Chassahowitzka River

Paddled the Chas and a few of its tributaries, including Ruth Springs Run above, today Saturday, September 6, 2008. My first visit since Memorial Day.


I put in at the Chassahowitzka Campground ramp, the only public access on the River, about 8:45. A great blue heron stood on the dock, an otter poked it head above the surface, a great egret peered into the water, vultures roosted, all as I pushed off,. Last September I saw two manatees across from the dock, so I looked for more today. Didn't see any as I paddled across the head spring and up to the Solution Holes. Too early to take a dip, as I had only been on the water a few minutes.



Downstream, past the launch, towards Baird Creek. Stopped first at Houseboat Spring, another manatee spot. None there. So, up Baird Creek to Baird Blue Spring, up the narrower run at the rear of that spring to The Crack.




For the first time in a couple years, I did not have to get out of the yak part way up the run to the Crack. Fay has left her mark here as well as every other waterway I've paddled the past two weeks.














Three paddlers were in Baird Creek, all fishing. A canoer and two kayakers who left the Campground just before me. But not before one guy helped me lift the yak off the car. Back to the Chas, a few motor boats headed to the Gulf. I avoided them by taking the right, north channel downstream of Baird Creek.



I did not see many birds since the launch. Belted kingfishers on Baird Creek. Then, a large bird shadowed the yak. I looked up, saw a dark body, white tail, white head. Bald Eagle. It soared above the River, eventually disappearing over to the north. A bit later, I spotted an alligator.
Paddled past the Dog Island dock. Much, much closer to the water than last time I went by, in February.










Looked low enough to scramble out of the yak to eat lunch. But, it was only 10:55, so I figured I'd stop on the way back. I paddled out of the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Refuge to the edge of the Gulf of Mexico.

I was thirty minutes beyond Dog Island when I turned around. I took longer to get back, current and tide were against me. By the time I got to Dog Island, the dock was a few more inches above the River. By this time, other than a brief break at the Crack I had been in the yak over three hours. I pulled up to the dock, and determined I did not have the strength, balance or agility to get out. Perhaps I could have, but getting back in would be a dicey proposition. So I moved on. Paddled into the mouth of Ryles Creek to lean back and get a sandwich and fresh water bottle from the back of the yak.

Here are a couple cormorants.

The one on the branch was just before Potter Creek. Which I paddled up to its namesake springs, then to Ruth Springs. The short run to Ruth had a few small branches down, but I was able to power over them. At the springs, mosquitoes were too abundant to pause for a dip.

Downstream I went.

Tri colored heron. Back to the Chass, I watched an anhinga swallow a freshly caught fish. It is neat to watch. Anhingas have pointed beaks, and stab their prey, leaving it perpendicular to the throat. So, they flip the fish around, get the head pointed straight down the beak, open up, and slide it down. I took pictures of the process, or so I thought. The memory card was full. I knew I had limited space, so had a spare, but with the view screen busted, I was not aware it was full until it was to late.

The Chassahowitzka River is full of wildlife, but for some reason I don't always see turtles. I did today.

I stopped again at Houseboat Spring, no manatees. Blue and great blue herons. Then across the River to Crab Creek and a visit to Crab Creek Springs. Three blue jewels. One fortunate homeowner has a dock on top of one.

Crab Creek is a short paddle from the dock. I returned, paddled past towards the Solution Holes, from where a lot of noise was coming. Not enough noise to cover the exhale of a manatee. I paddled back and watched it for a while, then on the springs. The noise was one family, four boys about 6 to 10. I said to their mom I can only imagine how my six siblings sounded 35-40 years ago frockling in the water. Here is the underwater view.

Returned to the launch. The manatee was no longer where it had been. I was about to land, and there it was. In front of the ramp. Not a good place to be. Here are two poor pics, one with the snout just above the surface, the other taken holding the camera over the side and underwater.

The dot at one o'clock off the starboard bow is the manatee. Underwater, the white marks are why manatees need to stay away from boat ramps. Propeller scars.

I landed at 3:45, a nice 7 hours on the water.

Wildlife quantity, especially birds, low. Quality, one each otter, bald eagle, alligator, manatee, high.