Juniper Creek and more

"More" includes a land side view of Fern Hammock Spring, above. I like to start off with a photo from the kayak, but this is the best of the day. The day being Saturday, November 7, 2009. I kayaked Juniper Creek for the first time since last February. Juniper Spring and the surrounding picnic area had been closed. The seven mile paddle up Juniper Creek is difficult, if I can't refresh in the Spring at the end, I'll paddle someplace else. When I found out the repairs had been completed, it was time for a visit.




I launched from the Juniper Wayside, where U.S. Highway crosses the Creek, at 7:00 am. This great blue heron was at the launch site.

The photo was taken a few minutes after launch, as the GBH kept flying up the Creek. Steam rose off the Creek, water warmer than the air. First time that has happened this season. I thought of wearing a windbreaker, but knew it would warm up soon, so I left it in the car. T-shirt and swim trunks. As I write on Sunday, weather.com reports it was 59 at 7:00 am in Astor, Florida. The temperature rose 79 at noon, and stayed there through the afternoon.

Juniper Creek, in my experience, is not a place with a lot of wildlife. What it lacks in quantity, it makes up in quality. Bald eagles are common, none today. Deer are often seen, I saw two on the way up stream. Not a lot of alligators for a Florida fresh water paddle, I saw one all day, on the way up Creek. The great blue heron is the only wildlife photo I took during the seven mile paddle. Which was harder than I remembered. I was reminded why it seemed harder, because it was harder. A new spring opened up on the left bank last year, adding a considerable volume of water to the first couple miles of the paddle. Just below the new spring, the water flows extremely fast. Mini rapids. Here's a photo from the down creek paddle.

Here is the former half-way dock.

Took 95 minutes to get here. I stayed in the yak, continued up Juniper Creek. Did not see any other paddlers until I was almost to Juniper Springs. Six vessels headed down Juniper Run, 2 kayaks, 4 rental canoes. I arrived at the Juniper Springs Recreation Area launch about 10 am. A Rec area employee at the launch was surprised to see me coming up stream. He was much nicer than the jerk in February who told me I could not paddle upstream, even helped me carry the kayak and put it off to the side, out of the way of people launching. And a lot of people were launching, carts used to portage canoes backed up on the boardwalk.

I walked past Juniper Springs to the Rec Area entrance to pay. The really don't expect upstream visitors, no honor box, you can't pay at the concession. Back to Juniper Spring. There are two main vents

I shared the Spring with one swimmer.

The following is cut and pasted from the US Forest Service's Ocala National Forest webpage. "Improvements to Juniper Springs Day Use Area include repairing the wall around the spring, filling in voids behind the wall and underneath the sidewalks, installing new sidewalks around the spring, replacing the diving platform, and landscaping using native plants. The historic Millhouse was also refurbished to last for many years to come.
Future additions include new picnic tables and interpretive signs which will be added over the next few months."

I wonder if the construction activity has anything to do with the proliferation of algae in the Spring pool.





I sat on an old picnic table, had a sandwich, then took the 3/4 mile walk to Fern Hammock Spring. Past three turkeys roosting in a tree. No photo.
Photos of Fern Hammock Spring. One of my favorite places.

A short walk from Fern Hammock Spring, is this smaller, unnamed Spring.
I passed the spring on my way to the Fern Hammock Tent Camp Area. Now that I'm a camper, I need to check these things out. The sites have nice amenities, picnic tables, grill, fire pit and lamp post, are are too close together for my liking. If I camp there, I want site 73. Closest to Fern Hammock Spring, with only one neighbor. A VW Westphalia that I had seen drive in when I went to the entrance to pay, was parked there.



I slowly walked back on the boardwalk from Fern Hammock Springs back to the day use/Juniper Springs area. Several overlooks give a view of Juniper Creek. Nice for watching people headed down stream. I wanted them to get well ahead of me before I began my return trip. A big group of kids with adult chaperones paddled past. I was able to impart some advice after watching one pair, paddling furiously, hit the bank. "Next time, when you are about to hit something, paddle backwards" "Oh.... thank you." I am lucky to have started paddling at an early age. I'm not sure who taught me, but as the fifth of seven children, I assume it was my older siblings. Who provided loving advice, "Paddle backwards, stupid !" as only older brothers can. I do recall they emphasised the necessity of not bagking the paddle against the canoe-scares the fish.

I had a nice chat with the owner of the Westphalia, who was visiting Juniper Springs for the first time. I did something for the first time. Watched the entire film about Juniper Creek in the concession. Its good, but they need to add basic paddling skills. I watched to kill time, until the last rental canoe, out at noon. was well down the Creek. I on my way at 12:45.
. Paused 15 minute later to let three people who launched their kayaks just after me, get ahead. I let the flow of Juniper and Fern Hammock Springs do most of the work as I entered the Wilderness.

As on the way up, I saw two deer on the way down, wish I had a better picture.
Hard to tell from the head shot, but this doe is enormous. It nervously shifted from side to side as I approached. When I got closer, I saw a second, smaller deer in the shadow of the big one. Little one ran into cover. Big one walked, looked back as I snapped the picture, than went into the forest.

Paddling on I heard voices, and the clang of paddle on canoes. I waited until I could not hear it, plus a minute, and continued. It happened again, I waited again. The third time, I past the youth group, getting out at the half way point. They won't make the 5:30 shuttle van back to the Recreation Area, I thought. They'd have to fly.




Speaking of flight, here is a look at the new spring rushing out of the bank.

The fast stretch of water below the spring, which seemingly took several minutes to struggle against in the morning, was a fast fun ride in the afternoon.

I returned to Highway 19 just after 4. A large group of paddlers waited for the shuttle. Which arrived, only having to wait behind a couple taking a long time to secure a canoe on their pick up. I walked past, carrying the contents of my kayak, saying, "You may want to just get it good enough to move, then secure it in the parking area". The shuttle driver smiled as I walked by. The truck driver heard me too, and by the time I had walked to my car, was next to me, securing his canoe for the drive home. I like it when people take my advice. I did, driving to the bank, getting the yak quickly on the roof, finishing the job in the parking lot, not the driveway loop. As I secures the yak, a second van came to pick up paddlers, the first one had been full. I saw that the youth group did not have to worry about the last shuttle. A bus with "Silver Springs Marine Institute", and trailer waited. Curious, I searched "Silver Springs Marine Institute". Its an organization for "at risk youth" in Marion County.




Kayak safely on the car, I made the three mile drive north on 19 to Silver Glen Springs. The entrance booth was unoccupied, typical for non-summer months. But the small store, where I normally pay, was also closed. I paid at the honor box. Glad I had a five spot in my wallet, as opposed to only twenties, for the $4.28 fee.

No stripped bass, rays or amber jacks this visit, just a lot of mullet.

Only one other person in the massive Spring. If not for a big houseboat just beyond the no boat area, generator humming nosily, it would have been perfect.

I was about to get out, and thought, I haven't seen a turtle.

I flowed it as it fled me, diving into the Spring crater.

Out of the Spring, I put my snorkel gear in the car. A lesson learned the hard way a few years ago when I had unattended items stolen. Then a short walk on the Lake George Trail. It as almost 5 PM, a good time to see deer. And I did. Only a short stroll, as the sun was setting and I wanted to take the short walk to the spring boils at the end of the Boils Trail. A spot where I saw two bears last November. Walking past the Spring, a Recreation Area worker, perhaps the only one on duty, asked if I needed help. No, just going to the Boils Trail. We close at sunset,. I thought it is 8 pm. No sunset. So I walked quickly.

No bears at the Boils.

Natural Well Spring.


Another case of a Recreation Area employee making up the rules?

I ended the day across Highway 19 on the Yearling Trail, looking for scrub jays. Saw none, I wonder if the massive fire last March caused them to find a new home. I did get a nice sunset photo.