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Paddling Journal November 2009 Cool weather at last! Trips this month: 10
Back to Journal Index
11/1/09
White Pelicans back in their winter
home along the ICW Early this morning, the clocks rolled back to
standard time as the long awaited cold front blew through the area cooling
things down considerably. After some debate, I decided to head to Horseshoe
Creek and paddle south towards Cedar Point so that I could check on my
Pelican Pals and confirm their arrival from their summer home. Dolphin on the ICW There was a chill in the air, but I opted to leave my fleece
in the truck as I set out from the ramp just after peak high tide. I could
see that it was another extremely high tide that is normal this time of the
year, especially with the moon nearly full. I remembered the trip
five years
ago when the water was so high that I was able to actually paddle
into the pool where my big white friends stay for the winter. Once I reached
the waterway, I headed south as three or four Dolphins began surfacing
nearby. When I reached Cedar Point Creek, I pulled into the mudflat
on the north side of the island that lies on the western bank of the ICW,
just north of the Pelican Pool. I found that the water was indeed over the
shell bank but not high enough to reach the pool so I paddled down to the
south end of the island and started walking. I could see a mass of white to
my left which confirmed what I already knew - the flock was back and the
morning groom was well underway in the bright morning sun. Directly in front
of me lay the smaller pool where the shorebirds usually hang out but I
could also see the large, leathery heads of a dozen or so Wood Storks popping
up above the grass. Storks and Spoonbills As I approached, I could also see, among the Storks, about
five or six of their pink cousins, the straggler Spoonbills who have yet to
pack their bags and head south for their winter homes. I walked slowly
through the flooded grass as the Storks began to shift nervously and move
slowly away from the near bank. The grass was thick and the water deeper
than it usually is and it made my approach across the flats noisy and
awkward. As a result, by the time I got close to the Pelican Pool, they were well aware
of my presence and one by one they began to waddle into the water and swim
slowly to the other side. Wood Storks at Cedar Point I took several photos and then walked back toward the
waterway, pausing to shoot the Storks and Spoonies once again before getting
back in my boat. As I did, I could see that the Pelicans had begun their
slow, methodical departure from the pool - a dozen or so at a time as they
circled and let the wind carry them to the southeast. The parade of
Snowbirds (the hoomin variety) was well underway so I had to time my departure between passing of
the huge yachts heading south for the winter. I decided to head into Cedar
Point Creek and check out the island where I camped on that trip in 2004. I
got out and looked around - pleased to find that it was relatively
un-trashed but well used with several clearings to camp at. I continued upstream against the strong outgoing current -
crisscrossing the stream to stay out of the swiftest water. I could see Wood
Storks perching in the trees on the south side of the point so I paddled
into the little stream that runs along that part of the point. After
shooting them, I let the current carry me back out to the waterway where I
made my return to the put-in.
See the pictures from this trip
11/2/09
Eastern Phoebe on Lofton Creek Hope had to get up early and meet her co-workers downtown to
attend the Zig Zeigler motivational seminar, so I got up and made her coffee
to send her on her way. Since I had the day off, I used the excuse of the FMNP class in Yulee to put-in at nearby Lofton Creek and explore the stream
north of A1A.
I got in the water at 8:45 and paddled under the A1A bridge with the
incoming tide. Lofton Creek is a beautiful stream that is lined with cypress
and this time of the year my favorite freshwater plant - Climbing Aster.
There are houses scattered sporadically along the western bank but the east
side seemed to be undeveloped and un-posted. The scenery was beautiful but I
saw very little wildlife on the day with the exception of a few Phoebes and
King Fishers.
About two miles above the ramp, I reached a railroad bridge and shortly
thereafter the bridge for Pages Dairy Road. The creek turns sharply to the
west and parallels the road for a stretch where there is a pull off along
the bank. From there, the stream returns to it's north-south run and leaves
any development far behind. It changes names to McQueen Creek and becomes
very primordial as it begins to narrow down and twist and turn through some huge
cypress trees. It begins to flow in a more westerly direction and I began to
run into some snags that I had to work my way over and around.
I finally reached a spot where the snags began to get more frequent and I
knew that unless I wanted to do the "kayak limbo" that I should end my trip
here. It was close to the time I had set for turning around anyway so
started back. The tide was still coming in but the current was not strong so
my trip back was fairly easy. I saw a few Wood Ducks and some Ibis but, for
the most part, the wildlife was as sparse as the trip up. On the way back, I
pulled into some of the branches that I had passed on the way up but didn't
travel very far up them. When I checked Google Earth later, I saw that some of
these streams were ox bows that looped into the swamp while others
were tributaries that looked promising for further exploration.
I reached the ramp and after eating lunch and changing my shirt, I drove
around the Yulee area a bit looking for other places to put-in on Lofton Creek and
the Nassau River before heading to class.
See the pictures from this trip
11/5/09
The first Hooded Mergansers of the
season
With high tide around 10:30 in this area and
breezy conditions, I decided to head down the road to the Browns Creek
put-in and was in the water a little after 10 to catch the last of the
incoming current. Wood Stork
I paddled directly toward the first in the chain
of islands and skimmed under the trees shooting a Wood Stork who flew in and
landed on a branch above me before heading toward the run-off pond at SJRPP.
I poked my head into the entrance of the pool and didn't see much perching
by the spillway and was debating whether I should bother doing a circuit. I
saw some movement in the water near the outflow of the dam and decided to
paddle over to investigate. As I did, two small black ducks swam out from
the overhanging branches and began swimming to the opposite side of the pond
about 30 yards from me. Monarch
I immediately recognized them as the long
awaited visitors whose arrival is the sure sign
of the change of seasons from hot to cold around here - the Hooded
Mergansers. What was surprising about this pair was the fact that they were
both males with no gaggle of females anywhere in sight. I don't think I have
ever seen a male Merganser without at least one female somewhere nearby but
these two were unattached and unconcerned about my presence which was also a
little unusual. They swam across the water, occasionally disappearing
beneath the surface, while I followed them from a distance. Finally, I lost
track of them but soon they reappeared from behind some grass and flew into
the air and out into the marsh.
I followed and once out of the pool I decided to try and enter the lagoon that is
located to the south of the pond since I had seen several Wood Storks
perching on a tree. I found my way in easily and was able to pull under the
Storks perch and shoot while they looked at me with disdain. I left them in
peace and decided to vary my route a little by cutting between the second
and third islands in the chain. With the water level higher than normal, I
was able to do so easily and was soon back on the east side of the islands
skirting the southern shoreline of the third island.
I had spotted what appeared to be a Red Tailed Hawk sitting in the top of a
dead tree and as I paddled closer I was able to confirm that yet another
winter resident to these parts had arrived. He flew off before I was able to
get close enough for good photos so after exploring that area a little I
headed back to the put-in.
See the pictures from this trip
11/12/09
Otters on Boggy Creek
On our FMNP field trip last Friday, we went to Four Creeks State Forest,
located about 10 miles west of Yulee on SR-200. We visited the Boggy Creek
Landing - a put-in located about halfway up Boggy Creek from it's confluence
with Mills Creek. I made plans to visit it as soon as possible but with
Hurricane Ida in the area this week I chose to spend time working on my
projects for the class instead of braving the wind and rain.
Wood Ducks
I was off today and with Ida having blown on through the area the day before,
I loaded up and headed north to Yulee. I was worried that Ida would dump a
ton of rain in the area and make the logging trail that leads down to the
put-in impassable, but she blew through so fast that very little
precipitation actually fell. As I drove down the sandy road I could see
that puddles we had driven through a week earlier were about the same size
and the boggy areas stretching out from the banks of the creek were no
deeper.
I launched about 8:15 and with the high tide at the Boggy Creek tide station
set to peak at 8:30 the current in front of the put-in was flowing strongly
in. I decided to go with the current hoping that by the time I decided to
turn around that it would be either slack or heading out. It was cold, gray
and breezy so I didn't expect to see much wildlife on the day but not far
from the put-in I spotted a pair of Wood Ducks swimming in the middle of a
bend. I let the current carry me toward them while I shot but the light was
so dim that I wasn't able to get many good shots before they flushed. I came
upon them several more times the rest of the morning but had little success
in shooting them. Black and White Warbler
The scenery was incredibly beautiful with the cypress trees starting to turn
yellow and red along with the sweet gum trees whose leaves were turning dark
red. There were lots of yaupon holly tree heavily laden with bright red
berries and occasionally swarms of warblers would descend on them to eat.
The scenery was pristine but the ambient noise was oppressive as there was
a constant roar from busy SR-200. The strong wind coming out of the north
was blowing the sound straight down the river valley and it was loud until I
finally reached the north side of the bridge. At that point, it was
strangely quiet especially the further I got away from the road. "What the heck is that hairy
thing?!"
I started seeing an Anhinga ahead of me, but he always flushed before I could
shoot him. As I headed north from the bridge the creek began to narrow down
and became more primordial. I reached an area where there were a few snags
that I had to work my way around but the going wasn't too difficult. I came
to a place where there was a tree fallen all of the way across the creek and
as I floated up to it I suddenly heard a loud huffing coming from one end of
the tree. I looked to see two whiskered faces looking at me excitedly as
they huffed in alarm. They quickly jumped into the water while I pulled over
to the side to wait for them to reappear. It was far too dark to get any
decent still shots with my camera so I switched to
video mode as the pair
began popping up on both sides of the creek. Sipping some water
I'm used to Otters acting curious about me but these two were far more
agitated than any other otters I had seen before - constantly jumping out of
the water and then diving back in. I began to hear a loud chirping sound and
could tell that it was coming from one of the Otters which was on the
upstream side of the fallen tree. Soon, the other otter near me began
chirping in return and began swimming rapidly toward the sound of his mate.
I followed him as he swam to his partner who was standing on the bank
chirping loudly away. They kind of nuzzled each other, chirping excitedly
and then they both jumped into the water. One of them immediately leaped up
on the fallen tree and then slid into the water on the other side.
They both swam noisily through the boughs of the tree and came out in
a pool to my right where they chirped and huffed before heading back to the
tree. The noise stopped for a few seconds so I pulled up to the trunk and
could see them upstream swimming around another snag. I tried for several
minutes to find my way around the tree but it was apparent that unless I
wanted to get out of my boat that I had reached the end of the line. If I
had remembered to bring my machete I could have hacked a path through the
upper branches but it was close to time to turn around anyway so I headed
back. "Put that bare ankle in front of me
one more time kayaker - I dare ya!"
The tide was slack this far up in the woods, but as I headed back I could
tell that it was still coming in. I flushed some more Wood Ducks and Anhingas as well as a small hawk that I could never identify. Not after I
passed the bridge, I could see some violent splashing ahead of me along the
bank. At first I assumed that it was a fish or possibly a Gator but as the
splashing continued I got my binoculars out and discovered that it was one
or two Otters who were obviously chasing something around in the water. They
were completely unaware of me so I quietly floated toward them. By the time
I reached the place where they had been splashing they were gone but I could
detect the distinct odor of fish in the air much like what I smell when a
pod of Dolphins get onto some fish. The pungent fishy smell hung thick in
the air but I could neither hear or see the Otters anywhere so I pulled over
to the opposite side of the creek and waited.
After a minute or so, a dark shape suddenly came running out of the palmetto
scrub and leaped out into the water with a splash. The otter started
splashing around again as it had before but suddenly it became aware of me
and started a raspy huff as it raised it's head above the water. He didn't
stick around for long and soon disappeared for good.
I continued on downstream against the still incoming current and soon was
back at the put-in. I loaded up and took a short walk down the nearby path
where our group had seen a pygmy rattlesnake on a log last week. I knew he wouldn't
still be there but I checked anyway and then decided to try to find the
other landing on Mill Creek. I finally found the road that was supposed to
lead to the creek but it was blocked off and seemed to be flooded beyond the
barrier.
I started to walk down the road but it soon became so boggy that I decided
to turn back. I had taken about two steps and then jumped back one when I
saw on the ground a pygmy rattler that could have been a twin of the one we
saw last week. Apparently, I had either nearly stepped on it when I started
down the road or else came very close to getting bit because he was coiled
up and ready to strike. I spent some time shooting him and then headed back
home.
See the pictures from this trip
11/15/09
Young Gator in the Okefenokee
After seeing the cypress trees changing colors on Boggy Creek last week I
was itching to get back up to the Okefenokee before they shed their needles.
I was on the road a little after 7 and pulling into the park at 8. I renewed
my annual pass (still an incredibly cheap $12) and was heading down the
Suwannee Canal at 8:15. It was a crisp, cool and nearly perfect fall day
with not a breath of wind to stir the black waters that perfectly mirrored
the rusty red cypress trees. I saw only a little wildlife as I paddled down
the canal - a few warblers and a Green Heron, but I occasionally heard the
yodel of Sand Hill Cranes coming from the direction of Cedar Hammock. Sand Hill Cranes along the day use
canoe trail
I had considered taking the day use canoe trail from the outset but decided
instead to travel down the canal as usual until I reached the mid-point
where it doglegs to the right. There, I found the entrance at the halfway
point and continued down the canoe trail to it's end. Just as the trail
opened up before reaching the canal, I spotted some large gray shapes moving
ahead of me to the left. I pulled up and floated gently forward as the two
Cranes came into view. I was only able to get a few shots as they eyed me
from the other side of the brush and I headed on to the canal.
I came out on the canal just past the split and then entered the path to the
prairies that lay to the south. The intense sunlight glared off of the water
that was several inches deep over the flats on either side of the trail. I
could see several pairs of Wood Ducks floating amongst the lily pads and
they soon flew off in flurry of wings and whistles. I paddled around the
trail seeing an occasional Gator but very little birdlife. Feather on the canal
I came back out on the canal and followed it back to the cutoff where I
headed back to the east. After pausing to take a break at the bathroom I
continued on back up the section of the canal I had paralleled while on the
canoe trail. As I passed the entrance to the Cedar Hammock trail I saw a
contraption tied off to the side that I knew had to be the "trail cutter"
that I have heard so much about since the water levels have returned to
normal out in the swamp. It's a narrow boat - about the width of the
narrowest trail with two large blades in front perpendicular to the water.
I'm hoping that this means that they have been all of the way up the Cedar
Hammock trail since on my last trip I was unable to make if very far past
the shelter. I'll give it a few weeks for the vegetation to sink before
trying it again. The Okefenokee Trail Cutter
Just as I reached the midpoint of the canal, the first tour boat passed me
with only one passenger. I cut back into the canoe trail so that I could
finish my trip on the section I had missed when I set out. There was a large
Gator at the entrance to the trail that I would have hit with my paddle had
I not spotted him just in time. He just stared at me as I floated by a foot
or so away and when I pulled up to shoot him he merely sank a little lower
in the water. He had found a rarity in the high water - a comfortable sunny
spot and he wasn't going to give it up willingly. Great Blue Heron
As I paddled up the trail I watched carefully for any movement under the
dark titi shrubs that would indicate baby Gators but I saw nothing and never
heard the bird-like chirp that they emit. I did see a few very small Gators
but none that looked like they were new born. As I neared the end of the
trail I saw another kayaker heading toward me and pulled over to let him
pass. He waved me on and as I paddled up I could see someone else behind him
who I instantly recognized. His face indicated that he too recognized me and
when he said "Jenny's Dad!" I knew that it was Brian Lapinski - the
owner/operator of "Down to Earth Farm" - the CSA that our daughter Jenny
interned at last year and that we were members of.
We chatted briefly - I told him that Hope and I had cooked our first mess of
turnip greens from the crop I had planted the night before and that it was
his turnips last year that had inspired me to plant them for the first time.
We parted ways and I was back at the ramp a few minutes later and on the way
home. On the trip I passed 600 miles for the fifth consecutive year - very
year since I have been tracking my mileage.
See the pictures from this trip
11/17/09
Wood Storks near the Pelican Pool
Early this morning the Leonids meteor shower was touted to be a spectacular
show - rivaling the display that Hope, Andrew and I watched from the old
Nassau Sound bridge back in 2001. Hope and I made plans to wake up at 3 am
when it was supposed to be at its peak and if anything was happening, head
out to the sound to watch. As soon as my alarm went off, however, I heard
the long, deep wail of a ship sounding it's fog horn as it traveled up the
St. Johns River toward the port. I got up and checked my computer which had
a "dense fog warning" out until 9 am. I got dressed and walked outside to
see a light fog over the river and a layer of low clouds obscuring almost
all of the stars.
Great Blue Heron at the put-in
I decided to head back to bed and not bother Hope but we were both up well
before dawn when I explained to her what had happened the night before. We
stood in the driveway for a few seconds where I saw a very brief comet
streak across the sky and then we both decided to give up on the shower.
About an hour later I had decided to pack up and head up to Hannah Mills to
take advantage of a high tide that was scheduled to peak at 9:30.
I pulled up to the put-in where the water was already well past the normal
high tide mark. A young Great Blue Heron was standing on the sand only four
feet from open window of my truck so I got my camera out and shot him in the
dim pre-dawn light knowing that he was about to squawk and fly away. He
merely stood there staring at me and even when I pulled up the bank and
backed down to within a couple of feet of him he never moved. It wasn't
until I actually pulled my boat off the rack and placed it on the sand at
the water's edge that he finally flew off without so much as a squawk. Roseate Spoonbills
The sun was just breaking over the horizon behind the Night Heron's roost
across from White Shell Fish Camp. I paddled across the pool and approached
the sea daisy island that is always occupied by at least several shorebirds
dozing in the morning sun. On this morning, I could see the distinct shape
of a couple of Great Egrets but I thought I could detect some smaller,
chunky birds amongst them. A check with my binoculars showed a hint of pink
and as I got closer I could see four Roseate Spoonbills grooming themselves
in the company of the Egrets. I've never seen Spoonbills this late in the
season and I wonder if the temperature of the water is what signals them to
head south. Breakthrough
As I pulled up to shoot the Egrets flushed which prompted the Spoonbills to
begin lifting their spatula shaped beaks into the air and chortle at me -
letting me know that they had finally spotted me and now that their big
friends had abandoned them they were getting a little nervous. They finally
decided to flush and I made my way up to the old cedar where a Great Blue
and Great Egret were perching. I paddled past them as they flew off and I
took my usual route north from there out to the ICW.
Once in the waterway, I could tell that this morning's tide was going to be
an extremely high one as the water was already over the shell bank in
places. A hawk flew out from a cedar tree near the shore and at first I
thought it was a Harrier. It flew from cedar to cedar as I paddled north and
although I was never able to get a positive ID I believe it was a young Red
Tailed Hawk. Spoonies and Storks
When I reached the place where I normally beach my boat to begin walking
toward the Pelican Pool, I found that the water was high enough for me to
float over the shell bank and well onto the flats before I had to get out. I
had already seen the white dots in the distance indicating that my big white
pals were dozing in their winter home but as I walked toward the small pool
next to the island I could see that it was occupied by an equal number Wood
Storks and Spoonbills. Until now, the sky had been mostly overcast but as I
began shooting the Storks and Spoonies the brilliant morning sun suddenly
broke through and lit up the area. The Wood Storks standing in the glassy
pool reflected off the surface like a mirror as they gathered together in
the center of the pool to try and decide what to do about me.
The Spoonbills soon decided to depart and left the Storks and began making
my way across the flats toward the Pelicans who for the most part were still
dozing with their heads tucked under their wings. Their reverie didn't last
long and soon the majority of heads were up in alarm and they began
stretching out their huge yellow pouches in case they would need them. The
migration into the water soon began and in short order half of the flock was
headed for the opposite side. I got my pictures and headed back before the
entire group had gone in the water and the remaining 30 or so looked content
to stay there for a while. White Pelicans waking up
Once back to my boat I made the decision to paddle up to Cedar Point and
complete the circumnavigation back to Hannah Mills. When I reached the north
end of the island in front of the Pelican Pool a huge snowbirder's yacht
came barreling down from the north pushing an enormous wake so I decided to
take advantage of the high water and take refuge on the flooded flats behind
the island as the waves began crashing ashore. The water was flowing
strongly around the back side of the island so I decided to follow it until
I had nearly circumnavigated it. I might have been able to find a way into
the Pelican pool but I decided to leave them in peace and head back to Cedar
Point Creek.
The water was still flowing swiftly in although it was already past peak
tide. I paddled up the camping island and took the stream on the east
side that flows deep into the marsh. I then cut across the flooded grass and
found the creek on the west side where I took it back to the main channel.
The current stayed with me until I was well south of the point where it
began flowing in from the river. When I reached the confluence point I
headed east and then found the path that leads back to the pool adjacent to
the road where my truck was parked.
See the pictures from this trip
11/20/09
Black Crowned Night Heron on the FGR
I decided to head toward the Ribault Club this morning and after picking up
a sandwich at Nichole's, I was in the water around 10:15 am. I could see
that the trees in the basin were heavily laden with birds - not surprising
considering how breezy the day was turning out to be. As soon as I began
paddling toward the trees I began to hear the chirp of an Osprey but I was
sure that I was too far away to be the reason for the alarm. I looked
directly overhead and immediately saw the reason for the Osprey's concern -
a very young Bald Eagle who flew over the basin and continued on to the
east. Great Blue Heron at Point Isabella
I began cruising along beside the live oaks that hang over the water around
the circumference of the pool shooting the variety of birds including Night
Herons, Ibis, Wood Storks and Brown Pelicans. After completing my tour I
headed out to the main channel where I found the northerly breeze pushing
against the incoming tide creating a very choppy scene. I had an easy paddle
past the docks and into the little stream that skirts the grassy shoreline
where the river turns toward Point Isabella. I explored the drainage canal
again before gliding over the grass to the point where I paddled around in
the channel behind the wharf. I flushed a Great Blue Heron who flew croaking
to the other side of the basin and kept up a steady conversation with me as
I approached him a few minutes later.
He flew off and I made my way across the channel to my destination - Hammock
Island. I found that it had not suffered any more significant erosion from
the recent high tides and strong easterly winds but I could see that the
high tide line was well above the normal shoreline and reached all of the
way to my new hammock tree. A Vulture was on the ground eating something as
I approached and I found the remains of several gutted red fish littering
the ground as well as a pile of fresh trash that the inconsiderate retards
had left nearby. I used my paddle to toss the fish in the water and then
strung my hammock and ate my delicious club sandwich. Curious Palm Warbler
As I lay in my hammock, a large flock of Ibis flew low over the marsh and
then directly over my head. I could see from the look on their faces that
they had fully expected to perch in my tree but at least some of them had
continued on and landed in a small dead tree about 50 yards away. I grabbed
my camera and exited my hammock only to realize that the majority of the
flock had landed in the tree adjacent to mine and were now noisily jostling
for position.
As I walked and shot they began flying over to the tree where I had seen
about a dozen of them land and that caused a great deal of consternation as
they battled for position. Eventually, the entire flock had flown over
tripling the number that had originally perched there and there was a loud
continuous squawk and a lot of flapping wings. After a few minutes, the
group had settled in and were grooming and dozing in the sun so I returned
to my hammock and did the same at least for a little while.
I still had one more night of work before I begin my Thanksgiving week off
so I loaded up my boat and headed back. There was a fisherman loading up
ahead of me so I did another turn in the basin before loading up and heading
to work.
See the pictures from this trip
11/23/09
Water Moccasin on Durbin Creek
Since I needed to make a brief stop at the Mayo Clinic, I decided to make my
annual visit to Durbin Creek. My wildlife encounters on the day actually
started at the clinic when I was walking along the sidewalk bordering the
pond. As I approached the place where it turns toward the cafeteria, a Red
Shouldered Hawk suddenly dropped from a tree onto the mulched area below. As
I slowed up to watch, he began to scratch at the ground with one of his
feet. Unfortunately, another patient was approaching from the opposite
direction, yakking on his cell phone, and the Hawk flew up as he rounded the
corner. Raccoon checking out the swamp
interloper
I was at the Racetrack road bridge a little before 9, surprised to see that
it was occupied by a couple of vehicles, including one with a lady who
appeared to have been sleeping in her car. I set off upstream with my
machete strapped to the deck thinking that I might be able to make some more
progress than the last time I was here if I chopped my way past the snags.
Not long after I passed under the bridge, I spotted something moving along
the shoreline ahead and realized that it was a pair of Raccoons. One of them
scurried up a tree and then began peering at me from above while the second
one continued hunting in the water below.
I paddled on past the Raccoons, flushing Wood Ducks as I made my way
upstream. Ahead of me, I spotted a deer who was rising up from a prone
position on a tiny island in the creek. Apparently, it had either been
sleeping or resting next to the water. It wasn't particularly frightened by
my appearance and walked calmly into the swamp. Not far beyond, I
encountered a tree that was blocking my path and considered using the
machete to chop my way past. I decided not to expend the effort and turned
back downstream. Great Blue Heron
The colors along the creek were beautiful, although the cypress trees here
seemed to be a little bit behind those I had seen last week in the
Okefenokee. While those were almost all fully red, these appeared to be just
beginning to turn and were a combination of red, yellow, orange and green.
The sweet gum trees and red maples were mostly all red and it made for a
colorful ride. I spotted a young Great Blue Heron ahead and paused to shoot
him after he flew into the flooded woods. As I pushed away from the shore, I
heard the loud roar of something splashing through the woods and looked to
see three or four deer running away from the creek deep into the woods. Swamp Lily
I continued on downstream with the gentle current of the outgoing tide
making my ride pleasant and easy. After a couple of miles, the roar of
traffic from the major arteries nearby finally died down and I could hear
only the occasional Pileated Woodpecker and Red Shouldered Hawk as I glided
past the colorful trees. Finally, I reached the docks that begin to line the
shoreline on the southern bank and a few minutes later I was at the
confluence of Durbin and Julington.
I decided to head up Julington Creek and paddled past Clark's Fish Camp at
Hood Landing where there is a public boat ramp. The restaurant looks
interesting as I could see full sized stuffed deer through the windows. I
paddled up Julington for about a mile and a half keeping to the right hand
side where the peninsula separates the two creeks. The northern bank of the
creek seemed to be completely developed all of the way up and there are
several canals that are dug into the swamp and I could see houses and docks
lining most of these. Red Shouldered Hawk on Julington
Creek
I turned back and made my way back around the point and began my journey
back up Durbin Creek as the sun broke through the clouds. It started to get
pretty warm but fortunately the tide had turned and I had an easy ride in. I
stopped to shoot a couple of small Gators that I spotted and a Great Blue
who flushed ahead of me as I paddled. I was entering the area where I had
seen a couple of Water Moccasins on my trip here two years ago and was
thinking about that when I looked to my right and saw a large, dark tubular
shape on top of a log. It was only about four feet away and as I passed, I
could detect a pattern on the copper colored back so I slowed up and looked
with my binoculars from a safe distance upstream. I could see that it was
clearly a snake so I paddled back downstream and pulled over to the other
side of the creek where I could get a better look and shoot him. As I
looked, I could see his head sticking out from his coiled body and he seemed
very alert and ready to strike at the next unsuspecting kayaker who happened
by.
I left him and made my way up to the area where the nature trail comes down
to the water. I took my lunch break at the wooden bridge up the trail while
I tried to get some circulation into my incredibly sore ass. After a brief
break, I continued on and paddled the rest of the way as the winter sun
began filtering through the cypress swamp as it sank in the western sky.
See the pictures from this trip
11/24/09
Fall colors on the St. Marys River
near Bulogne
After a 15 plus mile trip on Monday, I was pretty sure that I needed to take
a day off to give my body a break, but when I woke up and checked the
weather report I saw that it had changed dramatically from the weekend. What
had originally been forecast to be a glorious week was now calling for a 60%
chance of rain on Wednesday but only a 20% chance for today. After a little
debate, I loaded up and headed north, intending to stop at one of the Nassau
River tributaries or else up to Bulogne to paddle on the St. Marys River. Swampy Creek
I settled on Bulogne and was launching my boat at Scotts Landing at 9:30. I
had checked the tides and knew that low tide was supposed to occur at 11:30
at Kings Ferry which is about 20 miles east of Bulogne, so I hoped that I
could time it to have the current both ways. The current here is normally
gentle regardless of which way the tide is flowing and as I set out I had an
easy ride on a dull gray day. I was sorry for the lack of sunlight because
the shoreline on both sides of the river was enflamed with color. The
cypress trees here, unlike on Durbin, were mostly a fiery red as were the
gums and maples. The shorelines that stretched before me were a combination
of red, orange, yellow and green - the most color I have seen since I have
lived in Florida but the grayness of the day made it hard to appreciate. Primitive campsite in Simmons S.F.
I was soon at the area where we had driven late on our field trip where we
had seen a dock downstream of where we stood. I passed that dock and boat
ramp which appeared to be public but the signage declared it to be the
property of a hunt club and promised to prosecute anyone who dared to set
foot on it. About a mile beyond that I discovered a stream entering the
river that at first I thought must have been a canal dug to drain the
forest. As I entered the deep straight creek, I soon realized that it was
natural as it began to twist and turn through a beautiful, primordial
hardwood swamp. I fully expected to see Otters or Deer but I saw nothing buy
cypress knees covered in moss and mud that gave the area a dark spooky
feeling. If the water level had been higher, I probably could have gone
deeper into the forest but I finally reached and area that was to difficult
to get around and turned back.
Once back to the river I was thinking what great place the area at the mouth
of the creek would be for camping when I saw an obvious landing a few feet
downstream. I got out and realized that I had reached the first of the
primitive campsites that we had seen on the maps. It was a beautiful
clearing about 15 feet above the river with a fire ring and benches.
I continued on and about an hour or so later I reached a bend in the river
where there was a large sandy beach and it was obvious that I had reached
the second campsite. It was a beautiful beach and a great place to camp in
warm weather but it was directly across from Camp Pinkney Landing - a Camden
County, Georgia boat ramp that I am sure is well used during the summer
months.
Pond I discovered in the forest
Not far beyond Camp Pinkney, the river, which had been flowing due north
began to bend to the northeast. I spotted another stream flowing out from a
low spot in the forest and decided to investigate. At first, I thought my
journey up it would be short as an enormous live oak blocked my path. I
could see beyond the tree that there appeared to be a large area of open
water and so I decided to get out and pull my boat over some snags to the
other side. What I found was an large shallow pond that was bordered on two
sides by a hardwood swamp and on a third by uplands. As soon as I entered
the pool, I spotted a pair of Wood Ducks swimming on the far side of the
pool and I head toward them. As I got close they flew to a clump of grass
and disappeared into the middle of it. I explored the perimeter of the pond
and realized that this would be a great place to camp near to watch the
wildlife come down at dawn. It looked like a great place to observe Deer,
Barred Owls and Red Shouldered Hawks. Wood Duck
I left the pool and journeyed downstream as the river continued it's path to
the northeast. Soon, it reached a stretch where it underwent a series of
very sharp bends much like I see in the area from Macclenny to Traders Hill
and simarly, each bend contained large white beaches stretching out from
clear landings in the forest. I stopped at one of these to eat lunch and
stretch my legs. It was a beautiful area but unfortunately others thought so
too and the campsite was littered with beer cans. The retards had left on
old charcoal grill there so I decided to pick up as many cans and bottles
and stuffed them into the grill. That worked well until the rusty bottom
fell out but I picked them up and crammed them into the top. I know it was a
futile effort to send a message but at least it made the immediate area look
better.
I passed through the tight loops and the river began heading due south until
it reached an area where I could see the forest rising up on a high bluff
and I knew I had reached Flat Landing where we had eaten our lunch
during the field trip. It was my turnaround time anyway and I knew that I
was close to the eastern border of the state forest so I turned around.
My timing turned out to be perfect as far as the tide was concerned and the
current went from slack to incoming not long after I started back. I made
fewer stops on the way back and by 3 I was at Scotts Landing where I loaded
up. I decided to take advantage of being out in the boonies to do a little
more investigation of the area and headed back down Lem Turner road so that
I could check out the landings in the southern portion of Four Creek State
Forest. I found Hodges Road which took me to Bismark and from there I found
Pacetti Road which took me into the forest.
Hobbs Landing along Mills Creek
After a long drive down a lime rock road it turned to sand and became Five
Mile Road. Since I didn't have the map of the forest with me, I followed my
GPS to where I thought the road would wind up at the water. It dead ended at
a locked gate so I backtracked to a road that looked like it would take me
to Mills Creek and few minutes later I was at Hobbs Landing - a nice put-in
with a picnic area next to the creek. From there I headed west until I found
a road that looked as though it would come close to Thomas Creek. It stopped
about 100 feet shy of the creek bank where the road disappeared into a bog.
I walked out into it a ways and verified that I could easily get a boat in
and then returned to my truck and headed home.
See the pictures from this trip
11/29/09
Red Shouldered Hawk near the
entrance to the Day Use Canoe Trail
I decided to celebrate Dirigo's birthday by taking her for a spin in the
Okefenokee Swamp on a beautiful fall day. It was 45 degrees as I set out
from the basin - almost cold enough to make me wish I had brought along
those terrific paddling mittens Hope made for me last year. I knew that it
was going to warm up to the low 70's by mid-day so I wasn't too worried
about the cold as I made my way down the day use canoe trail.
"Bye!"
Just a few feet down the trail, I looked up to see a Red Shouldered Hawk
perching on a burned out tree just a few feet from the edge of the path - a
mere 10 feet above the water. At first, I thought that he was asleep with
his head restin on his chest, but as I pulled to a stop, I could see that he was
staring intently at the water directly beneath his perch. I sat almost
directly below him for over five minutes shooting while he continued to scan
the water below him. I expected him to dive down at any moment to grab his
morning meal but he never did and only occasionally would look in my direction
to glare at me.
I headed on down the trail and began to see a pair of Green Herons flushing
ahead of me. After they finally doubled back on me I saw what, at first, I
assumed was another Green Heron fly out from beneath the Titi and fly
across the flats to the south. As he flew, I realized that, although his
markings looked similar to the Herons, he was quite a bit larger and
actually looked more like the Least Bitterns that I see down in Guana. I
concluded that it must have been an American Bittern - a bird that is
supposed to be common here but one that I have never seen. Alligator at the Canoe Shelter
I made my way to the mid-point of the trail where I headed out to the
canal. I paddled down to the entrance to the Cedar Hammock trail and decided
to see if the trail cutter boat I had seen on my last trip had cleared the
path any further north than on my trip back in September. Just before
reaching the shelter, I spotted a pair of Cranes a few feet off the trail
and paused to shoot them before continuing into the pool where the shelter
is located. There was a large Gator lying half in the water and half in the
grass but I think this one was a good bit bigger than the one who was here
on that last trip.
I got out and stretched my legs and was reviewing the photos I had taken
thus far when I heard a loud splash coming from the direction of the trail.
When I looked, I saw one of the two Cranes I had seen earlier was leaping
across the path to join his partner at the entrance to the pool in front of the shelter. As I
watched, the pair emerged from behind the Titi and walked up the the gap
across the path leading into the pool. They contemplated the situation as I
shot and then leaped across the trial to the east side. I tried to sit down
on the platform to continue shooting them but that was enough to cause them
to flush and fly off to the north. Sand Hill Cranes at the shelter
I returned to my boat and continued north along the trail that the
cutter machine had obviously recently cleared. For the most part the way was
clearer than on my last trip but I reached a spot where there was a section
of loose, soupy mud floating on the surface. I had seen some small Gators
swimming across the path as I approached but they disappeared before I could
shoot them and I continued on. A short distance up, I reached a spot where
there was about 300 feet of the thick, mud and although I could see a
clear path ahead, I decided that it was too much effort to get past this
obstruction and so, with a lot of effort, I managed to back out and turn around. Crane eating moss along the canoe
trail
I passed the shelter and saw that the Gator had not moved an inch in the
hour since I had left him. I heard the sound of Red Shouldered Hawks and saw
two separate pairs perching in trees close by making me think that they were
probably offspring or else siblings. I reached the canal and headed west past
the split where I found the western end of the canoe trail and began
paddling back toward the basin. Not far up the trail, I spotted a pair of
Sand Hill Cranes feeding at the edge of the water so I pulled over and began
shooting. Whatever it was they were eating was taking their entire focus and
over the next 15 minutes they would only occasionally lift their heads and
look in my direction. Finally, they seemed to tire of my presence and walked
slowly away from the edge of the trail into the brush with long strings of
moss hanging from their beaks. Young Gator (left) and hatchling
(right)
I spotted a large Alligator lying in the water beneath the Titi with his
head resting on dry ground. I shot him for a while and was about to leave
when he suddenly lunged forward into the brush and then slid backwards as
his mouth began chomping. I couldn't see what it was that he had caught but
it was obvious that he was eating something and it dispelled my belief that
it was too cold for Alligators to eat. He crawled up onto some dry ground
under the brush and seemed content to digest his meal there as I headed up
the trail. When I looked at my photos later, I could see what looked like
the tail end of a snake trailing out of his chomping jaws.
I saw a few more Gators including a hatchling and occasionally flushed a
Great Blue Heron who was feeding along the path. I had reached the beginning
of the trail
where I had seen the Hawk earlier in the morning and spotted a Great Blue
Heron ahead of me who was hunting. As I slowly approached, I expected him to
fly off in alarm but he was so focused on what was in the water that he
allowed me to drift up very close to him. I was content to shoot him as he
plunged his neck into the water, coming up with small fish on several
occasions as I crept closer and closer until I was less than ten feet away.
Traffic jam on the trail
Still, he didn't flush and kept his attention on the water until I was close
enough to pop him on the head with my paddle. I didn't want to disturb him
and was enjoying the show but was kind of hoping that he would get out of my
way so I could finish my trip and head home. At one point, I looked up and noticed a Red
Shouldered Hawk directly above me and realized that it was probably the same
one I had seen that morning. The Heron suddenly leaped into the middle of the
trail
and went almost completely under the water. He emerged and jumped up on the
shore with a large, dark fish that he proceeded to swallow. At that point, I
decided that I had enough of the show and decided to paddle past him. I had
to actually adjust my stroke so that I wouldn't smack him in the face with
my paddle and I told him "Nice job birdie" as I paddled by. He merely stared at
me and then continued his hunt once I was past.
"Gulp!"
I loaded up and headed home, not surprised to find that I had set a record
for photos taken in a day with 750. 500 of those were on the return trip on
the canoe trail. I also set a new high for mileage in a year - 652.4 -
surpassing the 651 I did in 2006. That was mostly thanks to a monthly high
of 84.1 miles in November.
See the pictures from this trip
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