Rock Springs Run

It had been 3 weeks, March 25, 2009, since I last kayaked Rock Springs Run. Even longer, February 18, 2009 since I paddled it on a weekday morning. I can't believe it either.






I put the yak on my new kayak cart, and got down the hill with ease. The cart is an LL Bean Stow-Away. $66.95 including shipping. I stowed it in the stern and pushed off at 7:45. Temperatures must have been somewhere in the low-mid sixties as steam rose off the Wekiva River.





I rarely see black crowned night herons on the Wekiva and Rock Springs Run, so this was a pleasant surprise before the confluence.

To Rock Springs Run, where, in the open area past the shallows, a pair of great blue herons roosted in a tree, a hawk burst out of the greenery, mama limpkin

clucked at her chicks, getting them undercover.

A good morning for heron variety. Blue, great blue, green, black crowned, and

Tri colored.

Rock Springs Run, narrow and twisty was a good test for the new (used) kayak. As mentioned in a prior report, it does not turn as well as the old yak. This calls for a bit more work on the more winding sections. On the straight aways, I don't need to paddle to keep from going sideways, so it evens out.

I paddled past the remains of an old road, post in the Run, not quite to Big Buck Camp, then turned around. 90 minutes from the start.

I was struck by how green and lush the banks are. We do have seasonal change in Florida, but it is subtle. Not having been on the Run in three weeks made the change noticeable to me. No more brown grasses, all green. Of course, the thunderstorms that passed through yesterday may have had something to do with the greening of the Run.

I did not see any deer. Saw one otter, near a spot where I've often seen deer.

The otter is in the upper right, below the tree limb. Click on the picture for a better view. The deer hangout is on the opposite bank. Where the tree canopy falls away downstream from Otter Camp, behind a screen of shrubbery.

More herons.

Just as I was thinking, "I may not see anyone out here", boom ! three kayakers in rentals from the park headed up the Run, then a family headed back downstream. Back to the Wekiva, I stopped counting at ten. I thought Spring Break ended at Easter.

These turtles were fine with the activity.

But this snapper disappeared after the picture.

This reptile was to big to be bothered.

Not that some knuckleheads didn't think about it. A kayaker told me she heard somebody say, "let's touch it" She told them that was not a good idea. Turns out the kayaker was someone who I have exchanging kayak stories and pictures with for a few years. I thought it might be J.B., but not seeing a trash picker upper thing, thought, no, and it was much too late for a paddler who I know loves predawn starts. "Are you Dave?" I was, am. Recognized the kayak. Meaning she pays more attention to the Yak Tales then some members of my immediate family who were not aware I had a new (used) kayak.

Other avid readers know that blue herons start out white. This one is undergoing its metamorphosis.

I landed about 10:50, got the yak on the cart and wheeled up the hill. Rattling over the pavers, then through the sand/dirt with no problems. Much less taxing (pun intended on April 15) then the old drag carry. J.B. suggested that halfway up I divert to a boardwalk. As my car was on top of the dirt hill, I went that route. I also wanted to give the cart a true test. But, in the future, I think I'll use the boardwalk method. I eyed it as I headed to the Spring for a brief swim. Seems like a good route to take.