Date: 14 January 2014. Pelican Visits Algae.

I had another visitor the other day -- and this time the fellow who stopped by didn't come aboard Seaweed. Instead he hung out on Algae. Quite frankly, what with Skipper on Alert I could certainly understand his reluctance to come inside. Though weighing a mere four pounds, there are times when my First Mate forgets she's a well-behaved Papillon.

Santa Rosa Sound is east of Pensacola, Florida. 
[Green water and sandy bottom equals good anchor holding, though unprotected from east or west winds.]

Of course it's good that Skipper lets me know when boats approach. Her favorite though are dolphin and ever since we were surrounded by that pod in Santa Rosa sound, well, she goes bonkers when she hears their breath.

Short lesson in breathing: Dolphin have a much faster breath than manatee. It's a Puff versus a more sustained and deeper PUFF from a manatee. At some point you'll hear both exhale if you traverse warm waters. Once you hear the second you'll always be able to recognize them.

In any event, Skipper alerted me to the fact that we had a visitor so I got out the camera to take some pictures. I was able to observe the pelican as he preened on my Algae approximately six feet away. Of course I wondered if he'd "christen" the inside and worried when he turned his butt inside the dink versus hanging over the water.

Eventually I figured out is what the pelican was doing. As he ran each feather between his beak little mists of water would come off the feather. The pelican was drying himself! I had imagined when watching from a distance that they were picking out bugs but that didn't appear to be the case. It was fascinating.
 

	Pelican dries off while standing on the stern of my dinghy Algae.

And yes, Algae was christened by the pelican. That's why I have lots of work rags around -- for those little (and not so little) messes!

I enjoy watching the wildlife that surrounds the waterfront. It interests me. Perhaps that's why I so enjoy life afloat. There is a show every day if I only take the time to look around.

Of course this life awaits you too. Come on out and see for yourself!  

Do you have pelicans near where you live?
Have you ever had one land on a boat you've been aboard?

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