Henderson Beach State Park,FL and Karen hit by lightning

5/13-5/14 We left Blackwater River State Park in the morning and headed back to the coast to Destin, Florida for a stay at Henderson Beach State Park. Very nice park! Pulled in early in the afternoon and biked, hiked and enjoyed the boardwalk to the beach.
Henderson Beach State Park, Destin, Florida 60 campsites, water, electricity, laundry, clothesline posts, showers, nature trail, boardwalk to beach and close to Wal-Mart, restaurants and other shopping. Friendly and efficient check in. Need reservations and hard
to get. They put campground full signs out but many times they will let you camp if you are just passing through for one night. One can fish, bike ride, swim, surf at this park. The beach is beautiful and the sites are all good. Exceptional pull through sites. Most sites are very private because of the dense undergrowth. We met so many campers that rave about this campground since it has won awards for best in Florida and the nation. It lived up to our expectations and we will definitely return. Our hosts were very friendly and will to help if you needed it.

I put a picture of a bird in a tree next to our camper. This bird was fascinated by our camper and plopped himself on the front window next to the windshield wipers during our stay at this park. Pretty bird!
We had a thunder and lightning storm early evening Friday to about 11 at night and then a small storm around 6 am in the morning for about an hour. They have not had rain here for about 7 months so we must have brought it but Saturday’s weather was picture perfect. Leaving here Sunday morning on Stephanie’s birthday headed to Topsail State Preserve considered one of the most outstanding campgrounds in the nation. Can not believe that Steph was born 33 years ago – where did the time go?
During the storm on Friday night our awning was blowing in the wind so George yelled to come out and help put it down. I was holding on to one of the metal legs when lightning struck our awning and came down the pipe through my right arm down my body and out my right heel. I yelled that I had been hit and George did not know how to react. He got me into the camper quickly while he tried to put the awning down. My arm, leg and heel were sore for the rest of the night. The next morning the campground host came over and said that his camper was two sites away from us and that he was putting his awning down at the same time and lightning hit his camper and it went into his body and out through his feet. His wife saw the lightning hit him. The guy explained that the campers are grounded and they were hit so it was not a direct hit but it did travel down the awning legs through our bodies and out. I was lucky that I had on my rubber sandals for the beach so that helped to ground me. If it had been a direct hit on us we would both be dead. The storms here next to the coast are low and violent and when there is lightning campers need to stay away from their awnings and be inside their campers. I have learned my lesson but I don’t think George has – he would still save the awning! What a trip we have had with the weather!