Florida

We are not sure what to think of Florida. The weather is certainly good for Canadians. Three to four days of 20-30 degree temperatures, followed by a bit of rain and strong winds that usher in temperatures in the 5-10 degree range when one might need pants but not shoes.

This is what attracts northerners. The lack of tax, other that six percent sales taxes on everything, attracts many others. And, finally the snowbirds themselves attracts workers and business owners hoping to bag their snowbird limit during the season.

In three months of cruising, we have met less than a handful of native Floridians. Everyone else fit in the categories above. The exodus starts around now – we are among the first wave of boaters moving north. Those travelling by land will start north within the next week or so.

There are lots of vacationers too who keep the bars, restaurants and gift shops going. The streets are busy and there is constant bustle that seems to be the defining characteristic of the state.

We have traversed 250 miles of Florida intra-coastal waterway. We passed many condos and homes, a surprising number of which looked to have no one home. It is wasn’t until we reach Jacksonville Beach that homes started to appear lived in.

I am reaching out to an ex sister-in-law who went to high school here. I would like to know what happens in the summer time. Is the place empty?

Florida population figures just for fun do seem to indicate a correlation between the available of air conditioning and population growth. https://www.macrotrends.net/states/florida/population