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Outage time! The weather should be getting really nice this month Trips this month: 8
03/01/05
The wind was supposed to be howling today and I figured it was a day to spend ashore but when I got up the branches outside weren't moving much and the computer showed only a slight breeze of under 10. I figured then that if I planned it right I would be able to get out there and have the wind at my back when I was ready to make the return trip home. I got in the water about 3 hours before peak tide so I had a pretty good current as I headed into the breeze which was coming from the west. I skirted the southern Browns Island and after watching a Red Tail fly away and pausing to shoot a Tri-Color I made my way into the runoff pond where I found not much of anything.
From there I decided to paddle through the middle islands and wound up doing
a figure eight around the entire chain. I saw
another Red Tail near the northern island and by the time I had reached the
opposite side of that island the wind was roaring. I had anticipated this
but I still had a good 30 minutes of slow, difficult paddling into the wind
before I was able to get in a position to let it aide me and by that time I
was more than ready.
03/07/05
I caught the outgoing tide this morning on Simpsons Creek and rode a good current easily to the sound. Not far past the ramp I spotted a Clapper Rail making a rare appearance taking a bath at the water's edge. As soon as he saw me heading toward him he hopped up into the grass and resumed his normal behavior of being heard but rarely seen. Soon after, I spotted another bird that I had never seen. At first glance I thought it was merely a Dowticher but it was slightly larger and had bright yellow legs. It was bobbing up and down as it hunted in a shallow pool and then it flew off with a call that was very similar to a Dowitcher. I later found that this was a Greater Yellowleg - a winter visitor in the southern marshes. Once out on the sound I headed north toward Black Rock Point, pausing to shoot a pair of Oyster Catchers on some beds not far from the mouth of Simpsons. I paddled along the beach until I spotted a driftwood tree just south of the point in the area of the beach where fallen trees are rare. An Osprey was sitting in a tree just above it but he flew off as I disembarked. Closer investigation of the tree proved what I had hoped - it was ideal for "hammocking" and in a matter of minutes I was swinging in the warm breeze, book and beer in hand. I read, ate, drank and dozed for a little over an hour and it was really difficult to even think about heading back knowing that I would have to get ready for work in a few hours. I pulled myself away and grudgingly headed back toward Simpsons. The tide had just barely turned and the water levels were pretty much at their lowest point which allowed me to remain well out of the breeze which had just started to kick up. It wasn't bad, however, and whatever current there was aided me as I made fairly easy progress back to my truck. See the pictures from this trip
03/10/05
I put in at Cedar Point along Heckscher drive just after high tide. As I paddled I couldn't quite decide what route I wanted to take but once I reached the confluence point I decided to head due east and go out to the ICW at the heron rookery. I saw no sign of the Great Blues that roosted there last spring and so I guess they have decided to try a location with a little less traffic than this busy intersection. From there I paddled north and re-entered Hannah across from "Bottle Island" and then found the little stream that cuts through the marsh and empties out into Hannah just south of "Center Island". I headed east and stopped at the oyster beds at the confluence point to shoot some Dowitchers and Sandpipers who were hanging out on the exposed beds. I was getting pretty tired by this time and was thankful that the wind and current was with me for the remainder of the journey. See the pictures from this trip
03/13/05 It was a beautiful spring day when I got up but the forecast was calling for some pretty intense winds to begin about mid-day. I got myself going and in the water shortly after 9:30 hoping to get some paddling in before the wind really kicked up. It was already approaching 10 mph as I headed north from my usual put-in and it was easily overcoming the incoming current. I didn't expect to see much wildlife on such a windy day and that proved to be the case so I concentrated on enjoying the sunshine and saltwater splashing in my face. I made my way north but instead of taking the usual turn toward the old cedar I decided to head toward "Center Island". Along the way I finally found the location of the "new cedar" that the hurricanes had moved around this fall. It is safely up in a well protected grass bank just before the creek branches off to the north toward Cedar Point and it will likely stay there and create a new roost for the herons. I headed toward the island and explored the stream that passes along its mudflat and then meanders up close to the Pelican pool. Just before I reached the place where I could turn into the pool leading to the island I passed a couple of people in Geenoos loaded with camping equipment. I wondered if they had been camping on the island that I was headed for and that was confirmed when I could see where someone had just pushed off from the landing. I wanted to get out and see if they had cleaned up after themselves but thought better of it. I was sort of disappointed that someone else was camping on an island that had shown little prior evidence of anyone else. After exploring around the island for a while I headed back into a SW wind that was sustained at around 15. I made slow progress home stopping to shoot some Tri-Colors who had found some shelter on a grass bank.
03/22/05 Last week was a rare non-paddling week due to weather and schedule and this week was not looking much better. I got up this morning, checked the radar and saw that the thunderstorms were staying well west of here so I decided to try for a quickie in the FGR. Not much to say - a did a turn in the basin and then headed toward Pt. Isabella where I then crossed the channel and took the outgoing current back to the ramp. It was pleasant to get back out there and at least keep the rust off.
03/24/05
The weather was near perfect - the clear skies and calm winds were a far cry from the forecast of thunderstorms. I headed out into glassy waters an hour after high tide and began making my way around the island chain - this time going on a counterclockwise direction. As I reached the northernmost point of my journey I watched as an Osprey circled overhead chirping constantly and then plummeted into the water - rising a few seconds later empty handed but doing the usual Osprey "shoulder shake" as he continued his hunting. A short time later I saw another Osprey flying from the direction of the plant with a large branch in his claws and I saw him bring it to a new nest that was being built near the bridge at Shrimpers Creek. I picked my way through the shallows of the northwest corner of the creek crossing paths with a reddish colored Raccoon who was scurrying through the grass. As I approached the entrance to the SJRPP runoff pond I noticed a Red Tailed Hawk hovering above a large pine near the entrance to the pond. He dove and pulled up to light on a branch and I soon saw that another Red Tailed was already in the Pine tree waiting for him. As I entered the pond I could hear the constant chirping of an Osprey and I could see her sitting on the main nest on the western edge of the pond - the one that the hurricanes destroyed and has only recently begun to be rebuilt. As I approached I could see why she was so vocal as the male flew out from a nearby tree with the remains of a meal that he had been enjoying in his claws. He joined her on the nest and shared his catch which was apparently what she was chirping about because she quieted down. After leaving the pond, I headed east toward my put-in and was able to get quite close to a Great Blue feeding in the shallows and also passed close to a Snowy Egret who was doing a very good Reddish Heron imitation as he twirled and danced in the shallows. See the pictures from this trip
03/30/05
What a perfect spring day! Temperatures that were heading toward the low 80's and not a breath of wind to stir the marsh grass as I set out in Hannah Mills and headed north. My only complaint was that the stillness allowed the gnats to have an easy meal if I stayed to close to the banks. I headed toward the Old Cedar and stopped there to take an energy bar break. The cedar itself was the focus of about a dozen bumble bees who seemed to be trying to stake out their territories and occasionally buzzed me as I sat nearby. I took my usual northern route and then went north along the western bank of the ICW until I spotted the entrance to Deep Creek on the other bank. I crossed there and as I entered the stream I paused to marvel at the absolute silence out there. The helicopters at Mayport were not flying and the lack of wind meant that no noise would be carried from Blount Island or the plant. There wasn't much wildlife to speak of - the occasional heron that flew off well before I was in range. The Osprey pair in the channel tower at Shad Creek were chirping at each other as I passed by on my way to "Heron Hangout" Island where I ate lunch and swung in the hammock for a bit. After a rest, I headed on south and crossed back over the western bank just north of the Manatee Zone sign where I could see a male Osprey sitting above the nest. As I approached, he became more vocal and soon the female popped her head above the sign. The male flew off as I glided by and as he flew low over the water toward the bank a Cormorant surfaced in the water. The Osprey made a quick move like he was going to grab the bird out of the water causing the Cormorant to flinch briefly. I stuck around the Osprey nest for a little while and did another glide by as the female glared at me and chirped angrily. She was obviously sitting on eggs since she was unwilling to abandon the sign. The rest of the trip was easy and pleasant. A little wind had picked up while I was out there but it was all coming out of the east so it aided me against a mostly slack tide. See the pictures from this trip
03/31/05
Today I had the opportunity to introduce our dear friend Gigi to joys of kayaking in the Timucuan. Gigi is my adopted "Little Sister" and for a long time I have been looking forward to showing her what has given us so much pleasure over the years. I did my best to plan a day where we would be able to paddle with a minimum of effort and receive the maximum enjoyment and today was about as close to perfect as possible with only a slight ocean breeze, bright blue skies and an incoming tide. The temperature was close to 70 by the time we put in behind the Ribault Club with a promise to reach the 80's before the thunderstorms moved in. Gigi took to kayaking like a duck to water despite my inadequate instructions and we crossed over to the eastern bank where we let the current carry us lazily toward Simpsons Creek. We set up her hammock in the palms (we had introduced Gigi to the joys of "hammocking" some years back) and after I realized that I had forgotten my own I laid out a tarp and dozed in the hot sun before I forced myself to take a March swim in the frigid waters. After a good snooze, we ate lunch and sat around talking for a while until the tide turned and we set back out - this time going around the grass island that divides the channel. We stopped to investigate the yacht basin where we found a tree full of Snowy Egrets and Gigi found out why I'm known as the "Heron Harasser" in these parts. It was a fun day out and I think we've got another person hooked on kayaking. I'm looking forward to visiting the west coast again and doing some paddling in the Bay area where my little sister lives. See the pictures from this trip
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