Monkeying around on the Silver River

Put the yak in the Silver River, Saturday, March 1, 2008. March came in like a rhesus monkey. I saw three troops on my paddle, although it is possible I saw one troop twice, up and downstream.




It was fascinating watching the monkeys groom each other. Don't worry, the bigger one did not get the raw end of the deal. They switched positions, and the little one picked at the other's butt.

This was my first visit to the Silver River since late October, 07. You can refer to that report for details relating to the launch, history of the River and Springs, ect.

http://davesyaktales.blogspot.com/2007/10/silver-river-salt-springs.html

One change from my last visit. It now costs $5 to launch at Rays. It used to be $3. A few cars were in the lot when I arrived. Several kayakers were getting ready. I entered the ater before them, and saw no one on the water for two hours, or until I reached the Silver Springs attraction area at he head spring. More people were their than I have ever seen. Strolling the grounds,
filling several glass bottom tour boats, waiting on the dock for the next available boat. I could not linger over the springs as usual, tour boats coming one after the other.

On the way up, I heard machine sounds in the distance beyond the cypress trees on the left bank. I have read that Silver River State Park is taking out non-native trees. That may have been the source of the noise. I then heard loud noise from the right bank. Sounded like a lawnmower, or maybe a mini bike. Neither have a place in the forest. What was it ? Has to be an animal. A bear ? Then I saw the alligator. Head rising out of the water BRAAAAA! , then sinking back down, rising again, on a 45 degree angle, BRAAAA! I have never heard an alligator make so much noise. The sound I am familiar with is a bullfrog like grunting, this was a growl. A long, loud, repeated growl. As if the gator was competing with the noise across the River. I tried to take a video, and get the sound, but was unable to get it. Here are pictures of some other gators on the Silver River.

What took two hours upstream was three plus hours, with a lunch stop at the State Park landing, on the return. I know shared the River with many boats, paddler and power.
The entire Silver River is an idle speed, no wake zone. Most boaters comply, so it is not to bad. One effect of the busier River. Alligators, who were in the open, sunning on the way up, were unseen past the halfway point on the way back.

I did see other wildlife.

Blue and tri colored heron, great egret and ibis, black crowned night heron, wood ducks, male and female, cormorant, anhinga, turtle.

The parking lot, which is a large one, was full when I returned to Rays. I went to my car and saw several vehicles had yellow fliers under their wind shied wiper. What are they ? Ticket, for not paying the entry fee. Just because the booth is unattended doesn't mean its free.

I followed my usual Silver River routine and drove to Salt Springs for a snorkel. On my last visit, I did not see any blue crabs. This time I did.

The photo is not turned around. The crab is on the vertical wall of one of the several shafts that comprise Salt Springs.

After my snorkel, where I was one of six people in the Spring, I took two walks. One, the Salt Spring Run Trail. A two mile loop from a Parking area of HWY 19 to the Run and back. The second, a half hour on the Yearling Trail, a few miles south on 19. This time, it was light enough to share a scrub jay photo.