Silver River and Silver Glen Springs

 There are two rhesus monkeys in the above photo.

 6:33 am sunrise from the patio, headed down the canal from Ray's Wayside to the Silver River, 7:10

 

 Paddling up the Brown, I mean Silver, River.  Very dark from summer rain and runoff.

Great egret

 Male anhinga

 

Female anhinga

Young blue heron

 

 

 Female wood duck

Moor hen. Gender undetermined.

Yellow bellied slider

 Ibis

 

Teen blue heron.  All teens have skin/feathers issues.

 

 Nature called, and I answered.  Fortunately it happened near the Silver River, now Silver Springs State Park, kayak launch.  The old one.  There is an outhouse just up from the dock.

 

 8:19, back on the River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Into the formerly off limits Fort King waterway

 

This was my 3rd time in this area.  I think. The first was during the transition from theme park to State Park.  The second, after the transfer, on a rainy day. Today was the first time I experienced the full affect of the new rental concession and launch in the former theme park area.  Lots of people on the water considering how early it was. 9:30.  I miss the days when you had to paddle up from Ray's or walk a half mile to the landing where I stopped on the way up River.

 

 

 At the replica of Fort King, I thought it would be neat to see monkeys here.  Planet of the Apes style

 The monkeys were nearby

A troop of 25-30 used this tree as a bridge to cross from one side of the waterway to the other. video  Sorry, non FB friends. Here is one all can can see

 

 

 

This is the site of a former pedestrian bridge. 

 Part of returning the area to a natural state.

A differ angle on the glass bottom boat dock, coming out of the water way instead of up the main channel

 

 

 Cormorant and blue heron rookery

 

 

 

 

 

Just one monkey

 

Another monkey

Curious....

 

Young anhingas.

 

 

Where's the bird?

 Paddling a side channel, made accessible by the high water

To a point

 

 The brown water stream marked the end of the silver part of the Silver River and the brown part. Usually it is clear all the way to the Oklawaha River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The State needs to buy this private enclave on the Silver River.   If I win the lottery, I will buy it, and give it to the State.   Better, vote yes on Amendment 1 in November so the State can have the money to buy it.  Don't want another missed opportunity.  Like on the Rainbow River where some timeshare mogul bought a beautiful piece of riverfront property, with a spring, between the 2 halves of Rainbow Springs State Park.

 

 

 

 

 

Just lost two hours of my life, and this Tale on Tuesday night. Here we go again.

 

 

 

 

Back at the canal to Ray's Wayside. I had gone past it to take the last few photos.

The water is almost up to the Eagle Scout ramp.  The concrete is under water.  Landed at 12:30

 Gopher tortoise trying to out run my car.

Took a 4 hour break from the midday heat before sand hill cranes danced for me as I got in the car and headed to Silver Glen Springs.

Took the scenic route

 

Scrub jays

 

 Unable to move the tree. Still rooted.  Squeezed by.

In Silver Glen Springs at 5:30.  I figured people would be leaving. They were, but still pretty crowded.

But, its a large spring.

 Get away from the crowd, and it is clearer.

 

 

 

 

Off with the flippers, on with the tennies,  for a walk on the Lake George Trail

 

 

 

 

 Lake George

 

 

 

Back to the Spring

Spring # 2 on the site, Natural Well

 To the Boils

 

 

 

 

Fish swim round and round in the Natural Well

 

 Shell mound

The site has been occupied for 1000's of years

 Left the Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area, crossing Highway 19 to the Yearling Trail

 

 

 Scrub jay pair

 

 

Literary spider

 I added the Florida Scenic Highways cap.  I am all 4.

 

View from inside Cabin 201

 Outside view

 

The end