Alexander Creek and Spring

I went to bed Friday trying to decide where to kayak after work today, Saturday, February 7, 2009. I was leaning to Alexander Creek. Seeing somebody had left a compliment on a previous Alexander Tale, http://davesyaktales.blogspot.com/2007/12/alexander-spring-gator-taletail.html I headed to the Ocala National Forest.




Launched from the Lake County Highway 445 Bridge at 2:30. Made the short paddle up Alexander Creek, about half of it chatting with a gentleman visiting from St Louis. Did not catch his name. We saw an otter family. Three other paddlers on Alexander Creek.

One good sized gator, no photo. The weather is finally getting back to where it should be, swimsuit and t-shirt were fine. Few people at the Alexander Springs Recreation Area, even less in the water. A few kids and their dad, three or four scuba divers. And I.

I snorkeled for 25 minutes. When I got out, at 4 pm, it was getting cool. So, a quick walk on the Timucan Trail, and back in the yak.

Downstream views.

I don't think its much more than a mile from the Spring to the Bridge, but that mile is packed with wildlife. I've seen a bear here. No motors are allowed upstream of the Bridge. I saw just one other kayak on the downstream trip, and that paddler was landing as I was approaching this bald eagle.

I took a dozen pictures. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, there are 115 bald eagle nests in Lake County, home of Alexander Creek. A post on the Green Wave Forum, gave me a heads up for this site http://www.myfwc.com/eagle/eaglenests/nestlocator.aspx

I went past the Bridge a few minutes, than turned around, and landed. I wanted to get the yak on the car before it got dark and cool. It would have been a good evening for a paddle if I was dressed for it, full moon rising. But, I had a good three hours on and in the waters of Alexander Creek and Spring.