My mother and nephew were visiting us for a week’s vacation in February and friends of ours wanted to show them a very unique Florida experience. They suggested swimming with the manatees. My nephew was quite excited about it especially since he was not really sure what a manatee looked like. I knew he was in for a terrific surprise.

Manatees, also called sea cows, are very large vegetarian mammals. On average, they grow to about 9-10 feet long and 900-1200 pounds.

The planning was easy. Execution was another story. We reserved space on the first boat of the morning. That meant we had to get to Crystal River by 7am which was a 2 hour drive from St. Petersburg. Getting everyone up at 4am to get ready was the worst part of the day but once everyone was up, showered, fed and all the adults had at least one cup of coffee things went smoothly.

We arrived at the dive shop by 6:30am where we were fitted for wet suits, snorkel, mask and fins. The wet suit was necessary. In February the morning air can be cool and the river is spring fed with water temperatures averaging about 72 degrees Fahrenheit. We sat through a safety video warning us to allow the manatees to approach us rather than chasing after them.

We all boarded the boat with lots of excitement. We motored out a short distance and saw a group of manatees. The captain anchored the boat and within minutes we were in the water. We all behaved ourselves and waited for the manatees to approach us and in no time they did.

As I mentioned, they are very large animals and it is remarkable how graceful they look in the water. One manatee approached and rolled over so that we could scratch its belly and touch its skin. Their skin has a slimy fuzzy feel. Then we noticed a mama manatee with a baby nearby. We kept our distance and watched as the baby swam around its mama. The baby was very confident in close proximity to its mama and showed off for us by flipping and turning as it circled around her.

Some people rolled in the water to see if they could entice some of the other adult manatees to do the same thing but I didn’t notice any mimics. The manatees seemed to be comfortable swimming with humans as they swam close by and lingered for awhile. The tour team had a large video camera inside a waterproof casing. They filmed the entire dive and made the tape available for purchase after the trip.

Once back at the dive shop, we changed from wet suits to dry clothes and headed off for a good old southern breakfast where we relived our encounters with the manatees.

It was a wonderful experience for us and we got such a kick out of watching my nephew negotiating the waters in his first snorkeling trip. By the time we returned to St. Pete, he was very satisfied with himself but sound asleep in the back seat of the car.

Please note: The dive shop that we used is not longer in business so I can’t recommend it. I instead list the manatee tours in the area: http://www.manateetoursusa.com/, http://www.manatee-central.com, and http://www.sunshinerivertours.com/.

Photos courtesy of Free Public Domain Photo Database and Public Domain Clip Art

By now, you know that the final installment of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books is the fastest-selling book of all time. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sold a record 8.3 million copies in the U.S. within 24 hours of going on sale. But did you know plans were underway to create the magical world of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando?

That’s right – Universal Orlando Resort announced on May 31 that they will partner with Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. to create “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” in late 2009. According to Universal’s press release , visitors will be able to visit locations from the book like the village of Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and Hogwarts castle. “The plans I’ve seen look incredibly exciting, and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed,” said J.K. Rowling.

The creative design team is led by Stuart Craig, an Academy Award winning production designer. He was responsible for bringing the Harry Potter books to life in the movies and promises to remain faithful to the look and feel of the films.

I’ve heard people pine over the fact that this is the last Harry Potter book. Readers confess that they will miss the be speckled mudblood. I hope Universal’s planned attraction will help to ease the pain that Rowling’s final book may have caused you.

The series is not just for children. I saw quite a few teens and adults dressed in costume waiting to buy the book at my neighborhood Barnes and Noble. And I look forward to Orlando Gay Days 2010 where we join our GLBTQ brothers and sisters dressed as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall and all the rest of the Rowling characters we have come to love.

We always liked going to restaurants in Florida with our friend, Judy. Judy grew up on the west coast of Florida and she turned us on to the best back road restaurants. Susan Harb’s article in Sunday’s Washington Post about Cherry Pocket Steak and Seafood Shak in Lake Wales was reminiscent of those quaint old places we visited with Judy.

“The place drips with backwater charm,” describes Harb and “looks exactly like a 40-year old Old Florida fish camp should look.” If you are not so ready to abandon the good feeling you’ve had visiting Disney’s Tom Sawyer Island, why not extend the experience by making a trip to an authentic fish camp?

While the blackened and fried dinners sound great, the homemade desserts are what put “The Shak” on my list of places to visit next time I’m in Orlando.

Cherry Pocket is located only 45 minutes south of Disney World. Cherry Pocket’s website provides directions from any location.

Enjoy!

Are the crowds at Disney and Universal driving you mad? Well, why not go off the beaten path and satisfy your out-of-space curiosity and head over to the Kennedy Space Center. On May 25, 2007, the center officially opened Shuttle Launch Experience.

According to the Kennedy Space Center press release, the Shuttle Launch Experience sends the visitor through a simulation into the Earth’s orbit. The ride took three years to develop with veteran Space Shuttle astronauts, attraction experts and a design team. It utilizes modern technology to simulate the blast into orbit. Speakers under each seat help to rumble and shake the rider during the main engine ignition and air bags in the seats simulate the effect of G forces on the body during liftoff.

“It’s not a thrill ride,” said Dan LeBlanc, chief operating officer of the Visitor Complex. “You won’t be dodging asteroids or battling any aliens. We have worked hard to ensure that it is as close as you can be to simulating the reality of a Space Shuttle launch within the confines of Earth’s gravity.”

This is the first of a series of exhibits that the Space Center will launch over the next ten years to help the average visitor better understand space travel (and who knows what that will mean to the future of gay travel).

The Kennedy Space Center is located in Merritt Island, just 45 minutes from Orlando. For more information go to the Kennedy Space Center website at http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/.

When people think of a Florida vacation, they first think of Disney World and the rest of the Orlando tourist attractions but there is a lot more to Central Florida than Mickey and Shamu.

Ocala

Ocala is 77 miles northwest from Orlando. Ocala has hills and sprawling horse and cattle ranches. There are many places to take trail rides. One such place is Young’s Paso Fino Ranch. You can take a tour of the ranch and facilities and also make arrangements to trail ride one of their beautiful Paso Fino horses. The guides are experienced and friendly. There were about 10 adults in our group with three children and we all had a good time.

Ocala is also the home to many fresh water springs that are great for kayaking and/or canoeing. We could not pass up the Silver River because we heard that there are Rhesus monkeys on the shores. The river is abounding in wildlife. In addition to the Rhesus monkeys, egret, heron, anhinga, ibis, snake, alligator and turtle can all be seen any day on Silver River.

Because the river is spring fed the water temperature remains cool even in the heat of Florida’s summers. The trip from the nearest boat launch at Ray Wayside Park up to the mouth of the springs is 5 miles. You are paddling against the current so the trip up stream is a challenge. The park service is supposed to start a canoe and kayak shuttle but that had not been in place on our visit. The trip is worth every once of energy.

The water is clear and you can see the sandy bottom and the canopy of trees makes it a very pleasant trip. You don’t have to travel very far up river before you see the Rhesus monkeys in the trees. At first they might escape your glance but soon enough you’ll see groups sitting on fallen trees watching you paddle up stream. It is against the law to feed the wildlife on the river and you don’t want to get too close to the monkeys as they will bite.

In the 1930’s, Colonel Tooey created an attraction on the river by bringing the Rhesus monkeys to a small island in the river. Unbeknownst to Tooey, Rhesus monkeys are extremely good swimmers and escaped to other parts of the river.

If you make it to the top of the springs, you will be inside the Silver Springs attractions. Watch for the glass bottom boats. Although they are difficult not to notice, they run on electric and can sneak up behind you rather quickly.

Silver Springs, the headwaters of the river, is the largest artesian spring formation in the world. At certain locations the springs can reach depths of up to 80 feet and they are 99.8% pure. The main spring created a cavern 200 feet wide and 30 feet deep. The water flows from this spring with such force that you can see the sand and shells being tossed around at the inlets. The theme park does feed the wildlife up at the springs. So you will be sure to see gators, gar and other fish.

The total trip is 10 miles. Bring plenty of sunscreen, water and snacks so that you can enjoy a wonderful day on Silver River.

Directions to the boat ramp: At the junction of I-75 and SR 40 (exit 352, old #69) in Ocala, turn east (right) on SR 40 and go 9 miles to the Silver Springs attraction. Continue past the theme park on SR 40 for 3 miles to Ray Wayside Park. The park is 1/4 mile west of Delks Bluff Bridge. A canoe launch is located at the far end of the park just past the boat ramps. We paid a small usage fee of $3.00 at the time of our visit.

St. Petersburg

Just 120 miles southwest of Orlando is the City of St. Petersburg. St. Pete has that old reputation of elderly people sitting on green benches on Central Avenue in downtown. St. Pete has grown up quite a bit. Many of the folks who visited it in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s would be surprised to see the downtown skyline filled with tall condos. It is a terrific little city. If you plan your trip for a weekend, you’ll be pleasantly surprised as there is plenty to keep the gay couple or the gay family busy.

Every Friday night from 7-11 pm is the St. Pete Shuffle. This is not your grandmother’s shuffleboard! Each week there is a local band or DJ playing music. Beverages are usually available for a small donation but everyone is encouraged to bring their own snack and drinks. Someone is always available to explain the rules and the techniques of the game. This is a great place to meet new friends and everyone of every age and athletic ability enjoys themselves. Everyone is welcome here. St. Pete Shuffle is located at the historic St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Courts – 559 Mirror Lake Drive (directions).

Looking for a place to eat before going over to St. Pete Shuffle, you can try Ratchada’s, Café Alma, Ceviche Tapas. These and other restaurant addresses can be found in http://www.stpete.org/pdf/restaurantguide.pdf.

Saturday Morning Market is also a happening place from October through May. You can buy a coffee and a breakfast crepe. Sit and listen to some great local music. Shop for fresh fruit and veggies and then buy a soft drink and sandwich for lunch and you never would have left Central Avenue. The Market boasts homemade cakes, pies, gourmet coffees, arts and crafts. The Saturday Morning Market is one of the finest, most organized and most enjoyable open air markets we have visited it is a perfect place to enjoy the best St. Pete has to offer.

Once your stomach and palate is satiated, it is time to move on to the beach. At the southern tip of Treasure Island on Sunset Beach is ‘Bedrocks Beach.’ A gay bar named Bedrocks sat on this site for a number of years. While the site is now a city park, many gays and lesbians still frequent the beach. If you are unable to find parking here, I suggest a ride down to Passe Grille Beach which is one of the nicest in the area. It has that quaint island feel and lots of white powder soft sand.

If you are looking for a more remote beach, try Fort DeSoto Park. The park is at the southern-most tip of Pinellas County. It has been named one of America’s top beaches by Dr. Beach. Follow I-275 to the Pinellas Bayway exit (#4) and proceed west, following signs to Ft. DeSoto Park. Once in the park, follow signs to the North Beach and park in the last parking lot. Then walk a short distance, crossing the “rainbow bridge” and wading across a shallow lagoon. You will find yourself at a breathtakingly beautiful beach! Continue to your right (north) to the end of the island which is where gays and lesbians will congregate.

So, you have had all the sun you can stand and now you are ready to go dancing. Georgie’s Alibi is the most popular gay club in town.

Sunday morning brunch at the Vinoy is always special but if you prefer to have your brunch poolside at your vacation rental, we understand completely. If you are looking for an artsy afternoon stroll, head back downtown and visit the Arts Center and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Other ongoing events in St. Petersburg

The Downtown Arts Association schedules on the second Saturday of each month a Gallery Walk from 5:30 – 9:00pm. The galleries are open to the public and many offer special presentations and provide refreshments.

Gulfport is a small town just south of St. Petersburg that is home to many lesbian and gay residents. It hosts an art walk each month on the first Friday and third Saturday (http://www.gulfportchamberofcommerce.com/artwalk.htm).

There is an Italian market on 22nd Ave in St. Pete right off of I-275 called Mazzaro’s. They have a terrific assortment of meats, cheeses, desserts and prepared foods. On Saturdays, they have live music which makes the shopping pleasant and keeps the espresso bar crowded. For more information go to their website.