Manatees

The picture of the Manatee on the warning signs is the closest I came to seeing a Manatee on the St. Johns River, although on both trips I walked the River Walks continusly.

On the latest trip each time I would walk or run the River Walk on the south side of the river I would see two city workers tending to the pansies and other flowers in boxes alongside the walk and the river.

One was a black lady who was working everytime I saw her. She was very busy and very articulate in her work. However, her co-worker, I never saw his face. Each time I walked by he was asleep in their little golf-cart looking thing with a small truck bed. He would be hugging the steering wheel, which then his arms served as a pillow and his head would be face down.

I think she probably did enough work for both of them.

Thursday on my walk i asked her if she ever sees any Manatees. She lit and told me she did, several times a day. She went on to tell me she saw one injured near "that bridge" pointing. She told me she called authorities who came and pulled it out of the water to do medically help it. She smiled and nodded and said he was going to be OK.