8 days a week

Sunday May 20, 2012 through Wednesday May 23, 2012
Oscar Scherer State Park Site 89

 

I’m excited to be heading out for an 8 day “vacation” week at Oscar Scherer State Park and Nokomis beach. 

 

 

 

Sunday:

We decide to drive separately to Oscar Scherer which is only 70 miles away.  The plan is that I will stop at the Sarasota Whole Foods on the way in Ruby and stock up for our week.   David will go to Oscar Scherer and get a “non reserveable” site so we can stay through the Memorial Day week-end.  

 

Luck is with us. 

 

All goes as planned and we end up in our favorite “non reserveable” site 89.  That’s 8 days of no doctors and near the beach.  Whoo Hoo!! 

 

 

 

 

 

But we are mighty tired by the time evening comes.  David has gotten the coach into the site after repositioning 4 times without scouting help since I’m still at the grocery.  He leveled it, put out the slides, hooked up the power and the water.  All before I got back.  So he deserves a nap.  While he naps, I start getting things set up.  Patio mat, chairs, tables, flag, boats off the car.   David wakes up and takes the bikes off the car.   We put up the awning.  

 

We’re all set. 

 

 

 

This may well be one of the nicest sites in the park and it’s a walk in.  Amazing!

 

 

 

 

We pull nose in rather than back in.  I prefer this view to the campground road.  Seems most campsites are designed for back ins as if all the architects have 5th wheels with nice picture windows in the back.  :-)

Here’s our view of South Creek.

 

 

 

 

The Ducky Brothers like their view too.

 

 

 

You can see I’m on a roll with river front spots.  This would be perfect for launching kayaks although I doubt we’ll do that because of  A) the heat  B) David’s energy level C) the proximity of cooling gulf breezes and waters.

 

 

 

 

Back up a few feet from the river front  and here’s the place for napping or just relaxing.

 

 

 

Ok I know, enough.  It’s a nice spot for 8 days this week!!

 

 

Monday:

GREAT! The beach isn’t too crowded.

 

 

David has overdone.  His dex didn’t make it quite this far and fatigue has set in.  So on Monday we take his lounger and he dozes and relaxes in it at Nokomis Beach for a few hours.

 

 

 

 

It’s a windy afternoon.  I have to pay close attention to the TIBU.

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday

Back to the Beach

Today I go out running.  We have breakfast, pack a lunch and return to the beach in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

David is able to take a walk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He also goes for a short swim.  Resting yesterday has done him some good.

 

 

 

 

It’s a beautiful day,  less Windy.  The water is very warm and wonderful for floating and relaxing.

 

 

 

Wednesday

 

Today I go off early by myself.

 

 

 

 

I get up and out and to the beach by 7:15 in the morning.  David sleeps in.   I am the first car in the parking lot and get the only shady all day spot in the corner.   My shadow is huge as the sun rises behind me in the east.

 

 

 

 

It is WONDERFUL being at the beach first thing in the morning. 

 

 

 

 

 

No one is around except some fisherman at the far end.

 

 

I decide to swim out to the buoy marking the no boating area.  It’s about 40 yards or 50 yards off shore.   Nice swim out and back.   When I get to the buoy a cormorant is drying his wings and preening.  I tread water for some time and he stays right there. I passed my Advanced swimming badge so I have a certificate proving I can tread for at least 30 minutes.  ;-)  I tread for a long time, treading is easy.  I like treading.  I love watching him.  He holds on to the buoy with his feet as it bobs around in the water.  I get a really good look at him. It is amazing to see him up so close.  .

 

 

The patterns on his feathers are beautiful.  He has a screaming traffic cone yellow chin which you can’t possibly see in the picture I took zoomed way up from back on shore.   But here’s one from
the internet.  This still doesn’t do justice to his wing and chest feathers.  Up close and personal, they look velvety with gorgeous designs.

 

 

 

Eventually I fear I may scare him off so I swim back to shore, take my camera to see if I can possibly get a picture of him out there.  When I turn around I notice the walkers have begun and one of them is walking up to my chair.

 

 

 

 

 

Is he going to go back and sit down??

 

 

 

 

 

 

The human walkers aren’t quite as good looking.  Dressed in all sorts of attire, they parade by.

 

 

As people show up, they are all doing what they enjoy.  I take a picture of  a guy doing yoga on the beach.  I’d love to do that.  Later when I see the picture I find really interesting contrasts. Motor boat zipping along, paddle boarder moving more slowly through the water and a yogi moving most slowly into inner peace.  :-)    Something for everyone at the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

This man did what I call some serious pretzel poses.  Here’s a pose you won’t be seeing a picture of me doing.

 

 

 

I stay until the sun begins to get too high in the sky and the incomers too many.

 

 

We return for the drumming at 7:00.

If you’ve been reading this blog then you know this is one of our favorite things to do on Wednesday and Saturday evenings when staying at Oscar Scherer.  So here’s a summary of this evening’s gathering.  Wednesday night is the smaller of the two.  :-))

 

There is the circle.

 

 

The drummers and dancers

 

 

 

 

 

And more dancers of all shapes and sizes

 

 

She sells jingle skirts and a lot of them.  Two for $15.

 

 

The audience

 

 

 

 

 

The sunset – reason for it all.

 

 

 

 

After the sun goes down, the drumming and dancing continue.  And the lights come out.   This evening the clouds roll in……

 

 

They put on a light show of their own.  We stay a long while and
watch lightning displays in the clouds.  No rain just lightning in two sets of large fluffy clouds.  Really gorgeous.  Sunset behind us, lightning in the east….

 

and the new moon rising.

 

What a night at Nokomis Beach!!