Up early for workout, shower, coffee.

While waiting for Christy I have the brilliant idea that instead of leaving today and getting partway to Huntsville, AL, we stay here another day and burn it all day tomorrow. She agrees but that makes my decision NOT to get out the double bed mattress a poor one. Oh well.

While catching up on all things digital in the day room, we meet a fellow who calls himself the camp historian. He normally does two talks a week in the day room about the history of the camp and its environs. He gives us the Coles Notes version which is pretty interesting.

He does tell us about an interesting local venue called the Heritage Village and Botanical Gardens. It’s only about 30 km away but 45 minutes since you go through St. Pete’s Beach to get there. Sounds interesting and highly rated so we go. Nice drive through the beach area of St. Pete’s, it’s quiet as we are off season and a Wednesday.

We get there. It’s closed, today only. Sigh. The gardens are next door so we tour around there – the price is right (free), it’s pretty interesting and we see a real gator.

Drive back through St. Pete’s Beach – Christy wants a seafood lunch so we stop at Crabby Mike’s or something like that. She wants a ridiculously expensive lobster roll and she wants me to get the clam special – clam chowder and steamed clams. Add a beer for $2 so I do. Turns out the lobster is from Maine and the clams are from Maryland but at least I get a local beer.

We walk down to the beach. It’s beautiful. What did you expect?

Head back to Fort DeSoto where we enjoy our last time on the North Beach. Christy reads her book, I swim and go for a barefoot jog up to the end where I can wade across the low section to another sand island. It’s interesting. Didn’t bring my phone to take pics cuz I wasn’t sure how deep it would be, thought I might have to swim. It’s only knee deep all the way across – amazing how strong the current is though with the tide coming in.

Jog back, another swim and read my book a bit. Jogging barefoot on the sand doesn’t seem to bother my knees much. Soon enough it is time to go (they toss you out at sunset) and we head back to the campsite for dinner. Indian food tonight. It starts to rain a bit as I am making dinner but stops soon enough. That is good cuz it is no fun to pack up a wet camp. Mozzies and noseeums say hello but not as bad as last night.

We head back to the day room to do our digital duties. An elderly couple comes in and he is Chatty Cathy with a hearing problem. Slow talker but a Republican so he and Christy hit it off. I nod off and on, partially cuz I find him a bit tedious but mostly cuz these leather chairs are very soft and comfortable and I know what awaits me in the tent: thermarests.