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A lot of significant things happened in 2002. My new digital camera - the Fuji 6900 became my primary camera and the picture quality increased dramatically as I learned to use it. I began to get more comments about my photographs than anything else on the site and that began to be more and more the focus of the site. The biggest event of the year in my life was a major flare-up of my back that not only sidelined me from the water for three months but kept me out of work on disability for two months. It turned out to be a real positive as it the folks at the Mayo Clinic were able to finally focus on the real problem with my back and do something to fix it. Since June of 2002 I have had the most pain free years of my adult life. Because of the two month lay off I was able to increase my journal entries only a small amount from 33 to 39. I wasn't able to add any more new places to the repertoire and my back situation prevented us from doing any camping trips.
01/08/02 First paddle of the year. I had not been able to get out since the week before Christmas and it had since turned bitterly cold (for around here at least) with lows in the mid-20's and highs barely reaching 50. Normally, I wouldn't have ventured out on a day like this but I had been shore bound too long so I put in and paddled briskly to the first point and then back north and played around in a small stream for a while. No bird life to shoot with the new camera and the light was poor so I shot a few of the sun going down over the water and headed home. When I got home I found the present my wife had bought me for Christmas had arrived - a poke boat spray skirt. It would have been nice to have it today but I dressed warmly so no biggie.
01/10/02 A brief and pleasant respite from the cold snap. I wanted to try out the new spray skirt I got on Monday even though the warm spell made it unnecessary. With the water temperature and waning daylight, however, I figured it would still serve a useful purpose. It slips on fairly easy although a second pair of hands would make it easier. Getting in the boat is much harder than I am used to as I have to angle my legs in through the hole as I sit down. In a sea kayak, the spray skirts are much smaller and you are actually supposed to wear it and then sit in your boat as you install it. I haven't been able to figure out how to accomplish this yet. Once in, I was pretty snug and warm and it made the poke more aerodynamic than before. It makes me a bit claustrophobic but since it is flexible it is not as bad as a sea kayak cockpit. The main thing is - it kept me bone dry. The outer surface of it was wet but inside I was dry and absolutely no water came in the boat. It also kept my camera dry as I was able to zip the skirt around my chest with my camera around my neck. I headed into Browns Creek and went north toward the "Manatee Hole" and the "Eagle Perch". As I did, a lone dolphin passed me going the other way. I still had my camera in my dry bag and by the time I could get it out he was too far away. I headed toward the "Eagle Perch" and scared up some Green Herons and some Tri-Colors. The tide was still too low to do much exploring and the low light prevented me from getting any good pics. I headed back into the setting sun after about an hour. You can already tell that the daylight is increasing as my paddle in December was much shorter. When I got back to shore I was pleased to find that the inner surface of my boat was dry. I have been concerned for some time about the possibility of a leak through my fiberglass hull but this confirms that it is intact.
01/18/02
A couple of weeks ago, I was e-mailed by someone asking questions about my poke boat. They were contemplating purchasing either one like mine or possibly a sea kayak and wanted to know the differences between the two. Coincidentally, a few days later I got another e-mail from someone who lives along the Santa Fe River, asking the same questions. In the two years or so that I've had this page up, I've probably answered a half dozen or so similar inquiries. We decided to meet this morning so that I could show them the boat and let them try them out. About 9:30 I met the Royce's, a nice couple who moved here from Michigan a couple of years ago and like us have fallen in love with the natural beauty of NE Florida. I explained the features of the boat and then let each of them take it out in the yacht basin near the ramp. I answered all of their questions about the boat and the areas I paddle in and hopefully I gave them enough information with which they can make an intelligent choice. I had intended to head out for a long paddle west of the ICW today since this was the best weather of the year so far. Alas, my back flared up a little this week so I decided to curtail my plans but it was simply too nice not to get out so I pushed off about 10 or so and headed toward our sandbar. I went on beyond that to Point Isabella and walked around a bit before heading back. I got a great opportunity to try out my new camera - the first chance I've had in good light to try it out. I think you will like the results - I know I did. See the Pictures From this Trip
01/22/02
Just a quickie. The tide was barely in far enough to put in here but I managed to get it in despite the mud. I decided to go with the spray skirt today since it was cloudy and a bit breezy. I used some different padding that I had bought and it made things a bit more comfortable. I started off by seeing a couple of dozen white pelicans soaring high over the river, circling as they headed west. I watched them for a while before heading toward the ICW. I stopped along the way at one of the old oyster bed islands and then headed to where the old cedar tree has fallen over thinking that an Osprey might be perched there as is often the case. I was right and got a few pics before he took off. I pulled off in a quiet spot and drank a beer and then headed back with the wind at my back. As I was drifting along I saw six white pelicans swooping down close to Heckscher Drive and then come skimming along the water toward me. They passed within a few yards and then headed toward the ICW. I drifted back from there. See the Pictures From this Trip
01/29/02 Foggy day! I thought that the thick fog was gone but as I approached the ICW after work I could see that it had merely retreated to the coastline. By the time I arrived at Alimacani, it was very thick and starting to roll inland. The tide had just turned so I headed east under the A1A bridge and paddled toward the sound of the ocean since I couldn't see anything. The fog was rapidly getting thicker so I head back to the inland side of the bridge, on the north side and took some shots of the pilings in the fog before heading back. By the time I was ready to head back to Alimacani, the fog was so thick and disorienting that I could barely tell that I was heading in the right direction. Spooky! See the Pictures From this Trip
02/01/02 What a glorious day! It began with a little fog although not nearly as thick as it has been this week. I was half tempted to put-in at FGR and get my first swim of the year in but instead I decided on Hannah Mills. Almost as soon as I hit the water the fog began to lift and within five minutes it was completely gone. I headed north but instead of turning right at the branch the leads to the ICW I took a NW branch that I have seen fishermen frequent. I knew that it eventually hooked up with Cedar Point and I was hoping to find the area where I had seen hundreds of white pelicans. Not long after I put in I saw a group of about a dozen come off the river and follow Hannah Mills in the general direction of the spot I was interested in. I watched them until they finally circled and them disappeared into the grass. I watched as several other groups of white pelicans of varying sizes followed the same route and disappeared at the same location. Apparently, they are using Hannah Mills as their landmark to lead them to their wintering spot. I headed in that general direction following a very swift incoming tide. At one point I heard the exhale of a dolphin behind me but I never saw him surface. I didn't carry any maps or terraserver pics this trip, deciding instead to wander around and figure out where I was when I got home. I kept getting lured down the wrong path that I knew would dead end just short of the ICW but it was simply too tempting to resist. Finally, I found a couple of streams that headed where I thought the pelicans would be and sure enough I could see their heads through the grass just a few yards ahead of me. Unfortunately, I never could find the stream that would lead me right to them and they may have been in a pool that was inaccessible by water. After about three hours of tooling around, I finally headed back - and had no difficulty finding my way back home. See the Pictures From this Trip
02/06/02 Just a real quick one to try out my new teleconverter for my Fuji. The wind was literally howling when I put in so I headed into a nice little secluded stream. By the time I reached the end of the stream I was well out of the wind and was able to get a few nice pics. See the Pictures From this Trip
02/15/02
I had some tests scheduled at Mayo so I decided to finally check out the paddling at the Guana Lake area. I stopped at the north boat ramp where the lake begins in a marshy area but there was no water. I don't think Guana is effected by the tides so it must just be seasonal low water levels. I went on down to the dam and put in there and paddled north into a 15 mph wind. It was a little rough and I was surprised how shallow the lake was - less than a foot well out into the middle. I was a little disappointed in the trip as a whole. I had heard that it was a great place for wildlife, particularly birds but I saw very little. I paddled about a third of the way up the western bank and got out and walked along the beach before heading back. I spotted a heron ahead of me so I tried to position my boat so that I would glide toward him as I took pictures. As I was looking through the viewfinder, I suddenly noticed a large object a few feet ahead of me in the viewfinder. I looked up to see a four foot gator less than 10 feet away from me lying on the beach. I took several pictures of him before heading back to my truck. As I said, I was a little disappointed in Guana but the windy conditions and low water levels prevented me from exploring too much. The north end of the lake looks to be a lot more interesting, with more features and inlets. The wind may have kept some of the birdlife close to the ground. South of the dam where Guana River runs into the ICW looks interesting so perhaps I'll try it again later in the year. See the Pictures From this Trip
02/19/02
I wasn't feeling too adventurous today but the weather was terrific so I put-in at the Ribault ramp and went with the tide to the sandbar opposite the plantation. I sat in the sun, ate my Nicole's sandwich, drank a beer and lay in the sun before heading back. Not much to report - not much wildlife until I got back and headed into the yacht basin. This area has lately become one of the best birding areas on the river and is normally full of night herons, egrets, storks and brown pelicans. Today there were at least a couple of dozen male and female night herons and I got some good shots before packing up. See the Pictures From this Trip
02/25/02
The signs of spring are everywhere! Earlier today, while at work I noticed that the Ospreys were back on their nest for the first time in months. The female (I assume) was sitting on their nest calling to her mate who was sitting in an adjacent tree with a large fish which he was eating. She was obviously unhappy that the meal was not being shared! As I headed out in Hannah Mills this afternoon I noticed that the Redwing Blackbirds and Marsh Wrens were out in force and were roosting in the sea daisies making quite a racket. I continued all the way to the Intracoastal where a pair of Ospreys were making a nest in the "Manatee Zone" sign. The marsh was full of the sounds of spring returning to the area. Too bad that the weather forecast has the temperatures plummeting to a very un-spring like mid-20's.
03/11/02 Finally, a chance to get back in the water! Last week it just didn’t work out for me weather or schedule wise and it was killing me what with all of the extra hours I was working. Today, it all worked out and I headed to what has become my favorite put-in of late – Hannah Mills. I headed into a fairly stiff breeze and angled toward the old oyster bed that is a favorite hangout of the sandpipers and tri-color herons. I coasted by a couple of times and got some good shots. I tooled around in some of the smaller streams before heading back with the breeze and current at my back. The weather was great and the light is staying around long enough to make afternoon paddles a lot of fun.
03/19-20/02 A couple of quick ones in FGR to enjoy the great weather and take my first swim of the year. On 3/19 I put in at Alimacani and headed east of the bridge and paddle out to where the river empties into the ocean. I braved the cold water for a little swim just so I could say I got a March swim in before the cold weather returns. It felt GREAT! It was nice to hear the surf crashing and the terns nesting at Huguenot were making a racket. I took some pictures of Dowitchers, Killdeer and a couple of Great Blackback Gulls, drank a Harp to celebrate St. Patty's day (late - I know!) and headed home relaxed. I was surprised to see a C5A Galaxy fly overhead. On 3/20, I did the same thing but the wind had really kicked up coming out of the southeast at around 15 knots. It was rough from the git-go but when I got east of the bridge I realized that I was in for a fun ride. It was so rough that I had no choice but to head right into the chop until I could safely turn around. As soon as I got a chance, I headed back to the west side of the bridge and followed a group of Red-Breasted Mergansers for a while before I spooked them. I took another quick dip before heading back. I wound up west of the boat ramp and had to paddle against some rough water before I could turn back into the shore. Still fun to be out.
04/14/02 After a solid month of working, the past two weeks have been frustrating as the weather and various other circumstances conspired to keep me on shore. Not today! After a weekend of catching up on yard work I was sore but ready to hit the water. Hope wanted to go with me since we had to cancel our planned paddle on Friday due to weather and since it was her first paddle since October we decided to make is a "veg-out" day in Ft. George. Not a whole lot of paddling but a lot of sitting on the bank in the sun reading, drinking beer and enjoying being out. Not much to report - no wildlife to speak of unless you count annoying jetskiers but a great day to be out. See the Pictures From this Trip
07/12/02 I'm Baaaaack! Where have I been? Well, as you might of guessed, the old back gave out on me at last - boy did it ever! Long story short - 2 months off work, 3 months off the water and several visits to the doctor later I finally got to the point this week where I felt good enough to risk a couple of very short trips out in the boat. Unlike past times when my back problem has flared up, this time I have tried to be very smart and very patient with it - not something I'm used to doing. This time, I didn't really have much of a choice - I really felt like crap most of the last three months. I'm undergoing a new type of treatment at Mayo and I have a lot of hope that this episode may actually turn out positive and that I will come out on the other side in better shape than ever. For the time being, however, my trips will be very short and sporadic. That's OK - at least I'm out there enjoying the great fun that kayaking in NE Florida can be. At least I am able to finally start using my new truck and the really cool rack system that I purchased for it that makes carrying my boat to the water really simple. Wednesday night (10th) I took off after dinner about 7:00 for a quick paddle in Hannah Mills. This time of year - late evening paddles are very doable since it stays light until almost 9:00 p.m. It would have been a great paddle except for the noise from the nearby Kingfish Tournament. Today, I woke feeling a bit tender and was going to blow off my planned trip but I starting feeling better and since my plan was a simple put-in at the Ribault Club and a short paddle to the closest sandbar to swim, I decided to go ahead and do it. Not much to say - felt great to be out, got some decent pictures, and I hope to slowly get out more and more often. Cross your fingers! See the Pictures From this Trip
07/17/02 Slowly but surely I am making my way back out in the water. I had my second session of Prolotherapy at Mayo on Monday and 20 or 30 shots in the butt later and I was pretty sore yesterday. Today I felt pretty good and decided to try another after dinner paddle - this time putting at Alimicani to tool around in the FGR. I considered going with the current toward the ocean but I wasn't sure about the timing so instead I went against the tide, keeping close to the bank until I got even with the Ribault ramp. From there, I headed across to our sandbar hangout where I swam, took some pics, drank a beer and enjoyed being more or less alone on the water as the sun started setting behind Ft. George Island. I tested my back a lot more this time and it seemed to hold up pretty well. I was not without pain or discomfort but it was easily tolerable and much better than the previous two times. Its all a matter of easing my way back and letting my back get used to do more stuff. See the Pictures From this Trip
08/26/02 Various things had me sidelined for the last few weeks. My back continues to slowly improve but I haven't always felt like risking a trip out. On top of that, I got some unexpected news about my Jaguar coverage and it turned out that I spent most of my free time for the last month attending Jaguar practices, taking pictures and writing reports so even when I felt pretty decent I was otherwise committed. Well, camp is finally over and the back continues to feel good so I came home and loaded up the boat on the rack (damn! - I love that thing!) and headed to Alimacani. A storm front had passed by and was headed out to sea but apparently hit the sea breeze and was doubling back on me. I headed out anyway and went toward the ocean. I kept one eye on the black sky beyond the Navy base and once I cleared the rocks on Little Talbot I saw lightning and decided to head back. Things calmed down a bit, so I pulled off, swam and shot some pictures of some birds and the sky before heading back. As it turned out, the storm stayed south of me and I would have been safe staying out. I'm getting back to the swing of things but I am still nowhere near where I want to be. My goal now, is to get out at least once a week so that my back can start to adapt.
09/03/02 After a busy weekend I was a little sore and was thinking about skipping since the weather was a little iffy - what with a tropical storm offshore and all. I looked at the weather report, however, and realized that it was only going to get worse for the next several days so I packed up and headed for the FGR. I put in at Ribault after considering Alimacani and paddled into a stiff NW wind and outgoing tide. I went to out old original picnic spot just past the docks and got some great photos of a Great Blue and a Reddish Egret that were hanging around there. I swam and relaxed for a couple of hours before coming back. The sandbar has really been changed by the current in recent months. At low tide there used to be hardly any water in the little creek but now it is several feet over my head. The old back continues to make slow but steady progress. I'm still not up to much more than real short unchallenging paddles like this one but I am working my way back. I have another prolotherapy session next week - hopefully things will continue to head in the right direction. Who knows? I might be able to get in a camping trip in soon. See the Pictures From this Trip
09/16/02 It was the first opportunity for Hope and I to go paddling together since I hurt my back. We both had the day off and the weather was terrific so we put in at Alimacani and headed toward the ocean. We paddled to within about 100 yards of the breakers and pulled off to swim and picnic and enjoy the sun and the water. Finished up with lunch and a couple of beers at the Sandollar.
09/17/02 Can you believe it? Two days in a row! It's been a long time since I have felt good enough to do that. The weather was simply too good to ignore and when I got off work I realized that I was feeling pretty decent so I threw the boat on the rack and headed out to Hannah Mills. I paddled for pretty much an hour and a half non stop which is by far the longest I have paddled since April. I paddled around different places and got some pretty decent photos at the usual bird perches I'm familiar with out in Hannah. See the Pictures From this Trip
09/20/02 For the first time in over a year, Hope and I were able to do one of our paddle picnics. We had great plans for this summer to do this on a weekly basis and, of course do a bit of camping too but it didn't work out that way. We put in at the Ribault ramp and paddled out to our old spot past the docks with the tide at about half way to high. Since they now lock the gate to the Ribault Club at sundown we had to kind of rush things and we also were being rapidly encroached upon by the incoming tide but I dug a fire pit in the sand and lit the charcoal and put the steaks on while we swam. We had a nice dinner and enjoyed sitting on our private beach as the sun disappeared behind Ft. George Island. Just before we left, several flocks of herons came up the sandbar heading to their evening roost. We had to book it to get back to the ramp before Ranger Rick locked us in and the current was still pretty swift so when we got back we were both pretty wiped but relaxed.
09/22/02
It's been a while since I've done a pre-dawn paddle. With my back acting up, it takes me a long time to get moving in the morning and I usually have to be very religious about my stretches. This morning, with the Jaguars on a bye week and Hopey and Andrew headed to the early service at St. George's I decided it was worth a shot. I just barely made it in time to qualify for a "pre-dawn" paddle. I did some quick stretches and brewed some coffee, grabbed an energy bar and since my boat was still on the rack from Friday I was able to get in at Hannah about five minutes before the sun actually popped up over Mayport. It was pleasant. A nice breeze coming from the N.E. and the morning light made everything look spectacular. For the first hour or so, there weren't many photo ops - birds are usually in the commute mode in the a.m. - and the few I had were scared away by fishermen buzzing by. As I headed back, I noticed an Osprey perched on one of the tide monitoring pipes that have been placed in the marsh over the last year or so. I was able to use the tide and the wind to glide in close to him and got some outstanding shots. It's been a long, slow and often frustrating road back but I guess I can now say that I'm there - or at least very close. Four paddles in one week and each one progressively more challenging is a promising sign. I'm still in pain when I'm out there but it's manageable and more importantly, when I get back to shore, I'm none the worse for wear. See the Pictures From this Trip
09/23/02 I've been feeling so good lately that I have left my boat on the rack for days in case I feel like heading out. Today I felt terrific - nearly pain free for one of the few times in the past 15-20 years. I was going to meet Hope and Andrew at St. George's for an Autumnal Equinox, bonfire celebration later this evening so I put in at Alimacani and headed east at low tide. Apparently Hurricane Isidore is having an effect on us even though it is now in Mexico and low tide this afternoon was a lot more like high tide out on the sandbar. I paddled out close to the breakers and was able to pull off briefly before the waves broke over and the sandbar disappeared. Something was running out in the river and the water was often white with large schools of fish leaping and that in turn was sending the brown pelicans into a feeding frenzy. I took a few photos but I wasn't pleased with the outcome so I didn't save them. It wasn't until I reached the end of my paddle that I realized that I had been out the whole time without experiencing any pain whatsoever. Toward the end I felt some discomfort but just a tad. Apparently, I have turned the corner with my prolotherapy treatments. Since the above trip a couple of days ago, I have continued to have relatively pain free days. I keep waiting for the pain to return and for the most part it has not. A little soreness after a rough day at work, but the back pain and the SI pain is gone. It's weird! It's great! I'm started to make plans to do things I've been putting off for months - years! Knock wood!
09/30/02 We've been a little busy this weekend and the paddling had to take a back seat to other stuff. Hope and were going to have a lunch time picnic paddle but she decided to stay home and I wasn't able to get out until late. As it turned out, I'm glad she didn't come as the weather was kinda yucky. A NE wind around 20 knots and a flood tide coming in made for some rough and interesting paddling. It did make for some interesting photo ops as the birds were determined to stay close to the ground. I passed by a female Osprey who let me get right under her tree before she flew away. The yacht basin was a refuge for all kinds of birds that were seeking refuge from the weather. See the Pictures From this Trip
10/04/02 Paddle picnic time! We put in at Ribault and since I knew that the tide would be extremely high this evening we decided to try the location on Little Talbot Island where we camped over a year ago. The current was swift but the wind was calm and we quickly glided around the island across from the ramp. We were at the spot in less than 10 minutes and I quickly dug a fire pit and lit the fire and jumped in the cool water. We sat on the shore, drank our wine, watched the sun go down and the egrets head to their evening roosts. The tide was supposed to turn at 6:30 but it was still pouring in as the sun went down. We cut across to the island in the middle and since the tide was so high we were able to glide across the top of the grass until we were opposite the ramp and that way we stayed out of the still swift current. It was getting pretty dark by the time we got back to the truck. We stopped by the Palms Fish Camp to visit some friends and, of course, Art plied us with heaping plates of fried shrimp and since I will eat shrimp until I explode - I did. We waddled the rest of the way home and crashed. With the time change coming soon there are only a limited number of after work paddle picnics left in the year.
10/14/02
I didn't have the time or weather cooperation to go out last week and Hope and I had a family obligation to fulfill over the weekend that involved a lot of driving and sitting so I decided to take a day to veg-out. This morning I was determined to get out but the weather forecast called for thunderstorms all day. The weather cleared unexpectedly around noon and I got my new 300mm Tamron Lens that I bought on E-Bay delivered at the same time so that sealed it. I loaded up and headed for Hannah Mills where I found a 5-10 mph NE breeze and an incoming tide. The rain had cleared but there was a line of thunderstorms that were well offshore but heading in. The air was warm but with just a touch of autumn on the breeze. I headed out in the general direction of the ICW with no particular idea of where I was going. I wound up taking one of the smaller streams that parallel the waterway and then crossed over to the island where we camp. After hanging out there for a while, watching the yachts heading south, I headed back. As I passed one of the landmarks along the way - an old cedar tree that is a favorite perch for Ospreys, I saw that it was occupied by not only an Osprey, but also a little blue heron and a couple of grackles. I glided across and snapped some pictures as the Osprey left and then sat nearby and watched the interaction between the grackle and the heron. The grackle (see photo) was verbally harassing the heron and finally chased him away. The rest of the trip was with the breeze behind me and I got some more shots of a tri-color and another Osprey. I'll find out how well my lens worked when I get the slides back in a few days. I also got a chance to use my new Ortleib camera dry bag which worked great. See the Pictures From this Trip
10/17/02 A glorious autumn evening in Florida! A front came through yesterday and finally cooled things off leaving the air crisp and clear. I put in at Hannah Mills and decided to head in a westerly direction trying to find the connection with Cedar Point Creek. As soon as I got into the westerly stream, I began to notice how utterly quiet the marsh had become. Except for the marsh hens squeaking in succession, there was only the sound of the wind on the grass. At one point, I passed one of the sea daisy islands that dot Hannah and it was literally covered with tri-colors - at least two dozen but they all flew away before I could glide over to take any pictures. As the sun started to get low on the horizon I noticed that a nearly full moon was rising to the east. If I had carried my jungle hammock and sleeping bag with me I would have headed toward the ICW and called in sick for tomorrow and camped out. As it was, I was tempted to stay out there all night since I knew that the full moon would give me plenty of light. For one of the few times in the past year, I was motivated by my old "what's around the next bend?" frame of mind rather than the "I wonder how much longer I can stand the pain?" mindset. Once I was out there for a couple of hours, I was starting to feel it but lately, each time I push my back, I feel better and stronger the next time out. My good sense got the better of me and I ventured as far as I felt I had time to do so and got pretty close to where I thought I needed to be in order to make the connection with Cedar Point. I headed back into the setting sun and stopped at one of the sea daisy islands and watched it go down the rest of the way before heading home. Once I got home I looked on my terrasever maps and saw that I was one or two turns away from getting into Cedar Point.
10/18/02 Our intention for this week's paddle picnic was to put-in at Hannah Mills and head over to the ICW to eat dinner at our campsite and then paddle back in the moonlight. The wind, however, turned out to be a lot stiffer than advertised and with the incoming tide added to the mix we decided to wimp out and paddled instead over to the Kingfish Park where we sat out on the old marina and ate dinner. We sat in the stiff breeze watching the boats pass by on the ICW, the terns and cormorants hanging out on the pilings and a Great Blue Heron fishing across the way. Just like last night when I was out, the sun was setting simultaneous to the full moon rising and when it started to get dark we reluctantly headed back. The wind had died down by the time we started back and it made for a easy, pleasant paddle. We had plenty of light for most of the way with the moon and the orange glow on the western horizon making the water glisten. About halfway back, the clouds obscured the moon and it got fairly dark. I put my clip-on light on the brim of my Tilly so that Hope could always see me and I made sure we didn't get separated by too much water. Finding the way back was not too hard but there were moments when I wondered if I was making the right choice. Since the tide was still coming in slightly, it was easy to go with the current. The marsh at night was interesting. Mostly, it was pretty quiet. The primary activity was among the Marsh Wrens who we could see silhouetted flitting back and forth at the top of the marsh grass and then disappearing below into their nests. As we entered the large open area next to Heckscher drive, we glided along and enjoyed the breeze picking up the warmth off the water as we watched the western sky grow dimmer. Beautiful night!
10/20/02 I'm definitely stuck in the Hannah Mills mode. It's not a bad mode to be stuck in and lately, it has been a great place to do a pre-dawn paddle like I did today. I got in the water about 40 minutes before dawn and lazily paddled though the glassy water toward my usual sea daisy heron hangouts. I then headed in the general direction of the main channel that leads to the ICW but I noticed that one of the sea daisy islands to the west which has recently been a favorite spot for Ospreys and Herons was occupied by an Osprey, two Egrets and a Great Blue so I headed over to shoot a few. From there I headed back into the main channel and over to the old cedar tree which this morning was occupied by a single, noisy grackle - perhaps the same one that I watched chase way a Little Blue on Monday. I sat there listening to him rattle on about who knows what while I ate an energy bar and drank coffee. I can't imagine how much energy Grackles expend squeaking and rattling - they are easily the noisiest birds around. I suppose he was crowing about the fact that he had sole possession of that prime piece of real estate. In the early morning light, even a Grackle can look pretty and I took a few shots of him to satisfy his vanity. Nothing, however, can be done to improve the Grackle's voice - "squeak, squeak, chirp - rattle". It's got to be the most unmusical bird call in existence. From there, I decided to head back since I had promised to give the boy a ride to church. On my way back, I decided to explore the western edge of the two main "pools" of Hannah Mills that are immediately adjacent to Heckscher. There are several streams that meander to nowhere but they had several herons and egrets hiding out. As I headed on back I saw that my Osprey buddy was on his favorite roosting spot - the PVC tide monitoring pole and so of course I had to glide over and get some shots as he annoyingly flew away. Sorry again guy, but your plumage in the morning light is just too awesome to ignore.
10/25/02
I decided to get out of my Hannah Mills rut today. I put in at Cedar Point along Heckscher Dr. and headed against the incoming tide toward the cut that takes you to the ICW. The last time I went this way I took a wrong turn and wound up wandering around in a area that dead-ended without getting to the waterway. I remembered my mistake and today stayed to the left and easily found the correct path. I reached the area where the trail from park at the end of Cedar Point road hits the water and stretched my legs. It's amazing how quiet this part of the marsh can be. You are probably as far from any road or human made noise as you can possibly get in Jacksonville and on an overcast day like today, even the birds were subdued somewhat. From there, I continued to paddle east to the ICW and got out at the island that I have visited in the past that is approximately a 1/4 mile from the waterway and appears to be a terrific camping spot. I walked to the back of the island and peered south to where exactly a year ago I found the pool where the White Pelicans wintered. I was too far away to be certain but I did observe a large contingent of huge white birds with large heads and what appeared to be long yellow beaks. I never saw any in flight but I can't imagine what else they could be. At that point, I headed back with the tide and wind at my back and had a very relaxing paddle back to the truck. See the Pictures From this Trip
11/14/02
My back started acting up a couple of weeks ago so I shut things down. When it was feeling decent, the weather wasn't or my schedule just didn't cooperate. Anyway, today, I was determined to get out there even if it was only for a short one. It was cool and breezy when I put in so I broke out the spray skirt for the first time in a while. Once I got out there, it felt great to be on the water and the pain in my back seemed to get better as I went along. I paddled down to the plantation and then back, stopping at our sandbar where I got some shots of a heron and a stingray. I made my usual stop at the yacht basin, (sans yacht - it finally sank) and got some shots of the the tree at the far end that was full of pelicans, storks, and ibis'. Nice day to be out. See the Pictures From this Trip
11/19/02 Just a quick after work paddle in Hannah Mills. The tide was barely in enough to put-in but I was able to get out in deeper water and headed not too far out before the sun set and I had to turn back. The sky was spectacular to the west and a nearly full moon was rising to in the east. See the Pictures From this Trip
11/25/02
I put in at Browns Creek for the first time in several months. I'm not sure why I haven't paddled here in so long, I guess I just wasn't in the mood - sometimes the put-in can be pretty crowded and its usually pretty trashy. It was a beautiful afternoon, very still and warm but the gnats were almost unbearable. Even out on the water they were pretty nasty. I guess the warm spell and lack of wind had them out and hungry for blood. I cruised around the bend north of the bridge and checked out the "manatee hole" and then on to the "eagle's perch" which was occupied by a lone great blue heron. I kept seeing brown pelicans glide by skimming the water and so I paid little attention to a group of pelicans that were headed directly toward me until I noticed that their beaks were abnormally long and yellow. As soon as they passed overhead I could see that they were my old friends, the white pelicans, who I have been expecting since the weather started turning cool. I was pretty sure I saw them in their Cedar Point hang-out a few weeks ago and then someone told me that they saw a group heading up Hannah Mills last week, but I hadn't seen them for sure with my own eyes since last winter. This time they was no mistaking their majestic wingspan and long beaks. I watched as they headed into the setting sun and then circled and swooped down on the sandbar located near the big bend close to the mouth of the creek. They were quickly followed by a couple of more groups and soon the sandbar was occupied by a couple of dozen whites and a couple of browns. With the sun having already set, I had to head back anyway so I glided past them on the sandbar and of course, eventually, they got tired of me and flew off to the eastern part of Browns Creek where I first saw them two years ago. A short time later another group appeared and circled overhead as though they were confused at not finding their buddies on the sandbar. I could almost hear them saying "I thought they said meet at the sandbar at 5:30 - where the hell are those guys?!" They circled a few more times and then headed to the same spot I saw the other whites go earlier. From what I have read about the white pelicans, I wonder if they were gathering at this sandbar at dusk and low tide in order to feed. They feed in a group by swimming and chasing fish into shallow water. This would have been an ideal time and place to accomplish this task. I think the two browns I saw were hanging out to wait for an easy meal if the whites chased a few fish their way. I really wish that I had more time to hangout on the water. 30 minutes of light after I get off work just doesn't cut it for me and it's only going to get worse for the next month as we approach the winter solstice .See the Pictures From this Trip
11/27/02
I was inspired by the great weather to try another paddle in Browns Creek and since I had the day off I was able to take advantage of the high tides. I wound up doing a circumnavigation of the Browns Islands that are on the western edge of the creek and then as I made the final turn at the western end of the main island that is visible from Heckscher Dr. I saw what I expected to see - a virtual bank full of birds. For the 15 years we have lived on Andrews Island, whenever we returned home, just before crossing the Browns Creek bridge onto our island, we always look out into Browns Creek to see if the "Egret Tree" is occupied as it invariable is - so much so that it appears to be a tree laden with large white fruit. This afternoon it was full of a virtual Audubon Society book full of marsh dwelling birds. Amazingly, they cooperated with me as I glided with the outgoing tide directly under the trees that they were perched upon and I got some great shots of egrets, tri-colors, little blues, ibis, wood storks and one lone cormorant. I was fortunate too that they didn't decide to do what they normally do just prior to take-off - it would have been a messy day. Happy Thanksgiving to all. See the Pictures From this Trip
12/03/02
Just a quick after work paddle. I love the sky at this time of year. When the water is smooth it reflects the colors of the evening sky and then adds its own special colors and textures. When the sun sets, you get a double treat. Generally, too you have the water all to yourself which is kind of nice after a long day at work. I saw a hooded merganser as I first set out and he crossed a few feet in front of my boat which is unusual because they are usually very shy. I took several pictures until I realized I had my camera set wrong and they didn't come out. They are beautiful birds and are also another sign of winter as that is the only time you see them here. It was a great day but with the weather forecast calling for heavy rains soon and another Prolotherapy session next week, this may be the last chance I get to paddle for several days. See the Pictures From this Trip
12/15/02 Brrrrrrrr! Man it was chilly out there this morning - the second coldest day that I have ever been on the water. The weather, my schedule and the work we are having done on our house has frustrated my attempts to get out on the water lately so this morning I was determined to get up early and spend some time out there. It was a little frustrating as far as photography was concerned. It was cold enough to wear my gloves which meant I had to pull them off every time I wanted to shoot and my fingers were so numb it was hard to adjust the camera. I wound up with a bunch of bad shots that I salvaged by running through some art filters in photoshop. Still a good day to be out. See the Pictures From this Trip
12/19/02 What a difference from the last time I was out! The high today was close to 80 and it was over 70 by the time I got in the water. The tide was barely in far enough to get out at Hannah but once I got going it was pretty nice. I stayed out long enough to watch the sun go down and the moon come up. Then when I got back to shore a beautiful mermaid with long gray hair was waiting for me - what a treat! See the Pictures From this Trip
12/23/02
A perfectly glorious day for paddling. No wind, a high tide at 11:00 and a forecast temperature of 70. I put in at Hannah and decided that I would paddle out to the ICW and head up to the island that is front of the pool where the white pelicans hang out. When I got there I walked along the mudflat behind the island and just as I expected, there were several dozen whites in the pool along with a wide variety of other birds. This area is quite unique. The pool that they hang out in ideal for white pelicans and apparently it has no direct access unless you want to tromp across the mudflat. I think it would be cool to set up some kind of blind out there so that you could observe what they do out there all day long. It looked like there might be some good places to camp on that end of the island and I might try it later and hang out to watch them come and go.
12/30/02
My oldest daughter, Hannah, is home from college and has been bugging me to take her paddling this week. Well, finally the weather and all the other stuff going on this week cooperated and so we headed out on an absolutely beautiful day for paddling. I couldn't think of a better place to take my little girl than the creek up the road with the same name as her so we put in at Hannah Mills and paddled against an incoming tide. We snuck up on a few birds - one of whom was so intently fishing that I nearly hit him with my boat as I glided in. Hannah had a good time and so did her dad who was glad to be out of the house and away from the remodeling mess that is taking over our house. Hope to get out some more this week before I have to go back to work and Hannah has to go back south for her final semester of college.
12/31/02 I had planned to get up early this morning and paddle before the bad weather that was forecast blew in. My body had other ideas and I wound up sleeping in and then kept waiting for the storms to hit. About the time the tide turned around I checked the radar and saw that the storms were staying well west so I decided to get in the water for a final paddle of the year. It was pretty breezy but the tide was so low that it didn't effect me until I headed for home. I mostly explored some of the streams that run along Heckscher Dr. and dead end at the coal conveyor. The cliff swallows were very active this afternoon but the rest of the bird life was trying to find a place to hide out of the wind. It was tough going getting back against both an incoming tide and stiff wind that had picked up considerably while I was out. It was a great way to say goodbye to what has certainly been an interesting year.
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