Into Indian River to Cocoa Fl Part two ICW 897

Mosquito Lagoon did not live up to it's name, never saw or heard one of the nasty critters. The channel is very narrow and shallow, Tom spent the time "FINDING WATER" to make our transit while I took pictures  searching for the elusive Manatee. The whole area is a Manatee zone and everywhere there are warning signs to be slow, stay in channel and no wake. I looked but there wasn't a hint, bubble or trace. I did enjoy watching birds fish. 

From the lagoon you go into a Haulover Canal, very narrow with  Allenhurst-Haulover highway bridge that needs to be open to let us through. We were followed by 6 power boats, all had to slow down to idle speed. What was pleasantly surprising was they slowed down passing us.  The channel in Indian River is also very narrow and shallow so their caution was much appreciated.

Finally we could see the building of NASA and Merritt Island. We arrived at our slip by 4pm 

Now for cleaning, resting, restocking, visiting, shopping and then who knows where 

The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), sometimes known as the sea hawk, fish eagle or fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a largeraptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts, with a black eye patch and wings.

The Osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant.

As its other common name suggests, the Osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It possesses specialised physical characteristics and exhibits unique behaviour to assist in hunting and catching prey. As a result of these unique characteristics, it has been given its own taxonomicgenus, Pandion and family, Pandionidae. Four subspecies are usually recognized, one of which has recently been given full species status (see below). Despite its propensity to nest near water, the Osprey is not a sea-eagle.

finally got the little buggers
Yes Laura there are Porpoise under the water 

NASA CAUSEWAY BRIDGE

Cape Canaveral was chosen for rocket launches to take advantage of the Earth's rotation. The linear velocity of the Earth's surface is greatest towards the equator; the relatively southerly location of the cape allows rockets to take advantage of this by launching eastward, in the same direction as the Earth's rotation. It is also highly desirable to have the downrange area sparsely populated, in case of accidents; an ocean is ideal for this. The east coast of Florida has logistical advantages over potential competing sites. The Spaceport Florida Launch Complex 46 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is at the tip of the cape.

Missions to the Moon required the large three-stage Saturn V rocket (111 m high and 10 m in diameter). At KSC,Launch Complex 39 (LC-39) was built on Merritt Island to accommodate the new rocket. Construction of the $800 million project began in November 1962. LC-39 pads A and B were completed by October 1965 (a planned Pad C was canceled), the VAB was completed in June 1965, and the infrastructure by late 1966. The complex included a hangar capable of holding four Saturn Vs, the VAB (130 million ft³); a transporter capable of carrying 5,440 tons along a crawler way to either of two launch pads; and a 446-foot (136 m) mobile service structure. Three Mobile Launcher Platforms, each with a fixed launch umbilical tower, were also built. LC-39 also includes the Launch Control Center and a news media site.

yes that's my shoe, have no idea how  or
why I took this  :)