Some days the sun is bigger than others.......

It must be within 10 degrees of the horizon,  but seems higher to me.


Taken with Mini 3 Pro.

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Goodness, gracious.........

DAFlys Posted at 5-5 00:06
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Brilliant shot DA.    For some odd reason the sun really does look super sized.  

Always interesting how much land appears when the sea is out.

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-5 02:31
Brilliant shot DA.    For some odd reason the sun really does look super sized.

Thanks DT.   

Depp Posted at 5-5 05:19
Always interesting how much land appears when the sea is out.

Muddy land though.  

DAFlys Posted at 5-6 00:08
Thanks DT.

My pleasure DA.  

Good news is late yesterday evening I finally finished cleaning the bottom of the boat.  Should last for another 6 months now.  

Nice one too!

Montfrooij Posted at 5-6 11:44
Nice one too!

No Probs Peter.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-6 06:02
My pleasure DA.  

Good news is late yesterday evening I finally finished cleaning the bottom of the boat.  Should last for another 6 months now.

Nice sense of accomplishment I bet you have,  and a beer to celebrate I hope.

DAFlys Posted at 5-6 22:59
No Probs Peter.

DAFlys Posted at 5-6 23:03
Nice sense of accomplishment I bet you have,  and a beer to celebrate I hope.

It was nice to get the hull cleaned and also to have fully range of motion back in that shoulder.  I did hoist a few beers celebrating the occasion.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-7 04:57
It was nice to get the hull cleaned and also to have fully range of motion back in that shoulder.  I did hoist a few beers celebrating the occasion.

Did any manatees come and check you out or is that now out of season?

DAFlys Posted at 5-7 23:31
Did any manatees come and check you out or is that now out of season?

They stay in this area year around.  However, none made a visit over the 2 days I was cleaning the bottom of the boat.  About a week or so back a mother manatee and her pup came by and stayed by the boat for about 20 minutes and then headed out.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-8 03:01
They stay in this area year around.  However, none made a visit over the 2 days I was cleaning the bottom of the boat.  About a week or so back a mother manatee and her pup came by and stayed by the boat for about 20 minutes and then headed out.

Now that sounds adorable.   They are such fascinating creatures.   

DAFlys Posted at 5-8 23:03
Now that sounds adorable.   They are such fascinating creatures.

They aren't the cutest things to look at up close but they sure can put on an aquatic performance when they want to.  Just gentle, lumbering giants.

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-9 14:02
They aren't the cutest things to look at up close but they sure can put on an aquatic performance when they want to.  Just gentle, lumbering giants.

Is that because they get scared up from propellors?

DAFlys Posted at 5-10 00:01
Is that because they get scared up from propellors?

I think that the problem is manatees like to swim near the surface and are easy targets to be run over by boat props.  I've seen several with scars on their backs and I assume that was from boat props.  They are not agile like dolphins and can't get out of your way quickly as they are just slow moving.

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-10 03:23
I think that the problem is manatees like to swim near the surface and are easy targets to be run over by boat props.  I've seen several with scars on their backs and I assume that was from boat props.  They are not agile like dolphins and can't get out of your way quickly as they are just slow moving.

Thats what Id heard too.     Its a shame really.

DAFlys Posted at 5-10 04:11
Thats what Id heard too.     Its a shame really.

From what I was reading they've been around for a long time.

"Manatees are descended from a four-footed land animal living in Africa and Eurasia which abandoned the land for the sea an estimated 55 to 60 million years ago."

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-10 12:43
From what I was reading they've been around for a long time.

"Manatees are descended from a four-footed land animal living in Africa and Eurasia which abandoned the land for the sea an estimated 55 to 60 million years ago."

So a similar evolution to the crocodiles and alligators.

DAFlys Posted at 5-11 00:21
So a similar evolution to the crocodiles and alligators.

Yes, exactly like that.  Although I'd much prefer to swim with the manatees than a gator or croc.

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-11 02:51
Yes, exactly like that.  Although I'd much prefer to swim with the manatees than a gator or croc.

Hopefully that doesn't happen too often.

DAFlys Posted at 5-11 02:54
Hopefully that doesn't happen too often.

The only time I see an occasional gator is when I dive in local lakes.  I never see them in the salt water although I've heard that some do venture from fresh water into salt water.

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-11 03:17
The only time I see an occasional gator is when I dive in local lakes.  I never see them in the salt water although I've heard that some do venture from fresh water into salt water.

Id only dive there once and then never again If I saw one.  

DAFlys Posted at 5-11 06:09
Id only dive there once and then never again If I saw one.

I thought the same thing the first time I saw one on a dive.  However, for the most part they like to stay on the bottom when they aren't hungry.  When you see them floating at the surface are slowly swimming along it's usually feeding time for them which is a great time for me to avoid them at all costs.  

The new fence I had installed at the enlarged pond has worked really well.  So far I've not had any gators get in,  The circuit breaker on the electric fence popped so one gator got a good shock.  I've reset the breaker and no further issues or attempted intrusions.

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-11 14:25
I thought the same thing the first time I saw one on a dive.  However, for the most part they like to stay on the bottom when they aren't hungry.  When you see them floating at the surface are slowly swimming along it's usually feeding time for them which is a great time for me to avoid them at all costs.  

The new fence I had installed at the enlarged pond has worked really well.  So far I've not had any gators get in,  The circuit breaker on the electric fence popped so one gator got a good shock.  I've reset the breaker and no further issues or attempted intrusions.

Do they do anything in your area to try and control the numbers?  A bit like they try and control rats?

DAFlys Posted at 5-11 22:54
Do they do anything in your area to try and control the numbers?  A bit like they try and control rats?

The Florida Wildlife Commission instituted an annual statewide recreational alligator harvest from August 15  and ends November 1.  There are an estimated 1.3 million alligators in Florida.  Females lay 35-50 eggs each year so you can see why there are so many alligators.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 5-12 05:41
The Florida Wildlife Commission instituted an annual statewide recreational alligator harvest from August 15  and ends November 1.  There are an estimated 1.3 million alligators in Florida.  Females lay 35-50 eggs each year so you can see why there are so many alligators.

Thats a lot of crocs,    I wonder how they come up with an estimate like that.      

DAFlys Posted at 5-12 05:46
Thats a lot of crocs,    I wonder how they come up with an estimate like that.

  I wondered the same thing when I read it on the State's website.  Honestly I don't doubt it as they are really prevalent and seems more so each year.  Might be time to extend the annual hunting period.  

Alligators do not have a lot of predators after them.  Mostly humans, bears, panthers and leopards, otters, snapping turtles and large snakes like the Boa.