Friday, November 28, 2008

Mosquito Lagoon, Canaveral National Seashore

Day Two of my four day holiday weekend was spent at the Canaveral National Seashore. I put in 10 am, headed north to Bethune Park. If any manatees were still around, they would likely be here. I did not see any, they have likely gone south to warmer waters, or to the Titusville power plant. Dolphins, were much more likely, or so I thought. I did not see any.










A beautiful morning. 70 degrees, flat water.
















Mosquito Lagoon is an open water paddle. However, there is a marked trail through an island, Shipyard Island, that gets you out of the wide open Lagoon. This is where I saw more snowy egrets in one place than I have ever seen. See the first picture, which has great egrets and ibis in the background. More Shipyard shots.











The paddling trail through Shipyard Island is marked, but can be confusing. The markers are not consistent. At some you go right, others left. There are long gaps between markers in some sections. I was on one such section when I passed a green arrow pointing the other direction. So, I turned around, retraced my strokes and took another channel. Which took me out of the Island on the north end, instead of where I had entered. I was across from Bethune Park. Which was fine, except the weather changed. A strong wind out of the south, the direction I was paddling. I was happy to reach Turtle Mound to grab a bite and a view.





Make that views. Lagoon above, Atlantic below.







No manatees or dolphins, I did see a small sting ray. Bird highlight, besides all the snowys, was a young bald eagle. Here is a pelican in flight.





I paddled past my launch site, hoping to see dolphins, but not to far. It was nice to have the wind at my back for a little bit on the return. I landed at 2, somehow I spent 5 hours on the water, with a break at Turtle Mound.




After the yak was on the car, I took the bike off and went for a short ride, 4.75 miles, with stops at two nature trails. The Castle Windy Trail, and the Eldora Hammock Trail.


This sign is on the Hammock Trail. Wisdom from a fellow Wisconsinite.


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