Silver Springs, FL Mini gtg, Jan. 6-7

[chalet05]

Great photos of a great time!!

[grammynmaggie]

looks like you girls are having a ball I'm glad you got to go kayaking Judy... I know I did love it and hope to do it again

[Redetotry]

Great pictures thank you! Judy I had to laugh at the first picture of the crocodile that looked as though he was totally exhausted. Did you all chase him around??

[MelissaD]

Thanks for sharing... Looks like a fun day.

[JudyJB]

First alligator was really small, maybe only 4 feet. We did not chase him, but he did look funny with his mouth open. Second was bigger, maybe 7 feet, but did not even blink--totally zonked out. Saw lots of fish swimming around and jumping, but no other alligators.

My right hand is still sore even almost three months after my carpal tunnel surgery, and I cannot lean on it without pain with my palm down. I can use my fingers to support myself as long as I do not bend wrist, so attendant helped pull me up by my arm while I pushed with left hand. A bit awkward, but managed, and well worth the trip. He also had told me to back in so he could pull me up that way because it was easier to get out facing downhill. Worked well.

By the way, Tina's kayak is really made of a tough material. She says her dogs ride in it and their toenails do not even make marks!

Now that I have done it once, I will be able to do it again.

[BirdbyBird]

Most of the pictures in my blog are recognizable from Liz's and Judy's but.......I wanted to share mine with the non RV folks on Facebook so here it is anyway.

http://expeditionsandadventures.blogspo ... -ohio.html

[cnq50b]

Looks like so much fun!!!!! You all look so good! And it looks warm there!

Thanks for letting us venture along - although it is safer for us virtually than being in the water with the gators.

I, too, was amazed at the strength of the material of Tina's kayak. Would I trust it in water with gators? I guess if Tina does, I would too. (of course that easy to say from Kansas)!

[Liz]

You always have a unique perspective on what you see, Tina. I enjoy your pictures.

[BirdbyBird]

I am thinking that if a gator was going to go after a kayaker.......it wouldn't matter what sort of kayak you were riding in, they could get you out of it. I will admit I have seen a few sections of gator filled water ways that I would not want to venture out on....But a few gators dozing in the sun right next to snacks on sticks (birds) with fish swimming by, turtles sunning on the same log, knowing that they only eat about once a month and really don't like to move in cold weather....and sparsity of unprovoked reported attacks..has built up my confidence.

[Bethers]

And you're not going to go disturb the gator - or tease it, etc. Kind of like a few of my close encounters with bears. I learned what do do, how to behave, and still jumped sky high twice lol. I remember when we were all in FL and I took my kayak way to one side of the one channel because of a baby gator. Who knows what big one was lurking while I was running from the little one.