Wimauma, is the name of the town where Little Manatee River State Park is located. Its founder made up the name using the names of his three daughters, Willie, Maude, and Mary. Wil-Mau-Ma. Go figure! Earlier in the day we were on the phone with my sister trying to guess the origin of the name.
Site 19, easy to back into, wide, lots of room on the driver’s side and in the back.
Paved roads within the campground, and a shell and sand mixture in the campsites.
Side yard
There are 34 campsites with water and electricity (50amp) and they are very private. Each site separated by native plants and trees.
Lots of room in the back yard. Up goes the ham antennas!
For the horse lovers out there, LMRSP has four equestrian campsites and twelve miles of riding trails.
Artsy fun!
Howard with pen and paper, whoa what’s with that? Must be a ham radio antenna diagram!
We are looking forward to exploring this lovely Florida State Park.
A funny looking bug, trying to hitch a ride on one of our car roof rails!
Green Leaf Bug – (Katydid)
As we were getting in the car, I spotted what I thought was a green leaf on top of the roof. I reached up to grab the leave and throw it on the ground and quickly realized it was not a leaf.
For a few Fun Facts on this bug go to http://www.bugfacts.net/katydid.php#.VJ4SUJ0B
Sharing with: Saturday’s Critters at Viewing Nature with Eileen
Red oaks and cypress trees reaching toward the sky,
Moss dangling from branches,
Vultures watching me.
In the distance a pier,
Inviting me to the river,
Reaching the end I peer down,
A cute little eye, looking up at me.
A Stroll Through the WoodsOdd Bird OutA pier leading to the Suwannee RiverI See You
Manatee Springs is an important winter refuge for West Indian manatees. From November through April, these gentle giants are regular visitors to the spring. (taken from park brochure)
Bubble!!Manatee Spring – Florida’s largest freshwater springs. An Inviting 72 DegreesManatee Springs is a favorite diving spot.
Reflection Art:
Three’s a Crowd
Park Visitors:
All aloneHigh above the SpringNorthern Cardinal (female)LookoutsPost Ornament
With no TV, no internet (at times we will get extremely slow service) and no cell service (text messaging works fine) what to do other than walk the parks 8.5 miles of trails, take photos of Manatee Springs and the Suwannee River, bird watch and just enjoy this beautiful park.
There are 78 campsites in the park and they are pretty primitive with water and electric. We were in shock when we first arrived, but now just love this park.
One loop is closed for renovation and will have a brand new bath house and new, improved sites with FULL hookups. This loop will hopefully be open by May, 2015.
Sorry for not responding to comments, I truly appreciate each and everyone! We leave here Sunday and will be back in communication!! (I hope.)
With one last opportunity to observe the beautiful Myakka River and the numerous birds that visit this area, we stood on a bridge and looked out across the water. I knew, for this winter season, it would be my last visit to Myakka River State Park. I fell in love with this state park and this spot on the bridge.
The next morning we were leaving and I remember feeling sad. My photos of this Tricolored Heron were taken on this evening.
The Tricolored heron, formerly known as Louisiana Heron, is truly gorgeous The name tricolored refers to the dark upperparts, white underparts, and the reddish brown stripes on the fore neck. You will often see this heron wading out into a salt marsh belly deep; deeper than most other herons.
The heron was running back and forth stirring the water hoping to scare up something to eat. He didn’t know it, but he was entertaining us with his actions.
By this time the sun was setting and the light was fading. The heron seemed to become more frantic trying to catch something to eat before nightfall. It was getting harder to capture sharp shots, but it sure was fun trying. Several times he would run, stop and lift his wings over his head!
Thank you Tricolored for giving me a wonderful experience, making me smile and lifting my sadness. I hope to see you again when we return to Myakka River.
Wolf Song Blog 