you see those discovery shows where the alligators jump into the boats!?"  This big guy was about 8ft!  They grow into super monsters in the everglades!

The everglades are truly an amazing place with a lot of history!!  

We really enjoyed ourselves this week!  It was hard coming home and getting back into the swing of things!
I think I might start planning our next vacation!  Don't know when it will be, but it gives me hope!!  :o)
Hope you are all enjoying your week! 

Blessings,

5 Comments:

  1. Lori said...
    looks like a fun and relaxing vacation
    Kim @ Homesteader's Heart said...
    What fun my friend. So the west coast beaches must not be as bad as they are making it out to be huh?
    I've never been to the Everglades but you make it seem like it would be worth a trip.
    Have a fabulous day!
    Kim
    McCrakensx4 said...
    Looks and sounds like an amazing vacation. I ♥ the beach so this vaca would have been right up my alley! So glad the weather eased up for you to enjoy your everglade trip.
    Mikki said...
    Wow! How fun!
    Looks like you all had a fantastic time. Love all the dolphin pics!
    He & Me + 3 said...
    What a cool vacation. I am loving that picture of Monkey with her rain gear on with the headphones. too cute.

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