Catching a few rays

Sunday and Monday, Feb. 12 and 13, 2012 DUNEDIN, FL – Chilly winds and cloud cover plunged us into some pretty cold weather the last couple of days – at least by Florida standards. We kept our heat pump going overnight for the first time this trip. We didn’t unearth our parkas from the back of the car where we stashed them a few weeks ago, but Val said the thought crossed his mind. In the warmth of the car yesterday, we cruised around some neighbourhoods in the area, to show Mum (and see for ourselves) the different living styles people choose. There are plenty of parks populated with double-wide park model trailers. The aluminum-sided, one-level homes are modestly priced but comfortable enough to stay in for six months of the year, October through March. After that, the heat gets too oppressive for most snowbirds. Much larger homes for permanent residents were in other gated communities, with beautifully landscaped boulevards and secure perimeter fences around. Tall palm trees stood like sentinels on either side of one wide street, and many homes displayed beautiful gardens with colourful flowers and plants, and even lush green lawns. The sun was shining brightly this morning with the promise of slightly warmer temperatures, but it was still brisk when I went to the shower building. An indoor destination seemed appropriate for today’s outing. So we went to see the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, home of Winter, the tail-deprived dolphin. This creature is the star of the film Dolphin Tale, which tells the true story of how Winter got tangled in a crab trap that cut the circulation to its tail to the point that it fell off. Scientists developed a prosthesis tail for Winter to make it possible for the dolphin to learn to swim again. The aquarium is a rescue facility for all kinds of sea creatures that have encountered boat propellers, nylon filaments or even plastic soft drink rings and need surgery or rehabilitation to survive. There are sharks, turtles, dolphins and even otters in various tanks, and there are presentations for visitors who come by the hundreds to see the popular aquatic movie star. It was fascinating to see how Winter can propel itself in the water even without the prosthesis, which is too uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. We watched the volunteer handlers play with Winter and Panama, another rescue dolphin, and encourage them to jump out of the water, to the delight of the audience. It was heartening to see how happy the animals seemed to be. The aquarium gave a feeling of hope and purpose, rather than a place full of pitiful creatures. There was a shallow tank full of stingrays, which visitors were encouraged to reach out and touch as they swam by. I waited for one of them to come near me, and then put my hand out. The rubbery wings felt like velvet as they brushed against my fingers. It was amazing to get that close to something I had only seen on TV screens or in the movies. On the way out, we picked up a copy of the DVD “Dolphin Tale”, starring Harry Connick, Jr., Kris Kristofferson, Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman. We’re looking forward to watching the whole story, having met the star and seen a number of the sets at the aquarium that were used during the filming. We had also been to Honeymoon Island beach where other scenes were made.