Turkey Creek

Sunday, January 11, 2008 I went to Palm Bay, Florida, to paddle Turkey Creek. My first visit since June 29, 2008. Turkey Creek suffered much from Tropical Storm Fay. Over two feet of rain fell in the area last August. As I paddled upstream, the banks seemed more sandy then I remembered. I came to an area with homes along the bank. Sand still covered the lawns, several feet above the Creek. Fay's aftermath. No, the opening photo is not a lawn, it is the high cliffs of Turkey Creek.

The next photo is the landing area at Turkey Creek Sanctuary.

Sand piled high and steep. I did not get out and do my usual stroll on the boardwalk. Instead, I got out at a launch/landing downstream, on the other bank. Took a short walk on a narrow hiking/biking trail.

So much for the changes since my last visit.

I got the trifecta today. Alligator.

Dolphin.





Manatee. No photo available. I saw three manatees, three small gators, two dolphins, and one










Bald eagle. Click to expand, focus on the black dot, upper middle.

Here are birds you can see without digital enhancement.

No Turkey Creek Tale would be complete without turtles.

All this wildlife in the middle of the City of Palm Bay. While the upper section of Turkey Creek is protected, paddling Palm Bay itself you see and hear traffic on US 1. I also heard a band covering Jimi Hendrix. Foxy Lady. I paddled to see where the sound was coming from. Had to be a place called the Palm Pub. That invstigation lead me to the two dolphins. Another musical note. I always tune into the radio station from Florida Tech when driving to Turkey Creek. I don't know when I last heard Long John Baldry's "Don't Try to Lay No Boogie-Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll". Nice way to start the day.