Wekiva River

It's nice when the first photo I take on a kayak outing gets top billing on a Yak Tale. I paddled the Wekiva River today, Sunday April 19, 2009. Launched from Wilson's Landing Park, south of State Highway 46. As far as I know, Katies Landing is still closed. If anyone knows otherwise, let me know. My new cart came in handy this morning as there is walk of 50 yards or so from the parking area to the bank of the Wekiva. As I was getting set to get out, another yakker rolled his kayak down, and a canoer fished in the center of the River. The homemade PVC cart in the bushes must have been his.








It was my first time on this part of the Wekiva since January. The Wekiva is broad, shallow and full of vegetation at Wilson's Landing.


























Good for great egrets, black crowned night herons and limpkins.




Not so good if the wind is blowing hard out of the south and you are battling it and the current.




But, soon the forest closes in, and the wind is not an issue.














I have no clue why my red kayak is yellow/gold in the photo. You'd think I was in the old one. I saw about ten boats, canoes, kayaks, a couple motor boats, and the Wekiva Falls pontoon tour boat in the two hour paddle to the Buffalo Tram campsite. Two alligators.





The scene as I landed at Buffalo Tram.
















I can't believe I've never noticed this contraption off to the right at the campsite.











A relic from by-gone logging days ?






After a break, I headed downstream.



















Here's the "red" kayak again.



















Green heron,



















Several Indian Mounds line both the Wekiva River and Rock Springs Run. One, Twin Mounds, is on the west bank of the Wekiva, upriver of Buffalo Tram. It's hard to find, at least for me. This may be it.










I write "may" as it is obviously a shell mound, higher than the adjacent bank, snail shells embedded in the soil. I have landed at Twin Mounds before, and this was in the same general area. In the past, I was able to rum my yak part way on the bank. Today I could not. I was either in a different spot, or the drought has made the bank higher. One way to find out would have been to step out, walk up the bank and look for the mounds- which have a short boardwalk and interpretive signs, but the bottom was to mucky. So, I stayed in the kayak and continued downstream.






















Human activity on the River increased as I neared Wekiva Falls. Folks in rental canoes. Past that point is where the River broadens. Good for waders.








Observant readers will note the lack of breeding plumage on the great blue heron. Breeding seems to be over on the Wekiva, at least for this bird. It may be one of two I saw earlier nest building in a tall pine on the east bank. Another bird behavior story. On the upstream paddle, a female wood duck directed its brood into cover under plants. I was a good twenty yards away. Once the chicks were hidden, mama flew towards me, wings beating the water. She then veered off, flying ahead of me, still beating the water. I think the noise was to draw me, or any other predator away from the chicks.

I was drawn to this tree, across from Wilson's Landing.





Full of cattle egrets, but it led me to the third alligator, and only gator picture of the day.

I ended the afternoon with a short, 4.5 mile, bike ride on the nearby Seminole-Wekiva Trail.