As I mentioned on Monday our Mid-Florida Winnies group gathered in Cocoa for a campout this week. Tuesday the hosts purposely left the schedule open till our 4:00 Happy Hour so that we could all do some exploring on our own. This was the first time for many of us to even be in this area.
Ken and I drove down A1A just two see what the area looked like with the Atlantic Ocean on our left and the Indian River on our right. At times we were quite close to both and at others the land was wider and all we were seeing was businesses and hotels, motels, and restaurants. We did pass Patrick Air Force Base which stretches out for a couple of miles. The further south we went the more cleanup we could see taking place -- cleanup from the hurricane that went through here about a month ago. The road was being repaved, roofs were being repaired, windows were being replaced and there were huge piles of tree debris that has yet to be picked up and disposed of.
We did stop in Cocoa Beach as we worked our way back to the campground so we could walk the beach, watch the sandpipers scurry in and out of the water as they hunted for food, and just enjoy the breeze and beauty around us. The beach is still covered with alot of seaweed but otherwise is wide and very few people were out enjoying it as the red flags were flying because of the severe undertow.
Lots of foam was washing up along along the front ridge of the waves leaving little piles that tended to look a bit like snow
We found a boardwalk back in among the low dunes where we could sit on a bench and just enjoy our surroundings.
Cactus like this added some color to the area as well.
We then continued on back north making another stop on Sykes Creek Parkway to find this waterway that carried my maiden name. We were never totally successful in fully identifying which waterway it was since there were several within walking distance but it did give us a chance to discover this interesting historical marker and the cannon beside it.
And this is the waterway we finally "declared" to be the Sykes Creek
Though this could also have been it as it was right next to the Sykes Creek Parkway in a Wildlife Refuge area
We continued north a short distance to Cocoa Village where we parked and walked around checking out the shops, buildings, and park before finding a restaurant where we enjoyed lunch. This old theater was right across the street from where we were parked.
And these murals were on the walls of the local visitor center.
This intriguing fence closed off an alley way between buildings
This bed and breakfast obviously made from an old home that probably once sat on land overlooking the Banana River. Now a motel has been built in its backyard and it faces the water.
Down a block from this was a pretty park with views of the Banana River which is behind me when I took this picture.
Across from the park was this long building with a restaurant on the corner where we stopped for a bite to eat.
On our walk back to the car we passed an ice cream place where we stopped for a dish of the delectable stuff. This courtyard area was kitty corner from where we were parked. It is a quaint downtown area - fun to walk around but we weren't really interested in stopping in the shops and buying anything.
By the time we got back, people were already beginning to gather again at the Zopff's for Happy Hour.
Thanksgiving dinner - turkey and all the trimmings followed at the clubhouse nearby. Our hosts provided the turkey and dressing and the rest of us brought side dishes including a table full of desserts.
Afterwards we had turkey races using dice to decide which ones moved forward. Our "bookies" collected the bets and distributed the winnings.
Wednesday morning our hosts provided a wonderful pancake casserole and sausage breakfast with real maple syrup, juice, coffee and tea. Our meeting followed
And then we were off for a boat tour of the Banana River including going through a lock and touring the port area with its huge variety of boats, ships, and freighters, along with marinas, restaurants, and terminals and other support services.
(Two of the passengers from this cruise ship were on the boat tour with us)
Our hosts even provided a drink, pretzels and cookies for our enjoyment on the two hour ride.
And the birds provided lots of interest as well. It is amazing how many big ones can be found along the seacoast including these white pelicans.
Happy Hour was followed by a soup and salad dinner with the hosts providing a selection of six different soups and the rest of us bringing salads and desserts.
Afterwards we shared humorous stories from our years of motorhome travel.
In the morning we gathered once more for more conversation as well as muffins, coffee and tea before going our separate ways once again. Ken and I stayed long enough to get two loads of wash done including the bed sheets so we could again make up the bed before putting the motorhome back in storage. All of the things we'd moved in, we bagged and put into the car so we could shift them back to the house when we returned.
Once again we were off, got back, put the motorhome to bed and moved back into the house for a week and a half before we are off again for more travel. (we'll be flying to our daughter's home in Texas for Thanksgiving week)
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