So, I wrote so much about the manatees that I had to split the blog about the day up or it would have become a novel! After my visit to the Manatee Park and discussing their school children education program as well as family based activities, I drove to my next stop, the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. I came here as one of Gabrielle’s recommendations. Great place, I saw alligators, river otter, cotton mouth snake, Florida soft shell turtles, lizards, Ibis, stork and many other bird species!

After my great and relaxing walk around this place where I spoke to several other nature lovers (who actually knew what the bird species were), I headed to Sanibel Island to chill on the beach for a couple of hours! The Islands beaches are known being covered in shells. which wash ashore from the Gulf of Mexico. After a few hours of relaxing on the beach and having a few swims in the water I then headed back via Fort Myers beach. I thought I would go to a beach there and watch the sunset. Seeing as all the parking was upwards of $10 I instead decided to go to a bar/restaurant on the beachfront with free parking. So that at least if I was paying $10 I would actually be getting something for my money and not just overpriced parking for an hour or two…

I ended up at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille, where I had a beer and some fresh Oysters, delicious! I also ended up talking to a mum and her son who were out here for a few weeks. They come here a few times a year, every year to catch some sun! Sounds like a great plan to me. We talked for a couple of hours before I realised how late it was and swiftly headed back to Gabrielle’s for my last evening staying there! Although Gabrielle is busy working in the days and I head out exploring, we have great conversations about life in America and get on very well. Thanks for letting me stay and on the sailboat which is super cool!