Haulover Canal Discovery Launch

I watched Space Shuttle Discovery blast off this evening, Sunday, March 15, 2009. Last November's launch of Endeavor was the final scheduled night time launch. Emphasis on scheduled. Discovery was delayed several times. Lucky for me, it finally went of on a weekend, so I got to see it from the kayak.

As usual on launch day, I took the longer but less congested route to the Canal. East on Interstate 4, east on State Highway 44, south on I-95, east on County Highway 442, South on US 1, south on State Highway 3 to the Canal. I was in the Indian River just before 3:00 and headed out to Mullet Head Island.

Birds packed the refuge island. Pictured are rosette spoonbills, pelicans and cormorants. Also roosting and or passing overhead were ibis, great blue herons, great egrets, reddish egrets and more. The birds were flying more then they should. Some illiterate yahoos were wading, well inside the "Nesting Area No Entry Beyond this Point Sign" I am continually amazed that people who can't read can afford boats.

I paddled from the west side of Mullet Head to a second, unnamed island in the River. Saw a dolphin in the distance, then a few seconds later, surfacing just a few paddle lengths in front of me. It swam under me, I turned to watch it, then continued. I circled the island. One crow. I wonder what makes Mullet Head so attractive to so many birds, while this one stands almost empty.

I made my way back east, exploring a series of small canals south of Haulover Canal. I've seen alligators and manatees here, none today. But, I had time to kill before the 7:43 lift off. Paddling beats what landlubbers have to deal with, as reported in Florida Today.

http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/2009/03/big-crowds-heavy-traffic-across-brevard.shtml

While drivers waited in traffic to get to a crowded park to wait in more lines, I paddled into "Dolphin Cove" and waited for one to surface.

Next stop, Bairs Cove, where manatees are always seen. Well, almost always. I wonder if the large, loud Coast Guard generator was keeping them away. Manatees go below when they hear engine noise, and perhaps the constant drone of the generator powering two campers- a mobile HQ, kept them out of the Cove.

More birds, great blue heron, pelicans, great egret.

I paddled east in the Canal, pausing at the Manatee Overlook. Finally saw a manatee, east of the of the Overlook. We both continued east. I lost it, distracted by a dolphin in the shallow bay on the north east end of the Canal.

I briefly entered the choppy Mosquito Lagoon, peering at the launch tower to the south. Back to the shelter of the canal, I paddled back west. Many kaykers in the water, heading east. I knew I had a lot of time before lift off. Saw the second manatee of the day, west of the Observation Deck, near the drawbridge.

Blue heron.

More kayaks in the water, individuals, groups 2 or 3, large tour groups. A van pulling a trailer loaded with yaks drove on the dirt road to the landing area. Seemed every outfitter in the area had a tour. I planned to stop at the launch, kayak, not space shuttle, eat, get bug spray, a flashlight and radio out of the car. But, the beach was jammed with kayaks. No room to land. So, I ventured into the Indian River, paddled south into a small canal. Here I ate in privacy. And saw this.

Mating horseshoe crabs. This was the second time I've seen this, the other was also near Haulover Canal. I reported that sighting to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

http://research.myfwc.com/features/view_article.asp?id=18561 They are conducting a survey. I need to contact them again. I got back in the kayak, paddled up the side canal, and a horseshoe crab orgy was in process.

More like orgies. Several groups like the one above gyrating in the water near the bank. Quite a thing to see. I'm glad the crowd at the kayak launch area kept me away, or I would not have see this.

It was 7:00 PM, time to paddle the mile of Haulover Canal to Mosquito Lagoon.

Late light makes for good pictures.

Saw the third, and last manatee of the day. Near the Observation Deck. I turned to the west to catch the sunset

7:20, time to get to the end of the Canal for the launch. The Canal ends at the Mosquito Lagoon. Two small jettys, nothing more than piles of rocks, extend a short way into the Lagoon. I wedged the kayak next to a couple from Toronto. I've watched at least 3 launches from this position, for another I joined a crowd standing in the water just south of this spot, near the west bank of the Lagoon. No one was there. I asked the guy to my left if it was the wind, blowing from the south, that kept people from that spot, or the Coast Guard. "The Coast Guard". Haulover Canal is the line. No boats allowed past on launch day. Got to see the Coasties in action as a pontoon boat crossed the imaginary line. Whoooooo, the Coast Guard was on him in moments. Order restored, people with radios kept others posted of the countdown, until

Lift off !!!

I have no idea what the green thing is in some of the photos. Either some sort of reflection, or a UFO. I watched the booster rockets fall off, than using the Bill C. get away plan from the last launch, made my exit as everyone else watched the dot in the sky shrink. A last look at the contrail,colored by the final rays of the sun.

I took a video as the shuttle rumbled overhead. I thought the sound would come through. It did not. There is sound, me, and people in the background. The roar of Discovery did not come through.

My get away worked to perfection. As I paddled below the drawbridge, cars slowly moved across. A unique view of traffic is looking up through the metal grates. I was the first one back to the launch. Only two others arrived before I left. My that time, traffic had cleared. The only delay was where State Road 3 meets US 1. That was only a few minutes. I was home at 10:00.