Chassahowitzka

I rose early this morning, Saturday, August 15, 2009, drove west 90 miles and was in the Chassahowitzka River at 6:45 am. Paddled upstream from the Chassahowitzka Campground launch, over the first magnitude Chassahowitzka Spring, and up the short run to the Solution Hoes, a half dozen interconnected springs that can be swum from one to the other. I stayed in the yak. Paddled up a the run at the back of the Solution Holes. Not far, a fallen tree blocked the way. So, back past the launch, several fishing boats going out, down the Chas to Baird Creek.

Paddled up Baird, saw three otters on the way. For the first time in awhile, up the narrow run at the back of Baird Blue Spring to "the Crack". Walked the last part of the Crack run, there is a set of stumps that block the way, and it was to shallow to paddle.
I had a brief swim.

Then back down run. This is the wide part of the Crack run.

Into Baird Blue Spring, where large schools of mullet circled. Down Baird Creek. Saw the otter trio again. Now you do too.

Saw them twice. The otters swam off after seeing me, only to have me catch up with them downstream. This time, two swam away and the third, the biggest one, kept rising out of the water, stopping on logs, chittering loudly in my direction. Eventually, it decided I had been scared off.

Back to the Chassahowitzka.

One reason I went to the Chas us that it is a good place to see bald eagles. No Lake Katherine, but still good. But not today. Plenty of other birds.

Green and tri colored herons above. Paddled past the sign marking the start of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. Just beyond, a dolphin. I continued downstream, to Crawford Creek, but did not go up that waterway. Looked for manatee and eagles, did not spot any. Continued down the Chas a little further, entering Little Gator Creek, across the River from Crawford. Little Gator flows through an island in the middle of the River.It is not spring fed. I drifted, eating a sandwich. Came out the other end, then paddled up the Chas.

A dolphin, the same one? was again in the area near the Refuge sign. Unable to get a photo. I entered Potter Creek, which was as deep as I have ever experienced. Had to be high tide. Last week, in Wisconsin, I saw the my first belted kingfishers in over a month. They are back on the Chas and its tributaries.

Several yellow crowned night herons, I only have a photo of this juvenile.

Like Baird Creek, Potter Creek has a Spring, with another spring run entering it. Ruth Spring. The run is the first photo. Here is Ruth Springs.

My nice quiet day was rudely interrupted by an airplane motor. Not a plane, an airboat. Well, it will go away. But I kept hearing it as I paddled down Potter Creek. Because the nefarious contraption was coming toward me. The driver did slow down, which I appreciated. It passed me. Continued going slowly, which kept the engine din to a dull roar.

Back on the Chas, an immense flotilla of canoes, kayaks and rowboats headed downstream. I've never seen so many paddlers, anywhere. When I landed, I asked the concessionaire if it was one large group. She said no, just a busy day. Avoiding the armada, by paddling the quiet side of the three island chain upstream of Potter Creek. The turtle is on the quiet side, to shallow other than high tide, for motors. The cormorant is back on the main channel. I did not notice the bober until writing the Tale

My dream house.
At Crab Creek springs. These ducks also are residents.
Here is the last photo of the paddle. Gator across from the launch.

Taken at 1:03 pm. My early start let my get a six plus hour yak in before it got really hot and rainy. As I loaded my kayak, a couple was loading theirs on a truck with a Packer plate. Guess I'm not the only Packer kayaker in Florida.