Normality and Storms

For a few days, we reverted to being a ‘regular’ family. ‘Normality’ began with Elizabeth’s birthday on Friday when she opened presents, visited a Toys’R’Us, ate waffles, visited the Florida Aquarium and then visited my father’s cousin, Jane, who had organised supper, birthday cake and balloons. The next day, Jane had arranged her friend to give us an insider’s tour at Lowrie Zoo, Tampa and then on Sunday we travelled further south to see nesting ospreys and kayak among the mangroves and alligators., however the highlight for Elizabeth was “staying in a real house and sleeping in a real bed again.”

The aquarium was as special as I had remembered with a wetlands section where you walk between pools with glass sides in a mangrove swamp whilst ducks paddle above the fish and other waterbirds fly around your head. The zoo was also memorable – we were introduced to the penguins inside their enclosure (although one had a taste for Matthew), fed the giraffe, listened to the gibbons sing, watched wild manatees recuperating from cold shock and red algae ingestion and photographed the many wild birds who take advantage of the safety of the zoo.

Jane’s company was enthusiastic and she was delightful to stay with. At her home, I watched the many brightly coloured native birds on her feeders – American goldfinches, tufted titmouse, Carolina chickadee, mourning dove, red cardinal, the massive Carolina wren, yellow-throated warbler and red-bellied woodpecker. We were also lucky enough to spot swallow-tailed kites and white storks.

We had to drive through a horrendous thunderstorm on our return which straddled over 60 miles from central Florida to the coast. We stopped for supper at a Golden Corral which offered a ridiculously good value buffet complete with steaks, rib and shrimp, as well as a chocolate fountain and unlimited drinks. However, our good mood evaporated as we reached the marina – the thunderstorms had been accompanied by unusually severe gusts and even a real tornado was reported on the news as touching down at Canaveral. This obviously had caused some localised damage in the area. Many boats had been “bruised” including Croix des Gardes. We lost our burgee mast and burgee, and the expensive bespoke sun awning was ripped apart and carried off into the bay. She looked a sorry sight, even in the darkness, with tattered rags hanging off the stays.