Nokomis Drum Circle

When drummers meet for the Nokomis Drum Circle

Finding a parking space is a miracle

Hundreds gather on the beach before sundown

People coming from near and out of town

The Shaman draws a large circle in the sand

Decorated with shells and flowers by a helping hand

Giving blessings and blowing his sea shell

All watchers present are under the spell

He walks around with the smoking cleansing sage

Anyone can join the circle and is welcomed at any age

After the ceremony, the drummers begin to play

Once you hear the beat, you just have to stay

Drumming rapidly and waiting for the setting sun

When it sets, it's time for dancing an having fun

Some drummers and dancers like to teach

Making the circle complete on Nokomis Beach

This weekly celebration takes place at Casey Key Beach in Nokomis, Florida. It starts about an hour before sundown and depending on the weather, it can draw over 1,000 spectators. They come and sit on blankets or beach chairs, drinking wine or beer, participate by dancing and watching the sun set. Young and old.

The Saturday night we were there was exceptionally cold and windy. We brought a picnic dinner and our beach chairs, but didn't see a sunset due to the cloudy evening. The crowd broke up early because of the chill but Andy and I do plan on going back when the weather is a little warmer.

Florida Manatees, also called sea cows!

The saying in Florida is "if you see a Manatee, both you and the manatee are lucky." The reason: you would be lucky to see one of Florida's most endangered animals, and the manatee will be lucky simply to exist. These large gray mammals have inspired the legend of mermaids, although their future is uncertain due to human activity.

These mammals once ranged from North Carolina to Texas but now live almost exclusively in Florida. In the winter, they gather in rivers near Sanibel Island and Fort Myers. They need warm water and the gulf is just to cold this time of year. We saw about 40-50 in a canal at the Lee County Manatee Park, in north Fort Myers. Manatees must be near the surface to breathe, but can stay under for 20 minutes. They are much bigger then I thought they would be, measuring 8 to 10 feet in length and weighing up to 2,000 pounds. They eat about 50 to 100 pounds of vegetation a day, acting as underwater lawnmowers and helping to keep the waterways open.

This park also had crabs and sea turtles. We could have stayed there for hours watching.