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Paddling Journal September 2007 The end of a long, hot summer
- the welcomed cooler weather Trips this month: 9
Back to Journal Index
9/1/07
Baby Rhesus Monkey checking us out
at Silver Springs
Years ago, when our kids were young and Hope was the leader of a Brownie
Troop, we took a trip to Silver Springs in Ocala, Florida which we enjoyed
immensely. We remembered the glass bottom boats and the Alligators and the Monkeys
that would come down from the trees to be fed. It's one of those funky old
Florida attractions that has been around for decades and was a kind of
throwback to the good old pre-Disney days when this area was a place where people from
"up north" would flock to on vacation. Little Blue Heron
I had heard that the state had taken over the springs but apparently they
allow it to be run pretty much as it has for decades past. They recently
purchased the property directly south of the park and turned it into Silver
Springs State Park and in our search of Florida State Parks with cabins this
one turned up with dates available on Labor Day weekend. With my schedule
giving me a five day weekend and an available cabin for that time period we
snapped it up and set out from Jacksonville around 11 am on Friday, the last
day of August.
We took our took our usual back roads route to get down to the park
traveling most of the way on US-17 and then taking SR-19 to where it
intersected with SR-40 just south of Juniper Creek. After exploring the area
to the west of the intersection toward the St. Johns River, we headed toward
Silver Springs and checked into our cabin.
We had read that the kayak put-in was a .7 mile walk down a trail and we
soon confirmed this by walking down to the river from our cabin on a very
hot and humid evening. Although it was a beautiful walk and wonderful launch
facility
we concluded that it was just too much of an effort and decided to instead
put-in at the county boat ramp near the Ocklawaha River and paddle the five
miles upstream to the spring. Anhinga
After a light breakfast we packed up and headed up the road to do just that.
All night long we had heard the thunder, lightning and rain and that
continued into the morning. After a little bit of debate we decided that it
was worth the effort and decided to brave the showers and head toward the
ramp outside of the park. We arrived at a little past 9:15 and were not
surprised that on this Labor Day weekend it was already crowded with both
power boaters and paddlers launching into the canal that leads out to the
Silver River. There was a couple unloading at the nice "Hand Launch" ramp at
the end of the large basin but there was room for us to launch our boats to
the side and we got off well ahead of them. Drying the wings over the Silver
River
As we headed down the canal we were behind a power boater who was observing
the idle speed only signs and chugging along ahead of us leaving a smelly
blue fog in his wake. He paused to put his canopy up as the rains returned
and then as he reached the turn, in spite of our heavenly pleas, he turned
right toward Silver Springs instead of left toward the Ocklawaha. The signs
along the river indicated that the entire length of the river was idle speed
only for power boaters which was both good and bad. All of the boaters we
saw were strictly obeying that rule which meant that they were not a problem
for us nor the many other paddlers as they passed on the narrow, cypress
lined river, but with the heavy, humid, still air it also meant that their
exhaust fumes stayed low to the water and we spent the first hour or so
breathing in the fumes of their 2-cycle engines. Tiger Swallowtail feeding on the
Pickerlweed
I knew that we were taking a chance coming here on the final holiday weekend
of the summer and it was every bit as crowded as I had feared. However, the
beauty of the river was incredible and we soon forgave everyone for
otherwise spoiling our trip up what is also known as the "Lost River" due to
its being lost in time. Unlike the rivers that I had paddled on the two
previous weekends - the St. Marys and the Suwannee - this is a central
Florida river which means that the banks, if they exist, are very low and swampy.
We had heard that there was no place to get out along the way but we did
actually pass a few landings including one that look well used. Sulphur feeding on the Lobelia
The river was normally not more than 50 feet across for most of the first
couple of miles and it was lined with ancient cypress which looked much
older than those that I see up north. The vegetation was lush and dark and
the edge of the banks was often full of all kinds of water flowers including
- Lobelia and Pickerelweed. The water itself was crystal clear and with it's
sandy bottom glimmering from below it lived up to it's moniker. We
could look down as we paddled and literally see everything as we passed over
it. For the first mile or so I kept my camera stowed because of the
intermittent rain and because we didn't see much in the way of wildlife but
the rain stopped and the sky lightened so I began snapping away.
We began to see a few Little Blue Herons who were so acclimated to humans
that they would simply stare annoyingly as I drifted into the mats of
vegetation they were hunting on. We also began to see some White Ibis and of
course lots of turtles but nothing really unusual as we had expected. We
stopped to look at the amazing flowers that were blooming amongst the water
lilies which were very popular with the many butterflies that we saw.
We were about two miles upstream when we began to hear some loud pops coming
from the woods that sounded like gunfire. I thought it odd since it wasn't
hunting season as far as I knew and I couldn't imagine where they might be
shooting. This continued on and off for about 10 minutes when suddenly we
heard a loud series of pops, followed by a roar and we turned to look behind
us where the sound was originating. We sat there awe struck as we watched
two enormous trees fall from the southern bank and crash with a huge splash
into the water. We had just passed that area and were only 100 yards away
when it happened so we were very thankful that we were seeing it from
upstream. From our vantage point it appeared to go all the way across the
river so we decided that we should warn the power boaters we saw heading
back that they were going to see something new. Our first Gator sighting on the day
We passed a couple of boaters and warned them and then arrived at the boat
launch at the state park which was a little over halfway to the spring. The
ramp was clogged with kayaks and people who had braved the long carry down
so we pulled over to the side and waited. We decided to take a swim break
here and Hope decided to hoof it up to the cabin to use the bathroom since
there were no facilities near the ramp. While she was gone the two kayakers
who had been launching at the same time came up and I asked them if they had
seen the tree. The woman, who had paddled there once before, said that she
hadn't thought she remembered a tree blocking the river and was wondering if
it was recent. I told her what we had seen and she said that although they
were able to get past that it was definitely blocking the power boaters
unless they were able to lash onto it and pull it free. She asked me if we
had seen any monkeys or gators yet and I told her no. That monkey question
seemed to be a recurring theme the rest of the day and we were probably
asked that at least a half dozen times.
They headed on and after Hope returned we took a dip and followed, deciding
to wait until our return trip to eat lunch. We hadn't traveled but a quarter
mile past the launch when we saw our first Gator - about 10 feet long in the
company of an Ibis. What we saw the most of on the day were Anhingas who
like the Herons were very acclimated to us and we could almost touch them as
they sat on low branches with their wings spread as they dried them. It was
only another mile to the entrance to the springs and we began to hear the
sounds of the glass bottom boat tour guides droning on about the features of
the park. Momma and baby Wood Duck
Soon we entered an area where the river spread out into a mile long
oblong pool where several springs bubbled from deep below the crystal clear
water. Before we got into the park proper we began so see more wildlife
including many Gators. I was surprised to see a female Wood Duck who allowed
me to get very close. I'm not sure if the reason for this was her
acclimation to humans or because she was being shadowed by three ducklings
who were about twice as big as the pair I saw on the Suwannee 18
months ago.
We paddled on into the main park and paused to listen to the tour guides
which was amusing both in their inaccuracies and their tales of the history
of the park, especially its Hollywood connection. As we approached the main
spring where the spring is surrounded by stone walls I spotted a Moorhen in
the grass who was being tailed very closely by a trio of very ugly chicks. Momma Moorhen and babies
We did a circuit around the main spring and then headed over to a small
branch with a bridge over it that seemed to lead into some other areas of
the park. There was a sign on the bridge that claimed that it was a private
waterway but I'm fairly certain that in Florida that if a canal is connected
to public water then you have to allow access. There was a large Gator on
the other side of the bridge swimming back and forth as he eyed us and we
concluded that he was the security guard for the park and decided to not
challenge him. "You kids be careful!"
We started back, skirting the southern bank of the pool. I spotted the Momma
Moorhen out in the water acting agitated - squeaking and flapping her wings
and I realized that she was trying to get her brood to follow her but they
were hesitating and she finally swam back to where they were hiding in the
grass. We followed one of the glass bottomed boats for a while, listening to
the spiel the guide was giving. We had seen the other kayaking couple as we
entered the spring heading back and asked them if they had seen the monkeys.
We had since been asked the same question by other kayakers and of course we
had to answer in the negative. As we were passing close by a clump of trees
I heard a crash and looked above me to see what at first I thought was a
huge squirrel. When it turned its very human-like face to stare at me I
realized that it was the Monkey apparently everyone had come up the river to
see.
Or MONKEYS - I soon realized, as the woods in front of us came alive with
activity. A group of at least a dozen light brown primates began jumping
from limb to limb often crashing to the forest floor as the vines broke. We
soon realized that several of them were babies and their incredibly cute
faces kept peering out at us from the branches. They seemed to be very
curious about us and would come out into the open to look at us before
leaping back into the woods. The adults seem to be watching over the
youngsters with stern looks on their faces and didn't appear to give us much
thought. We could have sat there for hours watching the show but a couple in
a canoe were behind us watching so we decided to move on and let them get
closer. Baby Wood Ducks
We continued downstream, pausing at the little inlet where we had heard the
guides say the Tarzan movies had been filmed. There was a large Gator
sitting on the bank beneath an Anhinga and as we got close he started to
move as if he was going to slide into the water. He decided it was too much
effort and stayed where he was and we moved on. As we exited the park we
crossed paths with a few more paddlers who asked us about Monkey sightings
and were excited when we told them that we had seem them. Not far out of the
spring I spotted another Female Wood Duck but it may well have been the same
one since there was a trio of ducklings that she flew to nearby that were
the same size as the ones we had seen before. We also passed another duck
that I later identified as an immature male Wood Duck.
We continued on and soon had arrived at the launch at the park where the
couple we had crossed paths with several times on the day were just leaving.
Again the question of the Monkeys came up and she seemed both surprised and
disappointed that we had seen them and they had missed them. Once again the
ramp was occupied - this time by paddlers who were loading up two kayaks and
a canoe on a single kayak cart to haul up to the parking lot. After they
left we ate lunch and took a dip in the icy waters before heading on. Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Along the way we saw more of what we had seen on the way upstream. I spotted
a Pied Billed Grebe and a Yellow Crowned Night Heron and then many more
Ibis, Little Blues and Anhingas. We arrived at the section of the river
where we were fairly sure the tree had fallen but the channel was clear.
There were several fallen trees in that section that had been there for some
time and it was impossible to tell which ones were the ones we had seen
crashing into the water. Regardless, it was obvious that one or more of the
power boaters had managed to pull our tree free and made the channel
navigable.
The rest of the trip was pleasant and uneventful. We passed more and more power boaters
on the way so it was apparent that the river was going to continue to get
fuller as the afternoon progressed. Only an hour had passed since we had left
the launch thanks to the strong current. When we arrived at the put-in we
weren't really surprised to find the couple we had started the day with
loading up their stuff. Not long after we arrived back at the cabin we heard
the crash of lightning and the skies opened up making us glad we were back
at the cabin.
See the pictures from this trip
9/3/07 Following Hopey down the deep, dark
Juniper Creek
We made Sunday a "veg-out" non-paddling day and stayed in the park. I hiked
a couple of miles in the morning down to the river and back and got a few
good shots of the spiders in the morning mist. After a big breakfast we
lolled about the cabin until close to noon and then headed for the museum
where we learned all about the history of the area. After that, we hiked the
2 mile Swamp Trail returning to our cabin around 3 soaked with sweat. For a
"veg-out" day, we sure got our workout in! We spent the rest of the afternoon
reading and watching the thunder and lightning show that is a daily
occurrence here in Central Florida Setting out from the SR-19 launch
This morning, I got up early for a change and made us fried egg and bacon
sandwiches to take with us. We got going a little after 8:00 and headed
east on a slightly cooler, foggy morning. We arrived at the wayside park on
the SE side of Juniper Creek where there is a very nice put-in at a little
before 9:00. There was
only one other vehicle in the parking lot although the access on the
opposite side of the creek was already filling up with Labor Day revelers so
I figured that we would find a slightly different scene when we returned.
There was another group launching behind us consisting of four boats but we
weren't sure which direction they were going.
We set out and headed west into a very strong current of crystal clear
water. The bottom of the creek was white sand which reflected the sunlight
and made it easy to see everything under the water as we passed over. The
channel was only a few feet wide as we passed under the SR-19 bridge but it
was very marshy with cat tails, hyacinths and lily pads scattered about.
There were not as many cypress trees as we had seen along the Silver River
and we were surprised to see many areas that were lined with Wax Myrtles - a
tree we usually associate with salt water and beach dunes. Not far west of
the bridge the land began to rise steeply above us on the southern bank and
it appeared that there had been a fire recently.
We didn't see much in the way of birdlife but we constantly heard songbirds
and occasionally the sound of Red Shouldered Hawks protesting our presence
could be heard close but unseen above the tree canopy. At one point an
Anhinga surfaced a few feet from me with a tiny fish in his beak. With a
flourish, he tossed it up in the air and swallowed it in one gulp before
disappearing beneath the surface of the water.
Soon, the creek entered a wooded area and we began to do the "kayak limbo"
as we tried to maneuver our boats against the strong current while ducking
under trees and branches. It was slow going and I was quite sure that we
would not come close to making the seven mile journey to the spring head so
I decided to see how far we could go and make noon our turn around point. Paddling against a strong current
After a while, the creek exited the woods and entered a large open, marshy
area where the cat tails were in abundance. I had just told Hope that this
looked like an area I might expect to see Alligators when I spotted, a few
yards ahead of me, a six footer swimming along the bank. He promptly disappeared and
we saw no further sign of him. A couple of kayakers passed us coming
downstream who told us they had gone three miles up before turning around.
The creek entered another section of woods and narrowed down considerably
which channelized the flow and made it more intense. The path began to turn
sharply back and forth and often these turns would consist of partly fallen
trees and low branches both entering and exiting the turns which made the
going tedious. One of the marshy areas where the
creek opens up
I could tell that Hopey was close to reaching her limit so we pulled
over the side for a water break to decide what to do. As we debated, the
group that had been launching behind us came up and passed us, declaring
their intention to make it all the way to the spring. We let them go on
ahead a ways and decided to stick to our original plan of paddling until
noon which was now just an hour away. We caught up to the group as the creek
entered another open, marshy area and we watched as they seemed to struggle
hard to get past a shallow, weedy area. I was about to suggest we turn
around but Hope wanted to wait until they got ahead so that we could at
least try to go further.
We passed over the area that had held them up without a problem so I'm not
sure what was their difficulty. There was a group of Ibis in a tree that I
shot - one of our few bird sightings on the day. The creek entered another
section of forest that was far denser than any of the others we had passed
through but although there were more overhangs and snags, the current had
lessened considerably and we were able to paddle easily through an
incredibly beautiful area. We had passed the kayakers once again as they
took a break and then a group of people in canoes came downstream who said
that they had put-in at the springs and been on the water for about 2 hours
which included a lunch stop.
Fellow paddlers going the easy way
I knew that we could expect to double that time going upstream and since it
was nearly noon we decided to turn around shortly after they passed to begin our trek back to the highway. Of course, we knew the trip back would
be pretty easy and it was but we still had be careful as we did the limbo
with the current pushing us strongly downstream against the submerged trees.
I let Hope lead the way so that I could take my time shooting and then catch
up. She pointed out a small Warbler sized bird that I was too far away from
that we later identified as a Prothonotory Warbler.
At one point, Hope got hung up sideways against a partly fallen tree that
blocked half of the channel and forced us to duck under the other half.
While she tried to right her self so that she could take the proper angle
under the tree a lone turtle sat on the trunk watching her. I told her that
he was laughing at her driving skills and he never did flop into the water
in spite of her flailing.
The rest of the trip was relaxing and over far too quick. We soon began to
hear the sounds of the highway as well as voices and knew that we were
closing in on the take out point where we intended to take a dip and eat
lunch before heading home. We passed several groups of people who had walked
upstream to swim and picnic but nothing prepared us for the sight we saw
when we passed under the SR-19 bridge. The banks were lined with people
including several canopies that people had pitched in the water and the
creek itself was so full of people that we had to carefully navigate around
them. Ragged looking Swallowtail on the
Pickerelweed
Of course the canoe/kayak launch had become a hangout for the revelers and
so we had to beach our boats to the side and pick our way through the chairs
and beach towels to unload our things. We took a quick dip in the icy waters
first but decided to wait until we got home to eat. All in all the load up
went well but I will never again rail against the bank fishermen who block
the kayak launches in Jacksonville.
It was a good day out, however, and we both decided that we would return in
the near future to complete the run - only next time, not on a holiday
weekend.
See the pictures from this trip
9/5/07
Young Green Heron eyeing me as I
pass under his perch on Browns Creek
It had been over three weeks since I have been able to paddle in my "home
waters" - the salt marshes of the Timucuan Preserve, so with the tides
peaking a
little after 5 pm I headed out after work and stopped at an empty Browns
Creek put-in.
The unexpectedly breezy conditions may have had a lot to do with why the
bridge and shoreline were empty of fishermen and as I cleared the grassy
point I was hit broadside by some small white caps that were being pushed
down the channel by the stiff northeasterly breeze. I crossed the channel without
incident and approached the large oak tree that sits on the point of the
first big island in the chain. I could only see Great Egrets perching but as
I got closer a Great Blue and a Yellow Crowned Night Heron flew out from it's
depths and rounded the far end of the island.
As I cruised toward the fallen trees along the southern shoreline, I spotted a pair of young Green Herons
and we spent the next several minutes playing the usual game of hide and
seek in the branches of the oak trees that hang over the water there. I
rounded the bend and then headed west toward the runoff pond at SJRPP,
thinking that the trees should be full at this tide with the breeze blowing
the way it was. As I approached the entrance I could see that one of the
trees on the opposite side of the dike was full of birds but before I made
the turn they had flushed. I saw some Green Herons and a couple of Black
Crowned Night Herons who flew toward the spillway but I was unsuccessful in
getting any shots so after make a circuit around the pond I departed.
I skirted the shoreline north of the pond for a while and then headed back
east where I paddled between the second and third islands in the chain. I
spotted some young Great Blues along the shore of the third island but
didn't have much success in shooting them. I returned along the eastern edge
of the first island and then made my way toward the bridge and the put-in.
As I was loading up I noticed that the foam pad I use as a back support was
floating away so I ran to my truck and grabbed my paddle so that I could
retrieve it. Then, as I was loading up again I noticed that my boat was
floating away but I was able to run out and catch it before it got very far
away. Sheesh!
See the pictures from this trip
9/14/07 Stilt family on Guana Lake
My schedule has kept me from hitting the water as often as I would like and
things at work have been making me feel very "Ishmaelly" - i.e - I felt the
need to get down to the sea before I began stepping into the streets and
knocking people's hats off. I tried to do just that earlier in the week by
heading to Pumpkin Hill Creek but I arrived at the put-in as a dark,
menacing storm front passed over. When I began to see ground strikes I
decided to head home and try again today. Young Wood Stork
This morning I got up early and decided that since it had been a while since
I had been to Guana that I would head that way and I managed to get there
through rush hour traffic in less than an hour. There were a few vehicles
already in the parking area but I figured that they were fishermen and
likely had headed to the south so I set out to the north. It appeared to me that
the water levels were up just a few inches from back in June but I really
couldn't be sure. They have been up pretty high now for several months which
makes it difficult to stay in the main channel with the flats covered by
water. The area near the ramp still appeared to be dry and brown with the
cat tails very small but to the north I could see that they were starting to
make a comeback.
As I reached the main channel I spotted a trio of birds flying toward me,
landing a few feet away. I was surprised to discover that they were Black
Necked Stilts and it appeared that it was an adult along with a pair of
immature birds. As I made my way north it became apparent that this was
"coming out" day for the young birds that were born this spring. The
predominant species that I saw on the day were the immature Tri-Colored Herons
but I also saw lots of young Little Blues and several young Great Blues. Tri-Colored Heron and Spoonbill
I paddled north, crossing paths with a large gator who swam across the
channel and then disappeared as I got close. I reached the place where the
main channel curves toward the western bank and entered an area that,
although seemed to have plenty of depth, was extremely silty. It wasn't
difficult to paddle but there was no "glide" factor with all of the silt. I
decided to keep going as long as I could, but soon reached an area of solid
vegetation. The water here was deeper and with less silt but it would have
been a chore to get past the vegetation and I wasn't sure how far it
extended. I was about to turn around when I spotted a Glossy Ibis a few yards
ahead in the company of a White Ibis and since I rarely get good shots of
these shy birds I decided to work my way through the moss and get as close
as I could.
The effort I had to expend to get through the moss also caused the Ibis pair
to flush so I wasn't able to get very close before they flew away and so I
turned back to the south. As I got close to the big island north of the ramp
I cut over to the western shoreline again and took a lunch break before
heading back out into the main channel. As I reached the turn back to the
ramp a kayak fisherman in a Hobe, foot powered boat was ahead of me so I
decided to give him time to load up and I headed south toward the open end
of the lake.
I made a loop cutting across the area just before it starts to open up and
then paddled up the channel the leads to the ramp along the eastern
shoreline and loaded up to head for home.
See the pictures from this trip
9/17/07
Momma Gator protecting her young in
the Okefenokee Swamp
The weather forecast called for winds in the 15-20 mph range with gusts
close to 30 along the coast so I decided to head inland and paddle in the Okefenokee Swamp
south of Folkston.
I reached the park and was in the water a little after 8:30 and set out in
an empty canal. There was a lone Gator guarding the ramp but he swam away as
I set out and hid under some cypress roots that made it too dark to shoot on
this bleak grey day. I could hear the wind roaring in the treetops above me but
the water down below was as glassy as ever.
One of the many butterflies I saw on
the day
I didn't know what to expect as far as wildlife was concerned here in the
swamp. Normally, on days like this back in the coastal preserve where I do
most of my paddling, its pretty scarce for seeing birds since
most of them simply hunker down and wait out the wind. Since I had never
paddled in the Okefenokee on a day like this, I wasn't sure, but I felt sure
that I would at least see Alligators like I always do. After the first mile
or so of paddling, however, I had seen no birds and only the occasional
Gator. The water levels appeared to up significantly from my previous visits
and that may have covered up some of the usual sunning spots for the big
reptiles and the few I saw were in the water. Gator babies
About a mile and a half down the canal I heard a crash in the underbrush to
my left and I looked to see if it was a deer or possibly a bear at the
water's edge. Instead, I saw an enormous Gator rumbling toward the water. I
stopped and waited, expecting it to slide into the water and then disappear
beneath the surface but it stopped at the edge and stared
at me which I thought odd. As I sat there waiting for it to come out into
the open so that I could shoot it, I began to hear a faint chirping coming
from nearby. I peered into the darkness beneath the cypress knees where I
could see the Gator's enormous tail looping behind it and I could see some
objects moving in the water.
I could detect some bright yellow stripes on what appeared to be tails and I
could see some tiny little eyes nervously watching me as they emitted
their faint calls to their mother nearby. I realized that I was seeing four or five tiny little
Alligators which explained the behavior of what I now realized was the Momma. I tried to keep a respectful distance as I shot them but
when I drifted
a little closer I could see the Mother shift her gaze from a sideways glance
to a dead-on stare down as she let me know that I was not going to be
tolerated. I had heard that Gators, unlike other reptiles who basically lay
the eggs - hatch them and forget them - actually stay with their young for a
couple of years. This was the first time I had actually witnessed the
behavior and it was very cool to see it. Tiger Swallowtail
I headed on, leaving mom and her kids in peace and soon was at the entrance
to Cedar Hammock. I had hoped that the extra water would allow me to travel
up to the platform and at first it seemed sure I would have no problem. I
began to see what appeared to be islands in the path that I didn't remember
being there on my previous trips. As I passed them I realized that they
weren't permanent fixtures but pieces of floating peat covered with
vegetation. I could easily push them aside but soon they channel became
choked with them so I turned around. My guess is that the extra water we
have been getting in the area must have broken free some of these chunks and
set them floating away. It gave new meaning to how the Okefenokee got its
name - "land of trembling earth". Gator scum
As I headed toward the canal split, I heard the distinct sound of the Sand Hill
Cranes and turned to see a pair of them flying overhead behind me. I turned down the
split and then down the path toward Grand Prairie. I reached the place where
it branches off and took the path to the west that loops back around to the
canal. The path soon became choked with lily pads but there seemed to be a
definite path through them. The path would disappear at times but it wasn't
too difficult to paddle through the vegetation. I reached the next branch where it
cuts back to the canal and I found it completely choked with the pads. It
was a chore to paddle through them but I was able to make steady progress
and soon was back at the canal.
I paddled up to the cut and decided to turn to the west and check that
section out for a while. I didn't see much aside from a Green Heron and
after about a half mile I turned back around and headed back to the ramp.
Overall, it was a bit of a disappointing paddle as far as photography was
concerned but it was a pleasant paddle all in all. It was almost COOL which
was a nice change and I only saw a few people on the water all day. Seeing
the baby Gators and their Mom made it all worthwhile.
See the pictures from this trip
9/23/07 Feeding frenzy on Pumpkin Hill Creek
I was a bit hung over this morning after celebrating our son Andrew's 20th birthday
a little too much but I finally got myself going and was at the Pumpkin Hill
put-in about 15 minutes before sunrise. It was a still morning and a bit gnatty as I set out but once I got away from the shore the bugs
dissipated. Sunrise on Pumpkin Hill Creek
The sunrise was glorious and I was glad to be able to see it from the water
after so long. One of the nice things about the sun rising later and later
each day is that it takes a lot less effort for me to get out on the water
to see it come up over the horizon. I could see the high tide mark from earlier in the week but
the levels today, although higher than normal, were a good six inches below
the peak from earlier in the week. I headed toward the trails and took some
shots of a tree full of Night Herons - mostly immature Yellow Crowns. I
paddled into the marsh past the last trail head and then along the shoreline
near the little point. After not seeing much there I headed back out to the
main channel and as I was about to enter it I heard the loud exhale of a
Dolphin coming from the other side of a stand of marsh grass.
Dolphin surfacing a few feet from me
I stopped as a pair of Dolphins surfaced a few feet in front of me and I
spent the next few minutes shooting them as we headed around the next bend
and headed toward Tiger Point. As I rounded the last bend before the point I
heard a loud splash and then watched in amazement as the Dolphins I had been
following began leaping straight up into the air and then diving straight
down. They repeated this act three times in a matter of seconds but of
course by the time I got my camera ready they had stopped and began criss-crossing
the area exhaling loudly as if they were announcing that they had found a
big school of fish.
I entered Edwards Creek and was a little disappointed to find it empty of
Spoonbills. I paddled past the point and entered the area behind it where a
Green Heron flushed. I spent a few minutes chasing him around the point and
then ate my breakfast before getting out and exploring the area on foot. I
decided to continue on into Edwards Creek, deciding to make my way to the
huge pool that lies south of the Broward Islands. It was tough to paddle
against the now outgoing tide but it was still pleasant and I found myself
at the edge of the pool after about an hour. I skirted the eastern shore for
a while and then turned back, catching the outgoing tide back to the point. Green Heron at Tiger Point
There was a lone Spoonbill perching on one of the trees there so I spent
some time shooting him before heading back into Pumpkin Hill. The wind had
really kicked up so not only was I paddling against the current but the
breeze coming in off the ocean. As I rounded the bend and started heading
toward the trails I spotted a couple of kayakers heading my way. When we got
even with each other the guy in the lead asked if I was "Kevin McCharen". I
said I was and asked he was and he told me that he gets my "Paddle Post" and
thanked me for my pictures. I thanked him and headed on around the next bend
and made my way toward the put-in. White Pelicans
I spotted four or five White Pelicans swimming along in front of me,
occasionally stretching their long bills ahead of them to scoop up food. As
I got closer to them they flew up but settled back down a few yards away in
the entrance to a small stream. I paddled up as far as the shallow water
would allow me and sat there watching them as they swam back and forth
across the stream as a unit feeding on the shrimp that were jumping. Their
activity attracted the attention of some Wood Storks and a Spoonbill who
joined in the feeding activity. I took a few pictures and a video before
deciding to head to the ramp.
When I turned around I saw some splashing at the mouth of the creek and
could see three or four Dolphins feeding there. The Pelicans, meanwhile, had
also seen the Dolphins and decided to join them, flying up from where they
had been and landing almost on top of the Porpoises. I was under the mistaken
impression that the Jaguar game was about to start (turned out it was a 4:00
kickoff) so I headed to the ramp and loaded up.
See the pictures from this trip
9/24/07
Tiger Swallowtail in the Okefenokee
Hope and I had a date to go paddling this morning and I decided that the tides were right
for a trip down Simpsons Creek where we could spend the day "vegging out" on
the sound. We got going at 10 but as we crossed Clapboard Creek I could see
the whitecaps on the water and by the time we head reached the ICW we had
talked it over and decided that it was going to be a little too windy for a fun day
on the water.
In this area at least. In the back of my mind I had been wanting to check
out another Okefenokee put-in that we were yet to visit - Kingfisher Landing,
north of Folkston. Coincidentally, I had received an e-mail from one of my
Paddle Post subscribers on Sunday who had been up to check out Kingfisher
before the fires but had yet to paddle there. When I mentioned it to Hopey
she was all for it so we turned around and after stopping by the house
briefly we were headed north. Heading down the canal from
Kingfisher Landing
We reached Kingfisher Landing around 11:30 and loaded up to set out. I had
been told that it was an un-manned place so I assumed that there would be a
"self-pay" station there but instead there was only a sign telling us to pay at the
Folkston entrance. That would have meant nearly 50 miles of driving so we
signed the book and added a note explaining that we would pay on the way
home and for good measure I put a five dollar bill in the windshield along
with my week pass that had expired the day before. We also saw that an
annual pass was available for only $12.00 so we decided that we would buy
that when we went by to pay.
We set out and started down the canal that headed to the SW. Almost immediately
we began seeing evidence of the spring fires as blackened trees began to
appear along the shoreline and the air had a slight acrid smell to it. We
could see long stretches where it appeared that everything was blackened but
already there was evidence that the swamp was coming back alive as lush
green vegetation was popping out from every blackened stump. There were
several types of wild flowers in bloom and hundreds of butterflies were
fluttering around the area. Evidence of the devastating spring
fires
We were surprised that we didn't see any Gators but the area doesn't have
the same kind of shoreline that we were use to seeing down south and it
appeared that the water levels were up. We also didn't see much in the way
of bird life save the occasional Anhinga and a few Wood Ducks who flushed
well ahead of us. We reached a place where the channel split off and it
appeared from the signage that the branch to the south was the one we wanted
to take. A little further on we reached another split and took the one the
sign suggested even though the eastern one looked clearer of vegetation. It
was obvious that they rejoined further south so we took the western branch
and were able to find a path through the lily pads fairly easily until the last
40 yards or so which was solid vegetation and pretty difficult to paddle
through.
I paddled through the thick vegetation ahead of Hope and then, once I
realized that I had reached a clear channel, signaled her to continue. We
paddled about another half mile until we reached what appeared to be a
dead-end and decided to turn around. We took a lunch break under a little
bit of shade and then headed back. We took the path that we didn't take on
the way down and found it to be completely clear of vegetation. As we
approached the location of the first split we decided to take a water break
and paddled over to some trees to find some shade. Suddenly, something large
came shooting out from the bank and we caught just a glimpse of the Gator as
he slid into the water. Slogging through the lily pads
We made our way back uneventfully and started to load up. Before we left I
showed Hope the rusted out contraption that I had seen in the woods before
we left. It was an old vehicle with an A-Frame on the back with a large
winch motor. It had train wheels and was resting on what looked like rails
so we assumed that it was some kind of logging device since there are old
rail beds scattered throughout the swamp from the days when loggers removed
most of the cypress. We had seen very little cypress on the day compared to
the other areas of the swamp so we assumed that this was one of the machines
that had been used to decimate the area of those trees. Resurrection - new growth on a
charred cypress
We got in my truck and were about to leave when we saw a pickup truck flying
down the dirt road toward us with the passenger door open and a pit bull
standing on the tool box. The barefoot young man on the passenger side hopped out and
flagged us down as we began to drive away. "Have you all ever been here
before?" he asked. When we told him that this was our first time he said "Do
you want to see a piece of history over here in the woods?" Well, aside from
not wanting to take a "walk in the woods" with a barefoot redneck wearing a
confederate flag tee-shirt we told him that we had just been looking at it.
He went on to tell us that the machine belonged to his uncle who had been in
the courts for years trying to get it back from the government who had taken
possession of it when they took over the swamp decades before. He told us that it was
called a "Bogey" and that it was used to harvest (peat) moss from
the swamp. We thanked him for the history lesson and told him we had to get
going and drove away thinking that we heard just the faintest sound of banjo
music coming from the woods behind us. We drove on down the Folkston
entrance and purchased out annual pass before heading home.
See the pictures from this trip
9/26/07
Great Blue on Pumpkin Hill Creek
Today was one of those rare days when a full moon rises a few minutes before
the sunset at a time when I could get out on the water to see it. After an
exhausting day at work, I almost dogged my plans off, especially when I
realized that i had forgotten my camera bag. When I left work, however, I
looked at a beautiful sky full of puffy clouds and knew that it was going to
be a spectacular sunset so I backtracked to the house before stopping by
Wendys and heading to Pumpkin Hill. Dolphins at sunset
The tide was dead low when I arrived so there were plenty of birds out
feeding and I got some good shots of a Great Blue as I headed down the
creek. I stopped at the trailheads to eat my dinner and then continued on. I
saw something on the bank ahead of me that I assumed was a large piece of
trash that had washed up but a check with my binoculars showed that it was a
Great Blue who was doing his "dirty old man sunbathing" imitation with his
wings spread out wide as he faced the intense setting sun.
As I approached the bend near my shrimping spot I saw some splashes near the
mouth of the creek there as some Dolphins were feeding there. One of the
pair disappeared up the creek and as I got closer I could hear some loud
splashes coming from the area. I made the turn into the creek and watched
him raise a ruckus in the shallow creek but he soon became aware of me and a
ridge of water came zooming past me as he exited the creek and rejoined his
friend. Sunset at Tiger Point
I cruised toward the point, occasionally in the company of the Dolphins.
Once at the point, I made a pass by the trees and since they were empty I
headed back out to the confluence of Pumpkin Hill and Edwards Creek to shoot
the show that was about to happen. I didn't have to wait long as the sun was
already on the horizon. Although the moon was already supposed to be up I
knew that what made for a good sunset also means that rising moon will be
late so I concentrated on shooting the western sky. Full moon rising over Pumpkin Hill
As the sun set another pair of Dolphins entered Edwards Creek and headed to
the west. I began to notice that on the eastern horizon that the clouds were
turning an odd bluish color and faint beams seemed to be emanating from
them. After the sun finished setting I knew I had to head back since I had
over 2 miles to go to get back to the put-in and it was going to be very
dark by the time I got back. As I headed east I began to see a very bright
spot glowing in from the group of clouds from where the beams had originated
from and soon the enormous full moon popped out. It was next to a tall
thunderhead and as it rose the moonlight reflected off the wall of the
cloud. I shot it as best I could in spite of the failing light and then
began paddling in earnest for home.
The tide was still swiftly coming in so it was an easy and pleasant paddle.
Dozens of Black Crowned Night Herons began to circle overhead "wokking" as
they headed out to feed and occasional bat flew overhead swooping down over
the water to snatch a bug. By the time I got back to the launch point it was
pitch black but the moon was leaving a long silvery trail on the water.
See the pictures from this trip
9/28/07 Osprey with a meal on Guana Lake
I decided to head to Guana this morning and was in the water right at 8.
There was a light fog that had obviously just lifted and was still visible
on the southern part of the lake. The full moon was still well up in the sky
and made me think about framing some shots as it set. There were a couple of
kayak fishermen in Hobie foot powered boats launching ahead of me and not
long after I set out I spotted another one in an identical boat which proves
how popular that type of boat has become for kayak fishermen. Great Blue Heron
I decided that I would head south toward the Eagle's nest before coming back
north long the western shore. I paddled along the eastern shoreline shooting
a variety of herons until I was even with the Eagle's nest and then began
crossing over. About halfway across I checked with my binoculars and could
barely detect a chocolate brown body and white head sticking up from the
edge of the massive nest. When I was still a couple of hundred yards away I
saw it suddenly fly away but it appeared to have a branch in it's claws and
it quickly turned around and landed in the nest. I inched my way closer,
snapping as I drifted until I was as close as the marsh grass would allow me
to get. Unfortunately, I had landed in a spot that put a large branch in the
way of the bird's head and as I thought about repositioning myself it flew
away. Bald Eagle on the nest at Guana
From past experience I knew it would probably not return for the rest of the
day so after eating my breakfast I decided to continue south until I at
least reached the observation platform about a mile down from the nest. I
had been seeing several medium sized Gators in the water off and on for the
entire trip and at one point I heard a loud croak coming from a stand of
grass. A few seconds later an unseen Gator came shooting out into the water.
I circled around the outcropping north of the platform and headed into the
pool where it stands. I was momentarily hopeful that they had built way onto
it from the water when I saw a pair of new signs announcing it's presence
with a couple of cris-crossed paddles. Alas, it was too much to hope for
that they would actually think it through and I found that nothing had
changed. I guess in some bureaucrats mind putting a sign up that says there
is water access is as good as actually building it. It would be incredibly
simple to do - so much so I'm tempted to bring a battery operated drill and
a small 2x12 with me and do it myself. Tri-Colored Heron
I decided that I would change my plans and continue to skirt the western
shoreline as I headed south. On my first trip to Guana back in '02 I had
put-in at the dam and paddled north so I decided that I would try to paddle
to the spot I had been back then and be able to say I had paddled the entire
length of the lake. Unfortunately, as I realized heading south, that day the
water had been incredibly low - lower than I have yet seen it and it exposed
a large sandy beach in front of the shoreline. Today, the levels were up as
high as I had ever seen them so I knew it was going to impossible to tell
exactly where I was that day - even if my age addled brain could remember
it.
Anhinga along the eastern shoreline
No matter - the shoreline, although absent the marshy ness of the of the
northern part was still quite interesting and I was able to paddle right up
under the oaks and pines that hung over the water. Aside from the occasional
Snowy Egret, Osprey or Kingfisher there wasn't a lot of bird life and the
Gators too seemed to stay behind. I began to see several areas where it
would be easy and pleasant to get out of my boat and hang my hammock and I
finally did just that. After a pleasant break I paddled across the lake to
begin my trip north along the eastern shore. As I got close to the shore I
spotted some wings flapping in a dead tree and with my binoculars I could
see that it was an Osprey who was eating a huge fish. I drifted in closer,
expecting the female to begin chirping and fly off to eat her catch in peace
but even when I had to change batteries she was unperturbed by my presence.
I got so close that I could even begin smell the fish that she was eating
and on occasion pieces of her meal came flying toward me. She would
occasionally look up from her meal with a large scale hanging from her beak
but nary an angry chirp or glare came my way.
Great Blue Heron
I spent over 15 minute shooting in excess of 100 photos and a video of
her before deciding to head on. There is a slight current in Guana so I was
paddling against it and the afternoon sea breeze had kicked up coming from
the NE. Normally, paddling along the leeward shoreline would have made the
two factors negligible but the heat and length of the trip made it a long
trip back. I had a few more intimate encounters with some Great Blues but I
was mostly out of memory space in my camera after taking 450 pictures so I
had to be careful. I wound up shooting my final shot a few yards short of
the ramp and after 6 and half hours and 11 plus miles later I was ready to
head home.
See the pictures from this trip part 1
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