2/15 Jupiter Inlet County Park

It was a sunny day with a cool breeze, so a perfect day for a bike ride, especially since I had spent most of yesterday getting some work done but mostly lazing around.  I knew also that I had only two more days this campground before heading south a bit to the next one. 

So, off I went.  Probably not the best day to ride a bike because it is the height of the tourist season and a Sunday, so traffic was heavy.  One nice addition to this state park over the past two years since I have been here is a good sidewalk and bike trail all the way into Jupiter, about four miles.  Even in town, I stuck mostly to sidewalks because of the heavy Sunday afternoon traffic.  Park is about 6.5 miles away, but not a bad trip on my electric bike. 

The park was packed, but the nice thing about a bike is that there is always room!

 

There were a lot of people fishing, boating, surfing, and even swimming.  I took a walk on the small pier. 

The pelicans were hanging around waiting for the people fishing to give them a leftover fish.  This is an adult.

These two characters are juveniles, as you can tell by their mostly brown coloring with no white on their heads.  Since they stuck so closely together, I assume they were siblings. 

They did get a free fish, and after a small squabble, one got the prize and was able to put it in his pouch, which looks kind of stuck.  Pelicans, by the way, need to swallow their fish head first so the spines do not open on the way down and damage their throats.

Yup, almost down. 

 

A bit more on its way.  It still looks uncomfortable.  

 

 

Feels MUCH better. 

By this time, the second bird also had had a fish given to him and had had a much easier time swallowing it.  Actually, it is not entirely safe to give leftover fish to pelicans because of the possibility of their swallowing them the wrong way. 

And here they both are after their meal.  Note that both had been banded. 

A couple of boats on their way out.  Actually, it was a very windy day and the ocean was rough with waves 5-6' high, especially at the mouth of the inlet.  We saw several boats head out and then turn around and head back in, which is exactly what I would have done.  These two both made it out.

It was nice to stop at the grocery store on my way home and pick up a couple of needed things.  I am really stuffed with groceries right now, but always seem to be out of some small things.  Got to stop and start eating what I have!