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The end of summer - HOT! Trips this month: 10
Back to Journal Index
8/2/06
A nice idea but......
I finally decided to check out the canoe/kayak launch at the Palms Fish Camp
on Clapboard Creek. The Kingfish Tourney began just after it was opened and
sent all the fishermen to the new ramp so I didn't want to fight the
traffic. I had been down there to investigate it earlier but it was so
crowded at the time that I couldn't see the actual kayak launch ramp and had
assumed that they were just calling the boat ramp the launch point.
Actually, this afternoon I missed it again, initially as I was putting in
and it wasn't until I had already unloaded my boat that I finally spotted
the ramp at the end of the little cove that used to lie behind the
restaurant.
At any rate - I was happy to finally make it back to Clapboard Creek and was
excited at the prospect of having a reliable put-in a tenth of a mile from
my house that allowed me easy access to the very center of the Timucuan
Preserve. The tide was already heading out but the current wasn't too
bad as I made my way up the eastern bank of the creek. The temperature was
blisteringly hot - the radio said it was 95 with a heat index of 106 and it
felt very bit of that with no breeze to speak of.
Once I reached the southern end of Pelotes Island I crossed over and entered
the small stream just south of Lybeck's Landing. This stream has intrigued
me since the days 17 years ago when I first began dragging my canoe out
behind my house to begin my paddling career. At the entrance to the stream
is a partial rock wall that leads me to believe that the pool it leads to
was a fish pond or hatchery of some kind. I had seen a Great Egret and a
Great Blue up in the trees at the entrance but the tide was too low to go
very far and they few off before I could set anything up.
I paddled up along the shoreline of Pelotes and shot an Osprey and a Great
Blue as I headed up toward Pinder's Island. There wasn't much birdlife there
although there were plenty of little inlets that looked ideal to explore at
a higher tide. I found the shortcut through the large grassy point that
sticks out from Pinders and got at on the landing there where the old house
used to be. I marveled once again at the incredible view the people who once
lived here had and was thankful that most of what I could see in front of me
was preserved land. In spite of all the overdevelopment that I rail against
on this web site - Jacksonville has done a tremendous job setting aside land
along the shores of the Timucuan. A lot of brush had grown up and trees
fallen in the two years since I was last there so I didn't go into the
interior of the island and soon departed.
I decided to go around the bend into the large cove that is on the north
side of Pelotes to see if the Eagle's nest was still there. I found the tree
that I remember it being in but it was empty - apparently the storms of '04
had blown it down and since I think the Eagles had already abandoned it -
they hadn't rebuild there. I know that there must be a nest nearby because I
have been seeing the immature Eagle fairly often in Browns Creek.
I headed back - retracing my route. I had the current with me but a stiff
sea breeze had kicked up out of the SE. It really cooled things down so I
didn't mind that it made the waters a little choppy and forced me to paddle
more than I had anticipated. I reached the put-in about 30 minutes later and
pulled up to the kayak launching ramp. That is when I discovered the
shortcomings of the design for the canoe/kayak launch. Although the
shoreline of Clapboard Creek at that spot is hard packed sand as is the
shore of the cove where the launching ramp is, the middle of the cove right
up to the end of the ramp is pure muck. At mid-tide - I was barely able to
paddle up to the end of the ramp where I exited my boat - and promptly sunk
up to my knees in mud. I was able to extricate myself and load my boat but I
realized that at low tide I would have to walk around the edge of the cove
to reach the creek and launch/load from there. They could have thought this
out a little better but I do give them an "A" for effort.
See the pictures from this trip
8/6/06
Green Heron on Pumpkin Hill near the
"Shrimpin' Hole"
I got a late start today and by the time I was able to get going it was
after 10 which meant that the tide was well on its way out at any of my
regular Sunday put-ins. I was kind of itchin' to try my luck shrimping again
anyway so even though I knew the tides weren't going to be ideal I headed
for my favorite Sunday morning spot - Pumpkin Hill.
I was surprised to find the put-in empty this late in the day but as I
prepared to launch I noticed a couple in a large jon boat heading toward the
point. By the time I got going they were grounded on a sandbar so it was
apparent that they weren't too familiar with the area. As I passed the point
near the trails a guy pulled up in another boat and promptly began casting
his net. He stopped at a couple of other places along that stretch of the
creek and I could tell he was having good success. At this tide I could see
that the larger shrimp were out in the deeper water and there seemed to be
plenty of them.
I reached my "Shrimpin Hole" where I cleaned up on them last week but the
water levels were just a tad too high to be able to easily get out of my
boat so I entered the creek just north of there and paddled up it since
there was plenty of water. A Green Heron crossed the stream in front of me
so I stopped to shoot him for a while and then paddled up the creek as far
as I could until the low water stopped me.
Once I got back to the main channel I decided to get out and try my luck. I
managed to get about two dozen over the next hour or so but my success rate
was not nearly what it had been a week ago and the size on average was a bit
smaller so I decided to paddle on up toward the point. I stopped to shoot a
Spoonbill who was feeding on the bank in the company of a very animated
Snowy Egret. As I shot the pair the shrimp were literally throwing
themselves up on the banks so I decided to paddle a little further down and
try my luck. Just as I left the Spoonbill and his friend a large shark
lazily surfaced about four feet from my boat. Snowy and Spoonie hanging out on PH
I managed to find a spot that felt firm enough to stand on so I exited my
boat and began casting. I had a little better success - doubling my take in
a few minutes but I was barely able to stand in the muck so I got back in my
boat and feeling the noon day heat I decided to call it a day.
As I approached the creek I had explored earlier near my shrimping spot I
saw a young Great Blue standing at the mouth staring intently at the water.
I shot him for a while before he flew to the opposite side of the entrance
to the creek. There were some Tri-Colors further up the stream who were
standing with their bodies nearly parallel to the water so that they could
minimize the glare as they stalked their prey. When I entered the creek to
attempt to get closer, shrimp hell broke loose - large shrimp began
bombarding my boat, flying over my cockpit, landing in my lap and generally
making a ruckus.
Great Blue checking out the shrimp
Well, I decided, if they are that anxious to come home with me I will give
it another shot and I pulled over to where I had begun the day and began
casting again. This time I was much more successful and on a couple of
occasions I pulled in a net with a dozen or more shrimp. As I was casting, a
pair of sting rays came swimming lazily by my feet. I tried to shoo them
away but they seemed content to sit in the shallow water near the grass to
watch what I was doing. I spent about another 45 minutes there and probably
doubled my take again before I decided to call it a day for real.
There was an Immature Yellow Crowned Night Heron on the banks in the company
of a mature and they both flushed together and seemed to be a pair. There
was also a Green Heron and a Black Crowned Night Heron nearby. Once I got to
the put-in it was dead low tide and the area across the way was full of
Great Blues, Tri-Colors, Spoonbills and several other varieties of birds -
all feasting on the shrimp buffet.
Once I got home I counted what I had as I cleaned them and it came to around
70. Enough for a shrimp cocktail appetizer so I boiled them up and we
munched on them with some white wine spritzers. Ahhhhh! Summer time in NE
Florida!
See the pictures from this trip
8/9/06
Stormy skies over Pelotes Island on
Clapboard Creek
I had planned to go paddling in Clapboard Creek after work so that I could
watch the full moon rise over the marsh. After an exhausting day at work,
however, I came home and after considering changing my plans to a cooling
paddle on the FGR I crashed and decided to veg out in front of the TV.
About 6 I revived myself and decided that a full moon paddle was just too
good of an opportunity to waste so I loaded up and headed a 1/4 mile down
the road to the Palms Fish Camp and was in the water by 6:30. A huge Marsh
Bunny was waiting for me at the bottom of the ramp and he scurried under the
fence to the dredge spoil and disappeared. I was
surprised to find that the put-in ramp was completely empty of water even at
mid-tide. I'm guessing that because of the nature of the man-made cove and
its location at the mouth of Clapboard Creek that it is the last thing to
get filled in on an incoming tide. It makes the put-in even less desirable
in my opinion and I hope things will be done to correct this. I was able to
park my truck to the north of the ramp and use the concrete rubble to step
down onto the sandy beach and relatively easily get my boat to the banks of
Clapboard Creek. As put-ins go it was not too bad - or at least I can say I
have had far worse.
The current was strong and there was a good sea breeze coming in which made
the trip up easy and pleasant. There was a storm brewing to the SW and I
could see the rain falling not far away but it dissipated well before
it reached me. I crossed over to the Pelotes side and entered the shortcut
through the grassy point east of Pinders and headed into the cove north of Pelotes. I
paddled over to the large island that lay in front of the entrance to the
cove - I believe it is called Magnolia Island due to the large trees of that
type that predominate. I'm not sure if it is actually part of the preserve
but it may be part of the Machaba Balu purchase so I was curious to check it
out again for camping. Roseate Spoonbills on Clapboard
Creek
I was about to attempt a circumnavigation from the southern side but as I
approached the island I could hear the croaks and groans of a heron roost
and I knew that the NW side would be where the birds were sitting since it would
give them a view of the setting sun while keeping them out of the breeze.
With the current heading in I also knew that it would be easier to shoot
them as I floated past so I headed that way. The trees were
full of Great Egrets as usual for a roost like that but there was also a
pair of Spoonbills and an Osprey. I got a few good shots before they flew
off and I completed the circuit from the NW side.
I explored the cove a little while longer and noticed that at this time of
the evening it was indeed becoming a popular place with the birds but the
sun was setting to the west and I knew I needed to start back. I decided to
go the long way around the grassy point east of Pinders and got a good view
of the sunset behind the point. The tide was only and hour away fro peeking
which normally would mean a slacker flow but at this point in the creek at
least the current was still rushing in - something I remembered from
previous trips . As I headed south down the creek I began to see dozens if
not hundreds of Ibis flying in formation - all heading to Ibis
convention or church, I reckon. Sunset
I made slow but steady progress toward the bridge but the light was failing
a little quicker that I had anticipated so got my flashlight out and
clipped to my shirt so that at least I would be legal if the law happened
by. I only saw a couple of boats and I made sure that I was close enough to
the grass to duck in for safety if one came my way. Finally, I reached the area just
north of the ramp about the time the moon was set to rise. I pulled into a
shallow pool that had an open view to the east where I knew I would be safe
from traffic and lay back to wait. Several minutes past the
scheduled moonrise I could barely make out the dim shape of the moon rising
behind a fairly thick cloud cover that sat on the horizon and I realized
that it was going to be several more minutes before it cleared the obstruction so
I wrapped up my trip and loaded up in near total darkness.
See the pictures from this trip
8/11/06 Least Bittern at Guana
It was Hopey's turn to spend a day at the Mayo Clinic so we arranged to meet
there when she was done with the first part of her tests and head to Guana.
After stopping to pick up some lunch in Ponte Vedra we made it to Six Mile
Landing at 10:30 and headed north. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to
see the changes in the area. The lush green vegetation that I have bee used
to in my trips here over that last 8 months was now a landscape of dead,
brown cattails. The water level was higher than I had ever seen it so I
assume that this is a part of the way that they control the growth of the
vegetation but it really changed everything. It was very hot as usual but
there was a stiff wind blowing across the lake from the west so it helped to
cool things down.
The higher water levels seemed to change the wildlife as well as the density
and variety of birdlife was nothing like what it has been. The calls of the
Moorhens and Coots which formerly had been a nearly constant serenade as I
paddled were now only occasional. We saw only a few Great Egrets, Tri-Colors
and Great Blues for the first 30 minutes or so and not a Gator head anywhere
in sight.
We paddled up to the where I usually turn around - about a mile and a half
from the ramp and then headed back. Not long after we turned around I
spotted a large gator swimming up a small stream away from us. I pointed it
out to Hope and we followed it for a bit. He finally slipped beneath that
water and we decided to not follow him any further up the creek. There was a
young Great Blue standing on the grass near where he disappeared and I shot
a few pictures of him. We saw another Gator a little bit later - a small one
who disappeared quickly. Guana Gator
We were watching a Swallow-tailed Kite fly overheard when I noticed a large
intricately woven nest near the top a growth of cattails. There was a female
Redwing Blackbird chirping nearby and I later identified the nest as one of
theirs. As we were watching the Blackbird I noticed another bird hiding in
the grass nearby and I realized that it was a Least Bittern. He was doing a
good impression of a blade of grass until we finally got too close and he
flew away.
We saw lots of Anhingas while we out there - some perching, some flying
about and some swimming around feeding with just their necks exposed above
the water. We took a long break near some cattails and while Hope took a nap
in her boat I photographed the grass against the bright blue sky and wispy
clouds. We decided to head back and eat our sandwiches at the beach access
up the road.
Great Blue Heron on Guana Lake
The day was a little disappointing. After all the trips I had made here
recently. I was looking forward to showing Hope what I had been seeing out
here but since I had never paddled there in August I guess I'll just have to
mark that down to experience. It was still a good day and we had fun. We
stopped at the Fresh Market on the way back and picked up some really nice
deserts before we parted company.
See the pictures from this trip
8/13/06
My otter pals on Pumpkin Hill Creek
It was a misty, moisty morning at the First Church of God in Nature -
Pumpkin Hill Branch. It was actually, dare I say, COOL - that's right - COOL
- almost. There was a mist in the air and a bit of a breeze and for the
first time in what seems like months the sun was nowhere to be found making
it a pleasant day for paddling.
Due to my recent success in raking in the shrimp here on Pumpkin Hill we
decided to invite some friends over for dinner which I was going to catch.
With low tide at 8 am I figured that if I made it in the water a around 7:30
that I could catch the outgoing tide to my shrimpin' hole and have the
perfect situation to catch dozens of shrimp. I even brought corn meal to
bait the area and so I really expected to bring home enough shrimp for
dinner for several nights. There was only one problem - the shrimp were not
there. I'm not sure where they were but for the first time in a couple of
months they were not in Pumpkin Hill. Clapper Rail on Pumpkin Hill
I made my way toward my usual spot pausing to shoot the usual assortment of
Clapper Rails, Great Blues, Night Herons and Spoonbills. I noticed, however,
that the usual activity in the water - the large shrimp leaping to and fro
banging off the sides of my boat was not there. I reached my spot about an
hour after putting in. There were not shrimp leaping about as usual but I
went ahead and got out of my boat and baited the area. My first toss of the
net gave me reason to hope as a good size shrimp was flipping in the net as
I pulled it in. I put him in my cooler and proceeded to toss several more
times - but came up empty every time. After about 20 minutes of empty nets I
decided to continue on toward the point and try my luck elsewhere.
I spotted an immature Yellow Crown Night Heron who was in the process of
eating a crab and I paused to shoot him. When I pushed off to leave him I
spotted a couple of long furry shapes swimming along the edge of the muddy
sandbar opposite where I was. I soon realized that the thick furry snakes
were my old pals the Otters that I ran across a couple of months ago at the
point. Immature Yellow Crown with a Crab
I paddled across the creek but as soon as I beached my boat I lost sight of
them. Soon, however, a whiskered face popped its head above the sandbar about
20 yards away and I realized that the pair were in the pool that lay between
the bar and the grass. As I watched they suddenly came romping toward me
across the mud. The surface of the sandbar was an ideal "Otter Surface" -
slick and smooth and the pair would romp and then slide across the mud for
several feet, stopping now and them to raise their heads to check me out.
They stopped short of me about 20 feet away and realizing that I was
blocking their return route to the water they turned and began romping and
sliding back toward the grass. Slippin' and Slidin' on mud Who dat?!
They paused at the entrance to a small stream into the marsh and took a long
look back at me before disappearing. I assumed that would be the last I
would see of them and began to shoot the track they had made across the mud.
A few seconds later I looked up and saw a pair of whiskered faces staring at
me from the entrance to the same stream and soon they came romping back
across the mud toward me. They stopped in nearly the same place as before
and once again took a long look at me huffing and whistling before
retreating back to the safety of the small stream, pausing once again at the
mouth before disappearing. Here's the link to the
video I took of
them. Let's hide from that guy!
I stayed put for several minutes hoping they would return but they did not.
I'm not sure why they didn't choose another route to the water but perhaps
that was not their intentions. They may have simply been curious about me
and decided to seek refuge in the grass until I left. At any rate - it
completely erased any disappointment I was feeling about the lack of shrimp.
I once again marveled at my good fortune at living in a place that afforded
me such encounters with a medley of nature such as is present here.
I passed by Tiger Point and was hailed by Mr. Bonny the park "manager" who
was standing on the shoreline. I bypassed the point and headed to the oyster
beds on the curve into the Edwards Flats. I spotted a pair of Black Bellied
Plovers along the way - I haven't seen many of them this summer for some
reason. Flying overhead I saw what seemed to be every Spoonbill in the area
flying toward the Broward Islands.
I am usually in this part of the creek when the tide is very low so I took
advantage of the high water level to explore around the edges and went into
one stream that went for some ways into the flats before an oyster bed
stopped me. I skirted the edge passing a Yellow Crown with a crab or oyster
in his beak. I found my way to the northern edge of the large cove where
Pumpkin Hill begins to head east toward Black Hammock. I began to notice that all
along the edge the banks were hard clay pock marked with crab holes. I
beached my boat and got out to walk on the Flats. It was apparent that I
could walk for quite a ways across the flats if I wanted to. I took a 360
panoramic shot of the area and then decided to make my way back home. Move over!
As I passed the point I noticed that the trees had some Spoonies perching in
their usual spots so I took advantage of the incoming current and floated
past them before heading back out into Pumpkin Hill. I passed the next point
which at high tide is usually full of a variety of birdlife and today was
no different. I saw all the types of Herons and Egrets that are common in
this area as well as Spoonbills, an Anhinga and a pair of Wood Storks
including one very young bird.
See the pictures from this trip
8/20/06
A pair of Canada Geese on Pumpkin
Hill
With high tide at around 7:30 I could have gone just about anywhere but I
decided - "why mess with success?" Actually, with shrimping season
apparently over, I have been thinking about expanding my trips in Pumpkin
Hill a little and heading over toward the Broward Islands once again. There
is a little stream that has caught my attention on the satellite photos that
I thought might be interesting so once I got in the water I headed north.
The tide was just peaking in Pumpkin Hill and there was a slight breeze
coming from the SW making it a very pleasant morning. Since the tides are
about an hour behind in PH I really needed to make a beeline for the stream
that runs along the southern edge of the Broward Islands but, of course, I
couldn't really do that. Even with the water level high there was plenty to
distract me along the way and I pulled into the stream that runs along the
little point and tried to shoot some Night Herons. I was unsuccessful but
did manage a great shot of the sun breaking through the clouds and
reflecting off the pool in front of the trees there. Breaking through the clouds
I got to Tiger point in about an hour and was surprised to find it empty of
Spoonies since they are usually here when the tide is up. There was a lone
immature Yellow Crowned Night Heron who posed for me with the Spanish Moss
making a nice backdrop.
I headed on north turning toward Black Hammock instead of skirting the edge
of the large cove as I usually do. As I approached the point where PH runs
along the western bank of Black Hammock, I began to notice that huge flocks
of Ibis were all landing in the same place in the grass nearby. Hundreds if
not thousands of Ibis continued to sail in over the Hammock and all gathered
in a small area of shallow water in the marsh grass. I have seen them do
this occasionally and it is quite a sight to see the mass of birds "graze"
together as a group. I paddled over but the grass blocked my view from where
I was sitting. I could hear them "quack" at each other but then I began to
hear a much louder quacking sound coming from the direction of the island.
I assumed that it was more Ibis coming in for a raucous landing but as it
got louder I realized that instead of a quacking sound it was a honking call
that I was hearing. I looked up to see a pair of Canada Geese flying in over
the island who then proceeded to circle the cove honking incessantly as they
flew low over the water. They made several passes before finally landing on
the water and began to swim in my direction. Young Yellow Crowned Night Heron at
Tiger Point
As I moved to try to get a better shot of the Ibis they flushed and rose as
a huge cloud. Most of them merely circled the area and returned but some
flew off toward the Edwards Flats. I turned my attention to the Geese and
quickly intercepted them. They seemed unperturbed by me and calmly swam past
as they floated with the now outgoing tide. I shot several pictures as they
floated a few feet in front of me and then we parted company. I know that
Canada Geese are not at all rare and it seems as if every retention pond in
Jacksonville has at least one pair but I have never seen them out "in the
wild". Perhaps these were some yuppie Geese from a gated community out
slumming with their poor cousins. At any rate it was a treat to see them.
I made my way past the houses on Black Hammock and then turned to the west
to find the stream that heads into the flats. Fortunately, the current was
not too strong and I was able to make my way up to the island in short
order. I passed what I thought was my goal - the little stream that runs
north between the first two islands in the chain but since I wasn't sure I
continued on toward the second island. I was pretty sure that since the
Spoonbills weren't back at the point that they would be in the trees here
and I was right as five or six were roosting there. I made a pass and then
headed back toward the stream. Spoonie at their Broward Island
roost
There was plenty of water still but since I was unfamiliar with the little
creek I was cautious about going too far. The stream meandered and switched
back and forth and even though it was deep most of the way it consistently
narrowed down until it was barely wider than my boat. I had hoped that it
would allow me access to either island and perhaps at a higher tide it would
have but I finally turned back as the water levels began to decrease.
I let the current carry me toward Pumpkin Hill and once back in the creek I
made the turn to the north. As soon as I did a pod of five or six dolphins
surfaced in front of me followed by another pair some distance back. The
larger group were surfacing in a tight group and I'm sure that they had a
youngster with them. Dolphins near Black Hammock
I fought the tide the whole way in and had a stiff sea breeze coming at me
to boot. By the end of the day I was bushed having been in my boat for six
hours and having covered 13.5 miles.
See the pictures from this trip
8/21/06
Reddish Egret on the FGR
The cloudless, bright blue skies beckoned me all day long so with an empty
house to return to after work I picked up a sandwich on the way home, packed
a beer and headed for the FGR. High tide was scheduled for around 8 pm -
about the same time as sunset so I figured that I would ride the tide in to
our sandbar past the houses and then watch the sunset and come back at slack
tide.
I didn't account for the unusually strong sea breeze which was gusting at
over 20 knots and kicking the waves up in the inlet. The force of the wind
added to the normally strong tidal surge in front of the ramp at mid-tide
and the water was literally rushing past as I set out. I reconsidered my
plans for just a minute but I figured that at worst I would be out there
until well after dark so I went ahead. Skimmers
I was a little surprised at how crowded the ramp was for a weekday after the
school year had begun but apparently the primary cause was a single Jet Ski
family who were all doing aqua donuts about a 1/4 mile inland from the ramp
with about five PWC's. The current carried me swiftly toward the Ribault
Club Yacht basin but I paused at the sandbar across from Alimacani to shoot
a Reddish Egret who was standing around with some Skimmers including a
couple of splotchy youths.
I checked out the basin and found that the leeward bank was full of Roseate
Spoonbills so I took a few pictures before heading back out into the river.
I was quickly into the creek that cuts behind the sandbar where the FGR
bends sharply toward Point Isabella and beached my boat on the remains of
the bar. I took a swim in the incredibly swift water that lately has become
like a lap pool as it rushes over the sand. I could swim as hard as I could
and stay in the same place. I ate and drank my beer and then decided to pull
my boat across the shallow water so that I could paddle directly across the
large grassy sandbar opposite the houses. I ferried over and entered the
little stream that bisects a majority of the bar and runs by the old channel
marker pole. Spoonies and friend in the yacht
basin
I exited the other side of the sandbar and then paddled back toward the
bridge, hugging the sandbar to stay out of the current. Once I got to the
point where the channel begins to bend back toward Ft. George Island I began
to ferry across to the Little Talbot side. By this time I had decided that I
would at least make an attempt at getting back before sundown by trying to
do what I should have done last July
when I was caught out here in the incoming tide. Once I reached the other
side of the channel I found the entrance to the little creek that runs from
the north side of the bridge and down Little Talbot exiting through some
marsh grass that has grown up there in recent years.
As I pulled into the stream I spotted a Great Blue sitting on a fallen tree
enjoying the fading light. I managed some good shots before he few further
up the bank. I continued on toward the bridge where I could see a Reddish
dancing. He was too shy to do it for an audience, however, and merely stood
in the sun's glare as I shot him. I paddled up toward the bridge without
much problem until I was directly inland from the pilings. The water was
crashing through the supports from the inlet so I knew if I set my boat at
an angle I could ferry across and then make a quick turn into the ramp but
the large sandbar is not too far downstream of the bridge so I was wary of
being swamped up against it and had to stay closer to the pilings than I
would have liked. Great Blue Heron
The ride across was a wild one and would have been a lot more fun had I
remembered to stow my camera away. The tide driven swells were rolling
through the openings but the wind was whipping them every which way. The
columns of the bridge were re-directing the waves and made them come at me
from all angles. I had to maintain a sharp focus and keep my paddles "quick"
as I worked my way across. The current would occasionally ease up and I
would find myself suddenly too close to the pilings and have to back off. At
one point near the middle of the bridge I noticed a flat spot in the water.
As soon as I reached it I realized why - this was the point where the wind
was clear of obstructions from Huegenot Park and it stepped up a notch or
two and nearly blew my hat off.
Reddish in the evening light
I finally reached the other side and spun my boat around as quickly as
possible to head toward the ramp. I found myself suddenly riding the swells
in and I had to paddle as hard as I could to stay ahead of them and avoid
being swamped from my stern. The entrance to the ramp was nearly obscured by
the high water but I spotted it and zoomed in to beach my boat. Fun!
See the pictures from this trip
8/22/06 Sunset at Guana
Hopey returned from her annual "POST" conference at Camp Weed. Because of a
schedule conflict I wasn't able to spend the weekend with her like I have in
the past but tonight she was back in town although she had a meeting to
attend in Ponte Vedra. We decided that we could spend some time together if
I took her out to eat and then dropped her off and it would give me an
excuse to go paddling in Guana.
I wasn't sure about doing it at Six Mile Landing, however, because I was
sure that I had seen or read that it closed at sunset as do almost all state
parks. As I pulled into the parking area a young couple were launching a
couple of kayaks and preparing to kayak fish. Behind them to the west a dark
storm was brewing and I could see lightning bolts hitting the ground at what
appeared to be a pretty close distance. I scanned the signs again but
couldn't see any indication of a closing time but the approaching storm made
me decide to head further south to the area just below the dam to try a
launch from there.
Once I got there the dark clouds were nearly directly overhead and more
lightning was popping nearby. To make matters worse the park people have
installed a fence along the property to the Visitor's Center blocking off
part of the access to the river. The rest of the access is a very soft road
that I was sure my truck would get stuck in so I parked up close to A1A and
walked down.
Incredible colors
As I stood above the water surveying the situation a White Tailed Deer that
had been drinking water from a pool directly behind the Gate Station hopped
into the Wax Myrtle Hammock and disappeared. After much consideration I gave
up on putting in at this location. It would have required a long walk down
from where I would have to park and with the storm looking more threatening
by the second I was afraid that it would wind up being a lot of effort for
nothing.
I had all but decided to head back to Ponte Vedra to hang out in a bookstore
but as I got close to Six Mile Landing I noticed that the storm had suddenly
dissipated so I pulled in. As I stood at the water's edge I watched the sky
to the west and realized that there was about to be a spectacular sunset. I
decided to put-in anyway and even if it was only for a short paddle it would
be worth it.
I paddled directly south toward the open end of the lake and soon spotted
the couple who were out fishing. I paddled over to them and asked if they
closed the landing after sun down. They assured me that except during
hunting season that the parking area stayed open all night long and that
some of their friends fished the lake at all hours of the night.
So - with that reassurance I set out to enjoy the incredible show that was
about to be put on in the western sky. I decided to head further south a
ways and then cross over to the west where I found the main channel and
headed back north. I scared up a few herons and a Least Bittern but I mostly
concentrated on shooting the sky as it changed colors and turned the cat
tails from a dull, dingy brown to a glowing orange. End of the day, end of the paddle
As I approached the channel that turns back toward the ramp I began to see
the heads of many herons in a large grassy area. As soon as I got close I
realized that it was an enormous roost of all kinds of birds - several
hundreds at least - dozens of which would flush out and then settled back
down as I got close. Among the many varieties I spotted several Glossy Ibis
but the fading light didn't allow me to get any good shots. The croaks and
groans coming from the grass was louder than anything I have heard coming
from the roosts I am familiar with in the Timucuan.
I got to the ramp a few minutes after sunset and went to pick up Hope. We
are already making plans to return here for a Full Moon Paddle - around
about the 8th of next month, I believe.
See the pictures from this trip
8/27/06
Green Heron on Pumpkin Hill
Last week's trip to the Broward Islands got me thinking about making another
trip up there if the tides were right. With high tide at around 1 at Tiger
Point I knew that once I got to the point I could head into Edwards Creek
and make my way up to the islands from the opposite direction. There was
also one of the smaller islands in the chain that lies west of the stream I
take through the flats that looked like it might have some camping
possibilities. In the past, when I have done circumnavigations of the
Edwards Flats the tide has been too low by the time I reached the big bay
that is south of the islands so I haven't been able to explore the area too
much.
As I loaded my boat onto my cart, the park manager drove up the road from
his Sunday morning beer run and asked if I was going to be rained out. I
told him I didn't think so but as soon as I got in the water a few minutes
later the rain came pouring down giving me a pretty good soaking and making
sure that I kept my camera stowed for the first mile or so.
Green Heron
The tide had just turned so the current wasn't too bad and within 45 minutes
I was at my shrimping spot. A lone dolphin swam by as the rain subsided and
after he went by I spotted the same young Green Heron that I have been
seeing in this area so I pulled over to shoot him. He was focused on the
water and actually let me drift in quite close. I was busy shooting away
when I noticed that he was looking more at me and starting to get agitated.
I looked up from my viewfinder and realized that the bow of my boat was only
6-8 inches away from him. He didn't mind too much and simply walked to a new
spot where he continued to hunt. Even after I pushed off several minutes
later he simply stared at me as I paddled away.
As I approached the point I saw an Osprey sitting in the tree to the
entrance of Edwards Creek and beyond him the rest of the trees at the point
were full of Roseate Spoonbills. I cruised past shooting them and soon
realized that there was a pair of Ospreys - probably the same pair I have
seen up here recently. I'm not sure if they are the kids from the nest down
the road or the parents but they once again chased each other around the
area for a few seconds so I'm sure its one or the other. Spoonies at the point
I ate breakfast down from the point and explored a potential camping area
before catching the strong current toward the huge bay that lies west of the
flats. I was there in less than 30 minutes and then made my way across in a
NW direction to the island that I wanted to check out. I could see from the
distance that the trees on the southern side of the island were full of
birds. As I got closer I could tell that there were both Wood Storks and
Spoonbills as well as some herons and egrets. Another storm was approaching
from the east and that made the tree occupants nervous and my presence
didn't help much either. I did managed to discover that although the grass
extends out quite a ways from the island that the base was hard clay. I
could have gotten out and explored the island for camping and I could see
some potentially good spots but I decided to make my way north to the main
islands to complete my circumnavigation.
I was a little surprised to find the current flowing against me but I had
experienced this before coming from the opposite direction. Apparently,
unlike most streams that bisect a marsh, this stream has no midpoint where
the current changes direction. It flows only one direction and is influenced
only by the Nassau River and Pumpkin Hill to the east. In other words - if
the tide is coming in it flows only east to west - when going out it flows
west to east in it's entirety. The current was manageable, however, and soon
I was at the island where the Spoonbills roost and it was indeed full of the
pink birds. They flushed and flew around a bit but always landed back in the
same area while the egrets and herons flew away. That is something I have
noticed about Spoonies - they rarely give up a good perch. Wood Storks on the Broward Islands
The water level was high enough that I was able to easily get out and
investigate the campsite which I will use someday soon. It was extremely
buggy, however, and my arms and legs were covered with mosquitoes before I
departed. I paddled east toward Pumpkin Hill and was happy to find that the
current was still heading in. By the time I reached the point the tide was
slack and there was a nice sea breeze coming in that helped me when it was
at my back and didn't hurt me much when it wasn't. I paused to shoot one of
the Ibis flocks that mass in the flats at high tide. It is quite a sight to
see - hundreds of birds sitting there croaking with their curved beaks.
See the pictures from this trip
8/28/06
Reddish Egret prancing on the FGR
After 12 miles and 6 hours in the boat yesterday I decided to chill out and
take Hopey for a very short trip on the FGR.
We put in behind the Ribault Club and floated on the incoming tide to the
sandbar just beyond the houses. A Reddish Egret was there waiting for us and
so I floated over and shot him for several minutes before unloading our
boats. He stuck around for several minutes before heading on to some
shallower water where he could dance better.
We spent the next couple of hours reading and swimming and generally
enjoying the sun while we waited for the tide to turn and then we had an
easy ride back.
See the pictures from this trip
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