I saw three times as many deer, six, then I saw people on the Wekiva River and Rock Springs Run this morning, Wednesday, November 19, 2008. I may have seen seven, but I think I saw this one twice.
Look for the head in the bottom middle. The deer were skittish this morning, this is the only picture I got.
It was cool this morning, low forties. I had four light layers on top, nylon pants over the swim suit when I shoved off at 8:00 am. Steam rose off the Wekiva.
That will happen when the water is 25 degrees warmer than the air.
I entered Rock Springs Run, paddling upstream past ibis and limpkins.
I saw the first deer, shortly after I took the bird pictures. On my right, it bounded through the water plants into the forest. The second deer was on my left, it also quickly cantered off. I turned around, having paddled 90 minutes, making it past Buffalo Tram, but not to the old tram road before Big Buck. Now a deer calmly munched leaves on my right, as stated above, I think it was the one I just saw. I lifted the camera and took a picture as the current swiftly carried me by. You see the so-so result. Downstream of Otter Camp, in an area of low lying vegetation, I paddled over a branch, making a bit of noise. The sound startled three deer on my left, rising out of the greenery and making a dash to the bank and into the woods. The final deer was a buck, on the right. It looked a lot like the one I saw November 12, but unlike that day, it did not pose for pictures.
The moon doesn't move that fast.
Moon over Wekiva.
A good selection of birds on the short section of the Wekiva from Rock Springs Run to the launch.
I landed at 11:00, a quick three hour paddle. After dragging the yak up the hill, I thought of taking a swim. I declined. Not due to the weather, but because it would probably make me late for work. Thanks to the cool temps, I was not sweating to much, so I could forgo the dip.
I got to work on time. I'm thinking of Juniper Creek this weekend. It's usually good for deer, and with all the ungulates I've been seeing along Rock Springs Run lately it will be interesting to see how Juniper compares. Stay tuned.
3 comments:
Yeah, I'm tuned. I get this way about every two-three days.
I have been reading the blog for a couple weeks and it's great! You seem to get some real good views of deer. I was wondering what is the best time (on a weekend) to do Rock Springs Run and maybe see some deer? We put in at Wekiwa marina which closes at 6:00 pm. We do not know of a better or free spot from which to launch. Any suggestions? It's $5 per person to launch from there which we (as a novice kayakers) think is OK. If nothing else, it sure is convenient.
Tmac, the earlier the better to avoid weekend crowds. As you know from reading, I launch from Wekiwa Springs State Park. It's $3.00 for an indivdual, $5.00 for two or more in a car. I have an annual Florida State Parks pass, at $40.00 + tax, it works out to 1-2 bucks a visit since I use it so much. The hill at the Park is a pain, but the Spring is wonderfull after a day on the water. Also, but for the Park, the Wild and Scenic would not exsist, so I like to support it. The only other launch point is Kings Landing, 7 miles up Run.
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