Who da Man(atee)?

Who are you calling a (sea) cow?

Sebastian Inlet, FL – The question was asked excitedly: “Can you see manatees here?”

“Not from where I’m standing,” came the reply from the ranger at the front gate of Sebastian Inlet State Park.

Everyone’s a comic.

The sun beat down as we visited the park on a quiet day that boasted surfers and fishing from the jetties. Pelicans twisted in the air like fishing line, dancing seaward.

I'm hooked on you, too. Let's dance.

A fisherman on the pier had hooked a decent-sized stingray, and struggled to land it. He did not seem impressed at the prospect of having to remove the offending hook from the twitchy fish with a needle for a tail.

Quid pro quo: you prick me, I prick you.

Tugging hard at the line, he enlisted the help of a fellow fisherman and directed the fish into a large, circular net before setting it free with a splash. You could almost imagine the ray flapping its wings and flying back for vengeance.

The man promptly went for a smoke to calm his nerves.

Nearby, juvenile sea turtles rolled in the surf, coming up for air with inquisitive eyes. Turning toward the beach, two large grey masses grazed along the shore: a mom and a calf.

Turns out you can indeed see manatees here.