Mosquito Lagoon

Visited the Canaveral National Seashore today, Sunday September 7, 2008. A fantastic day for marine mammals. It began from the time I launched at 10 am. This manatee was feeding just off the launch site.

He decided to check me out. As my kayak did not taste as good as seagrass, it moved on. As did I, north towards Turtle Mound.

On the way, I saw the first dolphins of the day. A group of four. No luck getting pictures. Here are pics of some stationary critters.

I saw another manatee near the Visitor Center dock, and more dolphins in the distance. Paddled by Turtle Mound and across the Lagoon to the entrance of the Shipyard Island Trail. The trail is a marked course through a maze of waterways. I've been paddling it for four years and still haven't figured out exactly how the markers work. Do you turn on the inside ? I did that at the first marker, and 10-15 minutes later wound up where I began. I than paddled towards and through the markers. Better yet, bring the map that's available at the Visitor Center.

If I had the map, I may not have exited Shipyard Island at its north end. I've done this before, but had to carefully cross an oyster bed. Sharp oyster shells and kayaks don't mix. The water level in the Lagoon, like everywhere else is high, due to, all together now, the lingering effects of Tropical Storm Fay.

I could have gone back, found the Trail, and continued, but chose to stay in the Lagoon. I follwed the curve of the Island, passed a campsite, then saw the Bethune Park dock across the lagoon. When I saw the manatee as I put in, I thought, good, now I won't have to paddle up to Bethune Park to see some, which I had done my last few trips. But now, as long as I was in the neighborhood, I figured I'd stop by.

Glad I did. 10-15 manatees were in the area.

It appeared to my untrained eyed that some of the manatees were engaged in conjugal activity.

I moved on after twenty minutes.

Stopped at Turtle Mound and took the new boardwalk to the top.

Looking south, Atlantic on the left, Mosquito Lagoon right.

Spider near boardwalk. web.web.net

I saw another manatee on the way to Turtle Mound, and more dolphins. Active dolphins, leaping above the surface as the hunted. Got a few "wows !" out of me. Back in the water, still more dolphins. Saw one with a fish in its mouth. Finally got some pictures.















I reached the launch site, and paddled beyond it. Back at Turtle Mound, a kayaker asked me how far it was to the Eldora State House. I told him 20-30 minutes. Curious to see how long it took me, I paddled towards the 19th century home. The top photo, dolphin dorsal in front of dock was taken at 2:20. The house is just around the corner. The spider shot was taken at 1:35. 45 minutes elapsed. Figure 5-10 minutes to get to the yak and relaunch, another 5-10 dolphin watching, and the 20-30 minute time is in the ballpark.











As I was watching the dolphin in the first photo, I saw, and heard, more manatees. A closeup of one.
Others, I needed to stay clear, as they were busy, and a human in a kayak could be flipped aside as they concentrated on each other.













I'm no marine biologist, but it won't surprise me if there are baby manatees in a year.

What a day ! Over a dozen dolphins, some thirty manatees, both species very acitve. All in the calm waters of the Lagoon, while you listen to breakers crash on the other side of the narrow barrier island.