What do you do on a windy cold day in Florida in the middle of the winter? Right - search for manatees in warm coastal waters. And what's the best way to spot them? Correct - by kayak or canoe. And that's exactly what we decided to do when the temperature dropped to 54 F / 12 C. Quick Google search returned a couple of locations in Fort Myers to do so, from which we picked a local community park called 'Lee County Manatee Park'. 

It's a very tiny park by the Orange River with a power plant across the street. And the latter is exactly the reason this park draws its main attraction - manatees. 

In the winter, when the Gulf of Mexico becomes cooler, this huge yet harmless mammal comes to places like this one where the power plants discharge warm water. 

This would have been a picture with manatees should the Gulf water temperatures be below 68 F / 20 C.  

But even without manatees, there are many ways to have fun in the park. One of them is to rent a kayak or canoe and take a narrow mangrove tunnel toward the Orange River.

 Always wanted to do that!

Mangrove is a tropical plant, but it also thrives in Florida's subtropical climate.

Mangrove's branches are like legs which a plant uses to move. But it's obviously a very slow process.

Mangroves provide a very important habitat for birds, reptiles, mammals, fish and others. And they actually help people by protecting coasts from severe weather.

Next time in Florida, I want to take a canoe trip to the Everglades or a similar place where one can see alligators as well. It must be an interesting experience.