Weeki Wachee

After spending the first two days of the three day Labor Day weekend close to home on the Wekiva River and Rock Springs Run, today I took a road trip west to Weeki Wachee and the Weeki Wachee River.

Few cars in the lot at Rogers Park as I paid my $2.00 and parked next to the canoe/kayak launch. I was in the water at 9:15. The water level was above the bottom of the ramp, high tide, I thought. It may have been, but like everywhere I have paddled the last two weeks, from Central Florida, to the Indian River on the Atlantic, to Weeki Wachee on the Gulf, Tropical Storm Fay has left her mark. The Weeki Wachee, usually clear all the way to Rogers Park, was brown up to the second residential canal. The top picture was taken at 9:48, as you can see, it takes more than a tropical storm to keep the Weeki Wachee waters brown of very long.

I had seen no boaters since I left Rogers Park when I saw these folks at 10:12.

I saw the manatee, one of two, before the paddlers arrived.





I encountered more canoers and kayakers coming downstream, but no more manatees.

Not much other wildlife, either. Great egret, anhingas, vultures, cardinals, mottled ducks,

















and turtles.







I reached the "No Vessels Beyond This Point" sign in two hours. Prior to arriving, I passed a family headed, like me, upstream. How did they get ahead of me? No one was parked near the canoe/kayak launch back at Rogers Park. Turns out they were locals, launching from a residence on the River.







I timed my upstream paddle perfectly, passing a group of paddlers preparing to put in from the concessionaire just downstream of the tour boat dock. They were gone when I turned around.







Speaking of the tour boat, the captain told the tourists "The manatees are all in the Gulf" I had to shout, over the engine noise "No they aren't, I saw two" I don't think they heard me. Why the attraction uses infernal combustion engines and not electric motors ala Silver Springs beats me.







On the other hand, I have to commend the captain for pointing out a narrow spring run, one I had not noticed on prior Weeki Wachee paddles. Based on my Florida Springs "bible"



http://www.tfn.net/springs/Springbook/Part9.htm it had to be the run from Twin Dees Spring. The tour boat captain said recent rains increased its flow. I put my hand in that flow, definitely cool, spring water. Made an attempt to paddle up the run, but to narrow, shallow and swift.







The high water had another affect. Fewer places to exit the yak once out of the no swimming area the first mile or so downstream. Not to mention getting back in after snorkeling downstream. As luck would have it, there was a spot just outside the restricted area. I landed, ate lunch, then dove in, towing the yak behind me.

Bass and mullet. With my LCD screen gone, I have to point and shoot, and hope I get lucky.

I snorkeled 20-30 minute, saw a spot to land, did, and got back topside.

From the headspring to the closed landing areas halfway to Rogers Park, I saw very few people. The weather was nice, partly cloudy, so the sun wasn't beating down. Most of the River is shaded.

A pair of paddlers proceeding upstream told me they saw two manatees. "Residential area on one side, low, marshy vegetation on the other ?" "Yes" The same I saw on the way upstream. I saw one of them on the way back, up the WW from where it had been. The other must have been hiding. I had been wondering where all the Holiday boaters were. The final half of the downstream paddle was packed with motor boats, canoes, kayaks, rafts, and evil jet skis. Fortunately, the entire Weeki Wachee is an Idle Speed zone. Most boaters observe it.

I made it through the masses, back to Rogers Park. I decided to land, rather than continuing to the Gulf. The Park, quiet at 9 am, was packed at 3:15 pm.

As always after kayaking the Weeki Wachee River, I visited the Upper Deck, overlooking the River and Rogers Park, for a bite. To my disappointment, the usual Chef's Special pasta creation wasn't on the menu. The Labor Day special was an all you can eat, $9.99 fish fry.
Pollack. I opted for a Philly cheese steak. Very good.