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We were a bit busy this month what with our daughter graduating form UM and a big bash planned for our 25th anniversary. I enjoyed a couple of after dinner paddles though. Trips this month: 4
05/01/03
I was in the mood for a swim so I put in at Alimacani and headed west. I paddled along the east bank and headed toward the entrance to Simpson's Creek. As I glided along, a young Osprey with his mottled coat, flew down to the beach and stood in the water - something I've never seen one do. I paddled on down to our old campsite and checked out the erosion damage that has occurred. It's not as bad as my other campsite on the opposite bank but there were several large trees that have fallen in recently. The water was pleasantly cool and it felt great to get in. As I headed back I passed a Green Heron and a group of Red Breasted Mergansers. A storm was brewing to the west but as so often happens - the sea breeze fought it off and it broke up before it reached the ICW. It made for some spectacular pictures as the sun got low in the western sky over Ft. George Island. See the Pictures From this Trip
05/14/03
I had a few things to do this afternoon, so instead of paddling after work, I waited until after dinner and got in the water about 7:15. This time of year, when the tide is early in the evening like it is this week, an evening paddle can't be beat. As the sun dropped toward the horizon, the colors in the marsh began turning an absolutely glorious tint and there is no better place to watch the sunset than on the water in the marsh. The birdlife was headed to it's evening perches and I could see the trees on the islands along the ICW already dotted with white clumps of egrets - interspersed occasionally by the presence of a Great Blue. As I approached the island that we camped on most recently, I was able to get a few shots of an Egret whose snowy coat was reflecting the orange tint of the western sky. I paddled out in the waterway and took some shots of an Osprey before turning back to ride the tide back home. The trip back was uneventful except for a wonderful sunset behind the power plant and a nearly full moon rising to the east. A few minutes after the sunset I entered the large pool at my put-in. As I glided along a couple of small dolphins rose suddenly just a few feet in front of my boat and then disappeared. I stuck my paddle in the water quickly to stop and hurriedly got my camera out. They never re-surfaced which made me think that they were a couple of youngsters out for an evening joy ride away from the pod and my unexpected presence sent them hurrying back to the group. As I got close to my truck I suddenly began seeing the silhouettes of a squat bird noisily departed from the grove of trees just to the east of my truck. I quickly realized that the grove was populated by a sizable group of Night Herons - the first time I had seen these shy birds in this part of the marsh. It was a little buggy at my put-in - mosquitoes and yellow flies - but it was a very pleasant evening on the water and one that I will be repeating a lot this summer. See the Pictures From this Trip
05/15/03
This after dinner thing is getting to be quite a habit - a very good one. I got out a little earlier this time and paddled out to the ICW using a slightly different route. Once I reached the waterway, I could see the islands on the eastern bank dotted with birdlife so I headed over and used the current to float slowly past as I snapped away at the Egrets and Herons. The sun had already set by the time I headed back across and as I approached the entrance to the marsh I heard the distinctive sound of a dolphin exhaling. The only other sound was coming from the helicopters at Mayport and his blowing echoed off the water and the trees. He surface several times as he journeyed north with the tide but the dim light prevented me from getting any good shots of him. See the Pictures From this Trip
05/23/03 I've been sick with a bad cold all week and the weather hasn't been too inviting either but today I felt better so I headed out after work to my favorite place for a quickie. Not much to report - nice day, good exercise, not many photo ops. I passed the same tern that is pictured above sitting on the same crab float as before. When I returned an hour later, he was back again. Seems this has become his favorite evening roost. As I approached my truck I heard the distinct call of a peacock coming from the grove of trees just to the east of my put-in. I never saw the bird but I heard him call a couple of times so it looks like one of the St. George Birds has wandered away.
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