RATING: ♦♦♦♦
We were camping in Melbourne, which is on the Indian River across from Merritt Island, which in turn is separated from the coast by the Banana River. Lots of water. So we decided to take a two hour boat ride from Palm Shores, which is just north of Melbourne, down the Indian River, around the southern tip of Merritt Island, then up the Banana River.
It was a very nice day, mid-seventies, and the water was fairly calm. A perfect day for a boat ride. The Indian River is wide and shallow, and attracts dolphins and manatees. Our boat pilot was quite skilled at finding them. The dolphins were especially numerous. We saw several pods, including a mother and baby dolphin. Very cool.
The damage from Hurricane Irma was everywhere. The shoreline showed a lot of erosion, and nearly all of the private boat docks were in disrepair. There was even a sunken sailboat in the middle of the Banana River. Irma was the second major hurricane to strike the area in two years. Hurricane Matthew hit in 2016. So repair work is slow going. But the natural beauty of the area means that those who can will still want to live here even with the threat of recurring hurricanes.