Hontoon Island Loop, and more.

Sunday, February, 21 2010, I took my friend Robert J. to Blue Spring State Park. The plan was to paddle up River to the northernmost canal, into the Hontoon Dead River, south to the third canal, to, then up the St. Johns, back to Blue Spring. I figured three hours or so paddle time. Boy, am I glad Robert has patience, and paddling experience. Thanks to some faulty navigation on my part, we did the "Hontoon Loop" backwards, plus paddled south from the first canal, as intended, but somehow got turned around and retraced our steps, ending up at Hontoon Island State Park. I'll try to describe how this all occurred. Robert lives in Fairbanks, AK, and has taken month long trips on the Yukon River. Six hours on a beautiful Florida day was nothing for him


It's nice to have company, as it gets me out of my routine. For example, our day began with a hearty breakfast at First Watch in Maitland, instead of my usual road coffee and bagel/muffin/waffle on the road. I vacuumed two months of crumbs off the passenger seat, a task I don't think I've done since Sanibel. We arrived at Blue Spring State Park. A recent change. There is a new canoe/kayak concession building right near where the boats are. In the past, you paid at a distant locale, then walled to the launch. This is much better. Robert got his rental, and we set out about 10:40. Watched manatees at the mouth of Blue Spring Run for a while.

We then paddled the way we came, up the St Johns, past Snake Creek, towards the northernmost of 3 old logging canals that link the St Johns and Hontoon Dead Rivers.

I pointed out the areas where I often see manatees feeding. We did not see any, but I figured we could check it out later. Paddled through the canal, very slowly, as a paddler ahead of us moved at a sedate pace. She turned around, commenting on all the turtles. We continued through, entering the Hontoon River, and began paddling south.

I had only done this paddle once, perhaps twice before, but thought, how hard can it be ? There are three canals, we came out of one, pass the second, and return via the third. Which, as I recall has a few colorful bird houses.

We, or I entered an area where the HDR narrowed, With the alligators above, a juvenile black crowned night heron, and more. It was a dead end, so we came out. And, as it turned out, turned the wrong way, paddling back the way we came. Later, Robert said he thought we were going back the same way, but did not question me. And this is from a guy who makes a living questioning authority as a criminal defense attorney. Show what a 32 year friendship (has it been that long since we were freshmen at UW?) can do.

Looking at a satelite image, http://www.google.com/maps?q=28.952273,-81.333659&hl=en&z=12&ll=28.952273,-81.333659 I think we entered that little finger hanging down between the upper two canals. On the other hand, I know we passed on canal on our left. Had we turned around at this point it would have been on our right, the same one we came out of. The paddle was taking longer then I expected. We came to a fork, which I know now was where Snake Creek enters the Hontoon River.


The sun was on the wrong side of the River. I told myself, no, it was mid day, it hasn't crossed over yet. It's funny how a section of the Hontoon I've paddled many times was not familiar coming opposite my usual direction. Finally, I asked a fisherman where we were in relation to the canals. "About 3/4 miles from the St. Johns". I think we were a bit further, as we were not yet at my old landing area. We reached that, and I thought, "sheesh, am I an idiot" But, if not for wrong way Dave. we would not have seen what we saw, nor had the opportunity to stop at Hontoon Island State Park. I showed Robert that Alaska, isn't the only place with totems. Good thing I, like the Howells, packed some provisions for our three hour cruise, now reaching five hours. We had apples, cookies and a granola bar, visited the little museum, then got back in the kayaks. Robert taking photos of my favorite boat, the Bold Eagle out of Green Bay. No photos as we paddled up the St Johns, into the wind. Two Olympic style canoers, kneeling in the center of their sleek craft, left us in the dust. We paddled at a steady pace, as the rental kayak was due back at 4:30. Watching Robert paddle, I was impressed with the rental. A sit on top, bit fairly long and narrow front and back so it tracked well. A lot of that was due to the skill of the paddler. We returned to Blue Spring State Park at 4:40. Robert gave the concessionaire a generous tip for his trouble. Something he may have done anyway, saying "I always tip well when I enjoy myself" We secured my kayak to the car, then walked the boardwalk to the Spring.

I hoped we could end the day with a bald eagle or two in the tall trees across the St Johns, but no such luck.
On the subject of photos, sometime after we were done, maybe on the ride home, I thought, and said, I never gave you my camera to take a picture of me. But,Robert took several of me, and has promised to email them. I will add one, or more when the arrive. We had a huge dinner at O'Boys BBQ. My advice, don't order an appetizer, just add an extra helping of meat to your dinner plate. We did both. The riblets at $7.99 were good, but the extra bbq beef to go with the pulled pork, for just a buck, was even better. I got tonight's dinner out of the leftovers.