An easy Monday around Hanna Park. Started off with breakfast under the awning with Cali. I piddled around with little projects and typing up a post while sipping hot tea on the patio. At 11:30, I grabbed my little bag of beach gear and headed over to boardwalk 12. It was a pleasant afternoon, sunny and mid seventies with a moderate onshore wind causing bumpiness in the surf.

As I was suiting up a large pod of dolphins were passing by a ways off shore. I jumped on the board and paddled out to them. There were nine dolphins in the group and they were leisurely moseying to the north. By the time I came abreast of them, we were 3/4 of a mile out. They maintained a distance of about 50 feet never letting me get too close. I escorted them down to the poles then turned around before entering the navy base at Mayport. Some fishermen were anchored in front of Dolphin Plaza fishing from their boat. They seemed surprised to see me passing by and giving them a wave. I paddled back to my starting point and rested in my shaded chair sipping a Monster and eating a Clif bar. I spent the next few hours either relaxing in the shade or wandering around hunting for teeth and sea glass.

In the late afternoon, I headed back to camp and started cleaning house in preparation for PJ’s return tomorrow. I washed the sheets and scrubbed everything up so it looks pretty decent. The campground is nearly empty and it is a nice quiet night, just the rustle of armadillos bulldozing the leaf litter grubbing for insects. Some varmint got ahold of the purple netted seed bell last night and spread it all over the mat. Speaking of varmints, as Cali and were out for late night walk we met up with a half inebriated local and his two daughters returning from looking for what he thought were fireflies (turned out to be those ground lights that you point up onto the trees). His girls were petting Cali when we heard this big thump as something fell to the ground. I though it was a branch from the tree, but it was a raccoon. He had a pretty big fall and made a solid thud hitting the pavement. He laid there stunned for a minute then limped away clearly not feeling the greatest. I wish him the best. That was our wildlife encounter for the night.