Rock Springs Run

Saturday, January 31, 2009 was a cool day in Florida, forecast high just 60. So, I stayed close to home. No sense driving a long way to paddle somewhere that may be even cooler. Besides, it had 15 days since I paddled Rock Springs Run.


It was 40 degrees when I launched from Wekiwa Springs State Park at 7:30. As usual on cool mornings, fog rose from the warm Wekiva River.

To foggy to get the colors of wood ducks. The fog lifted a bit as I reached Rock Springs Run.

The two limpkin pictures are the same bird. The top pic is with the flash, or sun, or both. I forget, it was a long day. More birds up Run. Hawk.

Ibis.

Great Egret.

One deer dashed across the Run, a flash of tail, and it was gone. Just 4 paddlers coming from Kings Landing, a group of three kayakers, later, a father and son in a rental canoe. I was well past half way when I encountered them. I paddled past the canal to Kings Landing turning around past "Third Landing", but before the home on the Run downstream of Kelly Park. Three hours forty-five minutes upstream. The next photo is taken after the turn around.

As I have written before, unless they take an upstream detour from Kings Landing, most folks don't see the most scenic part of Rock Springs Run. As I passed Kings Landing, I saw three craft ahead of me. I passed a canoeing couple, then waited for the two further ahead to get some distance in front of me. Which took a while, as they were going slow.

Back to the State Park waters, as marked by the above sign. I stopped at the usual spot for lunch. The canoeing couple passed. I saw them again, heading upstream. Later, the other group also came back. I saw just four more people, in two canoes, until I got close to Wekiwa Springs. I saw just one turtle on the way upstream, but as the weather warmed a bit, more came out to sun.

Maybe, I'd see an alligator as the sun rose higher. I did, 1:20 pm.

An hour later, shortly after passing the two canoes mentioned earlier, I saw the second, and final deer of the day. It did not stay in view long, but I was able to get a picture.

This extends the deer photos from Rock Springs Run streak to 13 consecutive trips since October 15, 2008. Also spotted, briefly, otters in two locations.

I'm not sure if these are the same ibis as the earlier pic, but they are at the same spot, six and a half hours later.

I'm always excited when I capture a belted kingfisher.

Wekiva River wildlife.

The blue heron was sharing a log with these guys.

More sharing, in the lagoon. Tri colored heron.

This snowy egret was just outside the Spring.

Waitng for supper, no doubt.

I landed at 3;30, another 8 hour kayaking day. As you see from the last picture, I snorkeled the Spring. No one was in it at first, then one guy, swimming back and forth. Not a knucklehead kicking up the bottom like last time.