Mosquito Lagoon

After working Saturday morning, April 19, 2008 I headed to the Canaveral National Seashore to kayak Mosquito Lagoon. I hoped to see dolphins and manatees. I was not in the water a minute when a dorsal fin broke the surface. I lingered in the area, but the dolphin did not resurface as I watched.

I moved on, as usual paddling north towards Turtle Mound. Wind at my back, it felt stronger than Wednesday on the Wekiva. Past the ancient Mound I crossed to the other side, not of the entire Lagoon, but to Shipyard Island. This is the third Mosquito Lagoon/Canaveral National Seashore paddle on Dave's Yak Tales, and unlike the prior two Tales, the tide permitted me to cross over the oyster shells at the entrance to the Shipyard Island Trail. I saw green herons, snowy and great egrets, kingfishers and osprey. No good pictures.

We will have to settle for flowering prickly pear cactus.

Cactus on the water, a botany oxymoron

My Island excursion lasted 90 minutes. Back in the Lagoon, I feathered my paddle (set it so the thin edge of the out of water blade would face the wind) and paddled back towards my launch. And beyond, to Castle Windy. Another Indian Mound. I see how it got its name this windy day.

On the way, I saw laughing gulls, cormorants, brown pelicans and great blue herons. Lots of jumping fish.

I landed at the base of Castle Windy

Walked the short, scenic trail

to the Atlantic

Another flower picture

Firebush. Blooming four years to late. Sorry, it was to easy. The plant really is named firebush for the vibrant red flowers. 4-27-08 update. Opps, this is coral bean, not firebush. Hopefully, no kid wrote a botany report using my faulty info.

The wind was at my back as I returned from Castle Windy. My paddle served as a sail. I had another dolphin encounter. Two this time, and the surfaced several times as the swam south, opposite of my direction. Look very closely at the first picture and you will see a dolphin.

Here's the only bird picture of the day. At least I have a two for one. The great egret and Eldora State House.

My starting point was a short paddle from the above picture. I went beyond the put in a ways, as I had not seen any manatees. Maybe next time. I turned around, landed five plus hours after I began.