Turkey Creek

After a strenuous Saturday paddling up Rock Springs Run, and back, plus a 4 mile hike, I needed something short and scenic Sunday, July 19, 2009. So, I traveled to Palm Bay to paddle Turkey Creek. Saw at least five manatees, including one barely visible in the opening photo. Click to expand, you may see the snout, and a bit of white, a scar, likely from an encounter from a boat.




Saw two small alligators.

Would I get the Trifecta? No. I did not see any dolphins in Palm Bay or a during brief foray into the Indian River.

I launched at 10:30 from the area just across the Port Malabar Rd Bridge. Paddle craft only, the Creek is maybe 150-20 yards from the road, so it takes a bit of effort. Which means no crowds. Today, two guys were leaving as I arrived. They had a very nice yak- a Wilderness Tsunami 145. I have the 140. Another paddler also was finished with his day, complaining about a log he could not get over. The other guys said they just powered over it. I did the same. Don't know why the other guy could not do it.

The launch site puts you in Turkey Creek Sanctuary, the best part of this short creek.

Turkey Creek is best know for three things. Manatees, high sandy bluffs as seen above, and turtles.

I have yet to see a turkey. But, I have never seen so many green herons.

A better photographer may have captured the third GH that was on this branch.

This turned out well. Eye framed by the branch.

I saw my first ever young green herons, still fuzzy.

I paddled as far up Creek as I could, which is not very far. The end of the line is the Melborne-Tillman Water Control District dam/spillway. I don't think its even three miles from the dam to the Indian River. Which is where I headed.
Osprey are very practical, using natural perches when available.
And should nature fail to provide, say in the middle of a bay, a mast will do just fine.

After paddling across Palm Bay and into the Indian River, I turned around, stopping for lunch at Sterns Point Park. Located on the northeast side of the US 1 Bridge. A small place to land and an unoccupied, covered. picnic table. I'm not sure where the "beach" is. http://www.palmbayflorida.org/parks/city_parks/stearns.html Unless it was the five foot wide area where I landed.

Back in the yak, I watched and listened for manatees near by old launch spot, the Goode Park ramp. None seen, nor heard.

I was thinking this may be the first time I have not seen manatees in Turkey Creek. Then I entered a spot I'll call "Sunken Boat Cove"

Two manatees, one a baby about the smallest I have ever seen. I gave them plenty of space, so no good photos.
Turtles and a green heron share a log.

Very few people were on the Creek, upstream of Goode Park. I don't think I saw a power boat. Half a dozen kayakers. Downed trees make it tough for anything bigger than a kayak. Leave em down! The entire Creek is Slow Speed, No Wake due to manatee. I saw another in the Creek. If not for its scar, I would not have noticed it in the dark water. The white injury stood out in the dark water. It was traveling downstream, as I was going up. To the dam, then back down. Another manatee, feeding. I came near, maybe too close, the current carrying me. It took off at a rapid pace. This could be the same one, feeding a bit further down the Creek.

From its behavior, I think it was not the same animal. Instead of leaving suddenly, it swam slowly out of the flotsam, rolled over, perhaps to dislodge some vegetation, the slowly headed down Creek. As did I, making another visit to Sunken Boat Cove. I missed the picture when the both surface, little snout and big snout, I'll close with these photos.

Landed a bit after 3:30, a five hour day, but much time was spent sitting still, watching the manatee mother and calf.