It is February 2021 and we have
one more 2020 RV trip to complete. One of our favorite sites is Brevard
County's (FL) Manatee Hammock Campground. We have been going here for
more years than we can count. But this the first time for our RV Jule
III. We drove straight from Wilmington to Titusville (9+ hours) in a
long day and made camp on a rainy and dreary day. We made lots of
de-winterizing mistakes (lots), discovered a failed stairway and an air
conditioner that would not stop.
Traveling RV Technicians (Logan) made time for us to fix
our stairs (new motor) and our air conditioner (loose wire). Nice to
know there is good help when you need it.
Many RV parks are like some marinas we have encountered with community
interests and comradeship. Manatee is one such place. 2016's Hurricane
Matthew did a number on this facility as well as countless other homes,
businesses, marinas, and parks. We visited Manatee Hammock in 2017 and
it lost so many trees and so much shoreline, just like Hunting Island
experienced.
Our back yard is bordered by a little creek
with steep banks. It is quite picturesque! We will ask for this site
the next time we visit Manatee. The foliage has recovered from Matthew
in many places. Still, it will be many years before it is fully
recovered. Manatee is not perfect. The WiFi is almost nonexistent and
fires are not permitted unless you bring your own fire pit. Not a big
deal. We used our hotspot and we acquired a small wash bucket.
Manatee is sandwiched between US 1 and the Intracoastal
Waterway. We often anchored SV Jule III on the ICW less than a mile
North of Manatee's fishing pier. We don't know if many fish are caught
on the pier but there are a lot that try. This time of year there can
be serious waves on the Indian River Lagoon, especially if there is a
fresh Norther or sustained Southerlies.
Though we spent the majority of time
at the campsite, we managed to get our second Covid shot (Pfizer) in
Orlando (Orange County Convention Center). Much like our first shots
there, it was a smooth operation. The folks there should be commended
for their flawless operation. By now we should be protected from Covid
for at least some time.
We made two trips to St. Matthews Catholic Church in
Winter Haven. St. Matthews has been our virtual church for over a year.
We decided to visit in person and we were not disappointed. We got to
see Fr. O'Brien (aka Fr. Nick) and Fr. Ray in action. Taking communion
was a bit of a trick but we got the hang of it. On one occasion we saw
the camera setup that brought us Mass for over a year. Back at the RV, we
Roku-ed the service and behold we saw us participating in the Mass.
;
