Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

With record heat for the day forecast, we thought we'd spend the morning in an activity, squeeze in a nap for the kids, then spend the afternoon at the beach and/or pool.

First things first, at sunup we took a stroll on the beach. Ella was not completely sold on the ocean, the waves a bit much in the morning I suppose. Plenty of time to build some sandcastles in the shade of a palm tree!

Then we headed out to a Nature Center a little north of where we were staying. According to the internet it was well shaded (a must for the old man).

Out of the swimsuit and into warm weather clothes (dug out of the basement). Dad & daughter before the outing.

Gumbo Limbo was a great little facility. It had the standards...welcome center & gift shop (air conditioned) as well as a number of both at the same time research orientated and kid friendly displays. Our first stop followed the sea horse path and ended up in a turtle hatching facility (with some seahorses in a tank). Ella thought it was the best thing ever...we had no idea she thought turtles were cool. Then it was off to the large tanks. They were filled with all sorts of sharks, anemones, colorful fish, and the like. Very knowledgeable, volunteer guides helped out with interesting facts and added a touch & feel element to the tour. There was also the largest lobster Mom & Dad had ever seen (also a hit).

Tank #2 had a giant sea turtle that had been rescued in 1978...it was several years old then; making it older than Dad. It was a hit.

The little man takes after the old man, doesn't much care for the heat. After the tanks, it was back to the gift shop to cool down in the AC. The visitor sticker provided some distraction.

Ella climbed the turtle statues along the way back to cool off...

In the center of the waking path there is a 40' tower to view the "hammock", the natural layout of the land between the Atlantic Coast and the Intercostal waterway. It was a bit warm to drag a pregnant woman and two kids up 40 feet of steps...where's the elevator when you need it.

She came, she saw, she conquered! Straight back down after the summit.

Mom was a bit jittery with all of the "banana spiders" that were literally anywhere there was room to spin a web. The webs were huge and the spiders were on average several inches in diameter.

While at the gift shop the kids both scored stuffed animals (our house is a veritable zoo these days). Ella picked out a green sea turtle (subsequently named Timmy) and she chose a manatee for Hank (dubbed Manny).