Over spring break, I went to Florida with a few of my friends to go to the Disney and Universal theme parks in Orlando. This blog serves as an example of how you can find nature in the least expected times. We had rented an airbnb on the canals in Merritt Island, Florida in the hopes of being close to the beach, but not so close that it would be too expensive. I have always preferred the mountains to the beach, but I was willing to give Florida beaches a try.
When we got to the airbnb, we discovered that the backyard literally backs up to the canal that leads right into the ocean. It was fascinating seeing how close we were to the wildlife that lives in an ocean ecosystem. We saw jellyfish floating right by the dock. While they are a bit scary, they are amazing creatures deserving of respect. Later on, we saw a manatee poke its head out of the water for a split second before swimming back into the ocean. It became something of an activity to just sit on the dock and look into the water. I couldn’t stop hoping that the manatee would resurface and I would be able to capture it in a photograph, but it never did.
The closest experience I had was with a heron. I assumed that this was the same heron that we saw over the course of a couple days, since he would always stand in the same spot on the dock. As a group we decided to name him Kevin in honor of the beloved bird in the best Pixar film of all time. One day Kevin was in his normal space and we went out to see if we could get close for a picture of him. As we approached, he kept his ground and did not appear to be afraid. As I got close, a truck across the canal ran into a trash can and dragged it up the gravel driveway for a bit, making a loud noise in the process. I thought this might ruin my chance at a picture. Instead of flying away, Kevin reared his head back and emitted the very same noise. I was in awe of how perfectly Kevin imitated the sound. It is incredible to think that my friend Carson and I were the only people to experience a moment as magical as that.
From the whole trip - theme parks and all - I still remember this moment and that connection with nature as one of the best moments.
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