Melbourne Beach Brevard County Florida

We arrived at Long Point Park Campground a Brevard County Park, on 15 Jan 2024.  We set up in a little misty rain and then about a half hour after we were settled, the sky fell out!  It rained hard for a long while, dumping three inches.  The campground had standing water in many spots, so it looked like we were in the middle of a river.  Just when it was starting to really dry, it rained again.  It continued that cycle for the first half of our 11 days there. 

We ventured out to check out fishing spots near us and Steve liked Sebastian Inlet State Park, two miles south.  He went out 18 Jan and was one of many other anglers giving it a try.  It was the first calm day with no rain since we’d arrived.  Steve caught a couple of keepers that day, a sheepshead and black drum. The day we were riding around and checking things out, we drove through Vero Beach.  There were lots of mega mansions there and it didn’t feel inviting.  We enjoyed the drive and noted the long bike paths, which nobody was using that day due to high winds.

We decided to check out the Barrier Island Sanctuary, the Treasure Museum, Fishing Museum and Sebastian Inlet State Park. The Treasure Museum was interesting with a few items recovered from shipwrecks right off the coast of Florida in the 1700's. Apparently a few Spanish ships sank there and most of the jewels, gold, silver and other precious metals have not been found. Millions of dollars have been recovered, but the sunken treasure has treasure-hunters diving regularly to see what they can find. The Fishing Museum was OK. I guess having lived near and visited the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum a few times, I'm a bit spoiled. We really enjoyed Sebastian Inlet State Park. We saw lots of birds and liked the coastline.

We checked out this place when we were out on our drive, sea turtles nest here during summer

16 Jan 2024

Visitor Center for Barrier Island Sanctuary 16 Jan 2024

Nature walk at Barrier Island Sanctuary 16 Jan 2024

Barrier Island Sanctuary 16 Jan 2024

Barrier Island Sanctuary 16 Jan 2024

Treasure Museum 16 Jan 2024

Treasure Museum 16 Jan 2024

Treasure Museum 16 Jan 2024

Treasure Museum 16 Jan 2024

Pieces of Eight on right Treasure Museum 16 Jan 2024

Treasure Museum 16 Jan 2024

16 Jan 2024

16 Jan 2024

16 Jan 2024

Wood Stork resting? 16 Jan 2024

Wood stork 16 Jan 2024

Brown Pelican 16 Jan 2024

Wood storks on mangrove trees 16 Jan 2024

17 Jan 2024

17 Jan 2024

17 Jan 2024

Gopher Tortoise Steve spotted on the side of the road on our way home, the first we have ever seen in Florida! 17 Jan 2024

Steve caught one of his fish here 18 Jan 2024

Sheepshead 18 Jan 2024

Keeper Black drum, Jan 18 2023

On 20 Jan 2023 we drove to Tampa Florida to the Florida RV Super Show. No, we're not shopping for a new RV. We went there to actually meet in person "Traveling Robert", an influencer whose YouTube videos ("Free in My RV") we have watched for years. We watched his videos when we were shopping for our RV and for ideas on routes to take, and places to see. By the time we parked at the fair grounds and walked through a couple of the exhibit halls, it was noon. Robert was scheduled to do a meet/greet at 12:30. When we walked up, we recognized him already taking pictures with viewers outside the venue. He really is a celebrity! Robert is down to earth and was trying to make sure everyone got the picture with him they wanted.

Tampa Florida 20 Jan 2024

Tampa Florida 20 Jan 2024

Traveling Robert outside trying to accommodate all those who wanted pictures with him

20 Jan 2023 Tampa Florida

We finally got our turn... Tampa Florida 20 Jan 2024

Robert's wife, Eliane was outside and graciously took a selfie with us

11am mass 21 Jan 2024 Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Melbourne Beach Florida

On 22 Jan we drove to Merritt Island here in Brevard County where we’re staying.  We saw one of the Cape Canaveral launch sites on the Canaveral National Seashore. We had gone to a beach near us one evening to try to see a launch at 4:49pm, but it was too cloudy and even had a misty rain falling, so we didn't see anything. While on Merritt Island, we drove the one way 7.5 mile Black Point Wildlife Drive.  After lunch we drove on to Jacksonville.  We had a reservation at the Navy Lodge at NAS Jacksonville for one night.  Steve was scheduled to have MOHS surgery to remove basal cancer cells on the left side of his nose (up next to the bridge right under his left eye) at 9am Tuesday 23 Jan 2023.  Steve’s surgery went well and Anita drove us back to Melbourne Beach.  Steve took it easy for the rest of that day and most of the next, but was feeling up to fishing on Thursday.  He actually grilled our dinner the day after his surgery and was feeling stir crazy, so his recovery was off to a swift start.  Steve’s sutures are to be removed on 30 Jan, and we’ll be driving to Gulf Shores Alabama that day. The doctor in Jacksonville said he can go to any "Your Doc's In" to have the sutures removed.

22 Jan 2024

22 Jan 2024

22 Jan 2024 Merritt Island

22 Jan 2024

22 Jan 2024 Hammock Trail

22 Jan 2024 Very Windy!

Threatened Florida Scrub Jay, we saw 6 here 22 Jan 2024

22 Jan 2024

Little Blue Heron Left and Roseate Spoonbill right 22 Jan 2024

Roseate Spoonbills and White faced Ibis on right 22 Jan 2024

From Left Snowy Egret, White Ibis, Great Egret, Wood Storks and White Ibis 22 Jan 2024

Wood Stork 22 Jan 2024

Tri colored Heron 22 Jan 2024

22 Jan 2024 Anhinga

Roseate Spoonbills 22 Jan 2024

American Coots 22 Jan 2024

Wood Storks 22 Jan 2024

22 Jan 24 Cape Canaveral Launch Site

Sunset 21 Jan 2024

After Steve's MOHS surgery 23 Jan 2024

We drove to Crawfordville (southwest of Tallahassee) Florida today (27 Jan 2024). Our journey west has officially begun. We'll be driving cross country to meet up with our caravan going in to Baja Mexico 17 Feb 2024. We have stops along the way for 2-5 nights, some for admin type things and some for seeing family and sites. Steve's sutures look really nice. He's healing well and I'm sure he'll be happy to get the sutures out and be able to sleep normally.