Better with friends

For weeks, some friends and I had a planned outing to the Canaveral National Seashore. The closer we got the worse the forecast was... we decided to go anyway. It was cold (for Florida) and we got soaked with intermittent rain, but we had fun. First stop was the Turtle Mound. A shell midden started by the Timucuan Indians more than 1200 years ago. This ancient garbage dump stands 60 feet tall and was even noted on Spanish maps of the 1600s as a navigational aid. It was called Turtle Mound because it is shaped like a turtle.

The National Park Service has provided a walkway so we can climb to the top without disturbing the shells below. The sights from the top would have been more spectacular had it not been raining, but I have included two gray photos to share with you. Living on a flat barrier island it is amazing to be that high above the ground (without being in a building of course) and the views were breathtaking. Even the raindrop on the right side of the camera lens helps to share our damp day with you.

The best part of the whole day was sharing it with my longtime, though soggy, friends. We oohed and aahed and laughed through the day cold and wet though we were.

Next time I'll share some photos of the aptly named Mosquito Lagoon, some of a spectacular nature walk to another midden called Castle Windy, and some fond remembrances of the Eldora House. What a day. It's so nice that memories last a long time.