Rock Springs Run

Sunday, December 2, 2007 I had the first repeat paddle of Dave's Yak Tales, visiting Rock Springs Run. As on October 8, I launched from Wekiwa Springs State Park. The opening picture is on the way back down the Run, after paddling 3.5 hours upstream. I saw 7 or eight other canoes and kayaks, 4 alligators, a kayaker and an alligator. I was following this alligator upstream, you can barely see it in the upper left of the picture, just below the incoming kayak. I pointed to the gator, took the picture, and banged the yak with the camera as I put it down. That startled the alligator which dove deep with splash of its tail. "Wow" said the yaker, " I didn't even see it !"




Here is a better alligator picture. Earlier in the day a canoeing couple told me they saw two deer. I also saw two, unfortunately one was dead, its bloated, fly covered body in the water along the bank. An alligator patrolled nearby both times I passed, up and downstream. The other deer was quite alive, but I just had a quick peek as ran deep into the forest. Plenty of turtles, including a big, two feet from head to tail, snapping turtle visible in the clear water. On the way downstream, I saw what I first thought was a turtle, but hard shells don't arch. An otter. It surfaced, crunched whatever was in its jaws a few times, saw me, and dove back to the cover of the lushly vegetated bank.

Here are some birds
Blue heron, ibis, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret and limpkin.






I arrived back at the canoe/kayak beach at 4:30. Dragged the yak up the hill, and got it on the car. Unlike my October visit, I had time for a snorkel in the Spring. Which had only one other person in it. I took pictures, but they did not turnout, due to low light conditions. I then took a quick walk on the .25 mile "Wet to Dry" nature trail. a place where I often see deer at dusk. I saw done. As I left the Park, I took a detour on a road that leads to a campground, looking for wildlife. Saw none. So, I had to be satisfied with gators and otters and turtles and herons and deer and hawks and herons and egrets and.......