Fort DeSoto Park, Day Four

This was another day on the water. We took another route, and this time I remembered to bring the SPOT satellite messenger to track our progress. We got on the water earlier today, which was nice since it was a bit cooler. We found a small island rookery where pelicans and anhinga were nesting their young. There was a steady stream of birds bringing food to the nests, and a steady chatter of noisy baby birds calling for more. We were also treated to a mother dolphin and her very young calf. It looked like the mother was teaching the youngster to fish, but as small as the fin was on the baby she might have just been catching fish for it.

We started packing up the camp gear, for we leave for home in the morning.

Fort DeSoto Park, Day Three

We got out on the water today and had a great time. It has been a few years since we were on the kayaks, so it took a little while to get the paddling rhythm back. We were out for a few hours and enjoyed seeing the park from waterside.

Good fishing here in front of the camp store.

Back to our forested camp site. You can hardly see the motorhome.

Beating the Florida summer heat.

The vet called and said that Bella was doing very well and could come home early. Barbara picked her up and brought her back to the RV. She gets along reasonably well, but the steps up and down while getting into and out of the RV are a little hard on her. She looks like one very sad dog with her system full of painkillers and her left hindquarter shaved. She has the benefit this time of having the other hip repaired and strong. For the first surgery that was not the case, so recovery was hard. She will be out running at the dog park again, but I imagine that it will still be a month away. We will see.

While Barbara was at the vet I set up my HAM radio rig on the picnic table. It took a little while to get the antenna up. It might be the denseness of the trees here, but I could not get the antenna tuned well. It was so hot and humid I finally packed it all back up. The Tarheel antenna I am installing on the back of the RV will hopefully allow me to do some radio work in the comfort of the RV instead of out in the elements.

Fort DeSoto Park, Day Two

Today was the day for Bella to go to Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists for her second hip surgery. She and Barbara left early this morning for the ride to the vet and I was concerned that she would remember this place from last time and be upset. Barbara said far from it, she walked right off with the technician looking as happy as can be. Do you suppose she remembers this as the place she gained the ability to finally run with the other dogs and swim? Hope so, for that would mean she understands that the discomfort following this surgery will be rewarded with less constant pain and even more mobility.

We took her to the dog beach yesterday and she had a ball running with the other dogs and swimming out to see the kids and adults in the water. A cell phone camera was not enough to capture her antics, so the few shots I got were when she finally plopped down in the water to take a break.

Bella making new friends

Today is Barbara’s birthday. We had friends over for dinner last night to celebrate, and it turned out that one of the guests has his birthday this week also, so we had even more reason to celebrate.

All the sites are this private. You can hear, but not see your neighbors.

We got a nice walk on the beach before the rain started and chased us back to the RV. Tomorrow we hope to get the kayaks in the water. This is a great place to paddle and we can launch right here at our campsite.

Fort DeSoto Park, FL

Our foster Golden Retriever, Bella, is scheduled for her second hip surgery this week. Since the surgery center that is performing these surgeries is in Largo, FL  we elected to make arrangements to stay at one of our favorite parks, Fort DeSoto Park. It is a wonderful Pinellas County park near the northern end of the Skyway Bridge. It is a large park with about six miles of beautiful gulf beach, a large campground, and a large boat ramp that provides quick access to Tampa Bay and the Gulf.

Campsites vary in size, and are heavily treed. Lots of shade, but avoiding the trees getting in and out can be sporty. As with docking boats at the marina, backing into these sites becomes a spectator sport and we gathered a small crowd of neighbors. While it took several minutes to get in Site 142, we did manage it without damage to paint or trees. Yea! That has not always been the case here for use.

Tight squeeze

Room in back for kayaks, though, and easy water access

I had hoped to do some final tuning to the Tarheel antenna, but it and the ladder are buried in Palmetto fronds. That also blocks access to the ladder for doing A/C maintenance, which was another item on the list.

The ladder and antenna are in there somewhere, honest

A big reason for bringing Bella here is the Dog Beach and Dog Park. We want to give her a chance to go wild a bit before being laid up from the surgery.