12/1/2012 John Pennekamp Visitor Center

Arlene lucked out again on the phone with the reservations center.  What was supposed to be a four day getaway has now turned into a full fledged week’s vaca!  Another cancellation and another move in the campground but its all good.

Today the guys went fishing out at the point.  Us girls took a walk through the park and went to the visitors center.

Here’s our street that we live on.  Actually, there is only one dead end street here in the campground.   This is standing in front of our rig and looking towards the other end.



A short walk takes us to the Dive Shop.



All things associated with diving can be bought here.  There is a lot of diving going in these parts too.  After all, John Pennekamp State Park is the first underwater park in the USA.   A coral reef to be exact.

The dock area.



The glass bottom boats that take people who don’t dive out to see the reef.  That would be us.



One of several picnic pavilions.



The water is crystal clear here.  This water is probably four feet deep at least.



Lots of fishing going on here today.  Its no wonder, the temps are nearing 80 and everyone just wants to be outside.



They sure grow their trees strangely down here don’t they?

These are our fall colors and this is probably the only type of tree that is changing colors and dropping leaves.

The Great Ibis' around here are very used to people and unless you walk quickly right towards them they don’t even flinch if you walk down the street next to them.
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More strangely shaped tree trunks.



Walking through the parking lot we come to one of our beaches.  No one is here now as it is later in the day and everyone has left.



I have to admit, I haven’t been to this beach yet, I don’t know why not but I’m going to make it a point to get there this week.

This is the area where I sit when I log onto the parks WIFI. Who wouldn’t like hanging out here for awhile?



We  went inside the Visitor’s Center where there is a 30,000 gallon fish tank plus some smaller ones.  I took lots of pictures there and will save those for another day.  Look for a post called, “I’m Never Going In the Water AGAIN!”