Rock Springs Run

Did a 12 mile, six hour paddle today up Rock Springs Run (and back) from Wekiwa Springs State Park. Did not go as far as usual, hoping to avoid the afternoon rain. I did get wet, but nothing bad. No lightning. The lead off picture was taken at the end of the paddle, in the lagoon/pond near Wekiwa Spring. I was trying to get the alligator's pillow in, along with the green heron.

I began at 9:30, paddled down the Wekiva to Rock Springs Run, then up the Run, turning back at noon. Shortly after reversing course, I saw a sign "6 miles to Kings Landing Takeout". This is for the benefit of those launching from Kings Landing and going downstream. The confluence is roughly half way between the State Park and King's Landing takeout adjacent to the Wekiva Marina. That's how I get the 12 mile distance.

Here are a few of the birds from the upstream paddle.











Limpkin, ibis and great egret, red shouldered hawk.

For a pleasant Sunday morning, blue sky, 80's the traffic coming downstream wasn't bad at all. Maybe 20 canoes and kayaks.





This gator came off the log after I took the picture at 11:43 am. He was back when I returned at 12:16 pm.


I stopped for lunch a short time later. Tested the ground with my paddle. Mucky, but not to bad. I stepped out. It wasn't bad. It sucked ! My leg up to the thigh. Ok, I'll get the other leg out, closer to shore, that has to be firmer. Not ! I sank to my waist. I pushed the kayak to firm ground and slowly slogged out.


I stood on the bank, covered in mud up to my waist and beyond in front where I had laid in the muck as I pulled one leg, then the other, out of the quagmire. The towel I use to mop up the water in my leaky yak served dual purpose as I wrung it out over my mick encrusted lower half. After a sandwich, I got back in the yak and continued the trip. I hung my right leg over the side to further clean it, then tried the left leg, and couldn't bend it enough to get it out. This is not a new development, it has hurt to bend my left knee for the last couple months. I'm starting to see the advantages of sit-on- top kayaks.

I let a few people pass me so I could have the "illusion of seclusion" on Rock Springs Run. Then I saw something I never see, a paddler coming upstream 5 miles from the confluence. I thought it could be a reader of these Tales who has written she paddles up Rock Springs Run. "The only person I've ever seen paddling that way is me" "How far to the end?" she asked. "About two hours" "Oh......." We spoke again, at the end of the paddle. It was her first time heading up Rock Springs Run.

Spotted the usual sun basking turtles, bass, gar and other fish below the surface, the usual blue and great blue herons

Saw a deer, but too deep in the foliage to get a picture. Here's another alligator.

After I took the picture, it slid of the bank, and swam beside me for a while, visible in the clear water, before ducking back under some vegetation.

Here are two more great egrets.

Also seen but not pictured, tri colored herons, wood ducks, cardinals, and vultures.

I was out late enough in the afternoon to get rained on three separate times as I made my way downstream. Helped remove more muck. Also kept the crowd down when I reentered the Wekiva. 3 pm on a clear Sunday, it would have been packed. But, the sky was clearing, and several paddlers were coming downstream from the Park. Others came from the Marina.

I picked up items dropped by the novices, a flip flop, styrofoam cup, bud bottle, before landing at 3:30 pm. I dragged the yak up the hill, then had a cooling dip in the Spring.

The time was only 4:40 so I decided to hike the entire 5.3 mile Volksmarch Trail. Saw two deer, two cotton tails, butterflies, a large flock of varied water fowl on Lake Prevatt, several two inch sized, round headed, gray-blue birds, and Florida Scrub jays.

I can add Wekiwa Springs State Park to Pat's Island in the Ocala National Forest and the Scrub Jay Trail in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge to sites I have seen this endemic species.

The Trail, which I ran in a previous life, took over two hours to complete. My bad left knee began to bother me. Benches on the trail are nice for an old fart like me. I'm still hurting now, 9 pm Monday. I need to keep my walks to under 3 miles.