Lake Maitland and Minnehaha

This morning, Wednesday. October 28, 2009. I was going to paddle from Fort Maitland Park south across Lake Maitland to Lakes Osceola, Virginia and Mizell. But, as I prepared to leave home, I heard that the launch of the Ares X-1, the rocket that is supposed to replace the Space Shuttle, had a 9:15 launch window. I did not want to miss a chance to witness history by being in a canal linking the lakes at lift off. So, I went north, to Lake Minnehaha, figuring I would be in open water at 9:15. I was in the water at 8:30, paddling past the usual Lake Maitland anhingas.

No one was one the Lake. the flat surface disturbed only my me, the anhingas, and a pair of otters.
After swimming, popping up occasionally across a good swath of the Lake, the otters disappeared into shoreline vegetation near the canal leading to Lake Minehaha. I thought they might go overland and join me in the canal, but that was the last I saw of them. The wood duck anhinga portrait in the first pic is from the canal. Here is another.
I'll aways have the covered bridge photo. The utilitarian Howell Branch Road bridge in the background.
Another anhinga duck trio as I entered Lake Minnehaha. Mallards this time.
I usually paddled counter clockwise around Lake Maitland. Today, to get a better view of Ares 1-X, I paddled clockwise, which put be on the west side of the Lake. I would be looking east at 9:15 when 50 miles away at Cape Canaveral, the rocket was set for lift off.









I wonder if the bell owners neighbors told him to put the pole up to stop the clanging. The morning, which began calm, became windy.

At 9:20, I saw a contrail to the east. Plane? It was quite vertical.
I saw a brief glow in the sky, and thought, that's it ! The Ares rocket. Even the anhingas were looking up.
Well, as you know, or perhaps not, I did not see the rocket, which went lifted off at 11:30. I may have seen a T-38 jet, flying around the launch area. The following is from NASA's launch day blog. Astronaut Providing Weather AssistanceWed, 28 Oct 2009 09:39:08 AM EDT
Astronaut Chris Ferguson, pilot of space shuttle mission STS-115 and STS-126 commander, is piloting a NASA T-38 training jet around the launch area to provide his weather observations. Weather still appears to be the determining factor in today's liftoff.

I wonder if the glow I saw was just the sun hitting the jet. It was just a brief flash.

Back to other flying objects. Wood ducks.
Osprey.

Back to the mallards and anhingas, 42 minutes to circle Lake Minnehaha.
I thought the light coming through the Howell Branch Road bridge would make a good photo.
I think the camera agreed. The covered bridge is aways scenic.
Out of the canal, I paddled east, along the south shore of Lake Maitland. The south wind increased, a moderate chop on the largest lake in the Winter Park Chain. I was looking for Howell Creek, which for some reason, I have a hard time locating. Once past the Isle of Sicily, it was time to turn back. I'm in a small bay near the canal here, out on Lake Maitland, much rougher.

I landed about 10:50, a nice 2 plus hour paddle, even though I did not see the launch. Probably was in the shower when it occurred. Before leaving Fort Maitland Park, I picked some fallen kindling sized wood and put it in the car. I have reserved the Buffalo Tram campsite on the Wekiva River Saturday. The Rock Spprings Run sites were already spoken for. Wood gathering is not allowed. I won't be posting Saturday, look for my first camping Tale Sunday