Hontoon Island Loop

Did this paddle on Sunday, February 24, 2008. See the story here

http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?op=showtrip&trip=168

I'm not sure if I was more excited seeing 4 bald eagles, or seeing

The "Bold Eagle" Where's the Packer flag, I wondered. There it is.

Kings Bay, Three Sisters Springs

Thursday, February 21, 2007. All pictures but the bald eagle were taken at, or near Three Sisters Springs. The eagle was in Kings Bay.

http://www.savethemanatee.org/savethreesisters.html

I came across the link above Feb. 26. Click on the link above for more information. Hopefuly Three Springs won't be ruined by more devoplment like so much of Florida.

The link below is my report on the Green Wave Forum.

http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?op=showlocation&location=123

Canaveral Seashore and Rock Springs Run

Eldora State House, Mosquito Lagoon, Canaveral National Seashore. Saturday, February 16, 2008.

More gaps filled in the Green Wave Forum. It had no trip reports on the Canaveral National Seashore
http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?op=showtrip&trip=165
until now. Click the link above for the full Canaveral Tale and more pictures.

And Rock Springs Run was not even mentioned.
http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?op=showtrip&trip=166
Good thing they've enlisted my services. Rock Springs link above. See the gator below close up on the Green Wave Forum. I paddled the Run on Sunday, February 17, 2008.

Speaking of alligators, when I arrived back at the lagoon area near the Wekiwa Springs launch, two snorklers were in the water. Not in the Spring, but in the darker water, near the shoreline, at dusk. Unseen alligators were grunting. I told one of the dofuses that those weren't bullfrogs they were hearing. They paid no attention. Now you know I often swim in areas where alligators are seen, and have a picture to prove it

http://davesyaktales.blogspot.com/2007/12/alexander-spring-gator-taletail.html

but that was in a clear spring, and not at dusk when the gators are active. Oh well, dumb people getting eaten just leaves more room on the water for me.

A weather note. Saturday, on the open water of the Lagoon, it felt hot. I applied sunscreen three times, yet came home with a white line on my redneck-the camera strap. The day's high was 77. On Sunday, it felt cooler, yet the high was 85. The cool spring Run, with 75% of the way under a canopy of trees makes a huge difference in comfort. I call it "The Spring Effect" Soon to join "wind chill factor" and "heat index" to describe "real feel" tempatures.

Chassahowitzka River

Paddled the Chassahowitzka, Saturday, February 9, 2008. Above photo is approaching Baird Blue Spring from "The Crack" Run. A full report is here.

http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?op=showlocation&location=121

Hard to believe my Chas report is the first one on the site. Guess they did need a Central Florida Expert.

Continuing the amazing, but true theme, I only went out on Saturday, not Sunday. As I drove home, I felt a cold coming on. That explained why I was so tired on Friday night and in bed at 10- which was perfect for waking up at 5:30 Saturday and on the water at 8 am.

The cold hit full force Sunday morning. So, my excursion was limited to a walk to Albertson's for OJ, grapefruit and tangelos.

Alexander Creek and Spring

I put the story on the Green Wave Forum

Click here.

http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?op=showlocation&location=54

DeLeon Springs

Saturday, February 2, 2008, we paddled Spring Garden Lake and Creek, launching from DeLeon Springs State Park. "We" be me, and good friend Steve R., in town on business.

I wanted to paddle around Blue Spring, but when we arrived at 12:30 cars were being turned away, the Park was full. So we drove north another 20-30 minutes to DeLeon Springs State Park. I hpoed I could show Steve a manatee or two.

It was a warm day, no manatees present. But we did see blue herons, Great Blue herons, black crowned night herons, Great egrets, snowy egrets, limpkins, coots, tri-colored herons, anhinga, cormorants, ibis, red tailed hawks, red shoulder hawks, belted kingfishers, turtles and one big alligator.

Speaking of big, I let Steve take a picture of your coorespondent.



No manatees, no visit to Blue Spring, but we (now joined by Tom J.) shook off the blues, seeing the Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor, and Robert Cray in a free concert in downtown Orlando.