Dave's Yak Tales: Hontoon Loop

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Hontoon Loop

Sunday, December 6, 2009 I went to Blue Springs State Park for the first time since September 27. After my long day Saturday at the Ichetucknee and Troy Springs, which including 324 miles of travel, I slept in a bit. I was not in the water until after 10. A pleasant delay chatting with a ranger about kayaks and alligators.

I did not paddle over the boom where these cormorants are perched.

Motorboats aren't allowed past the boom, nothing is allowed past the white buoys in the background, marking the seasonal Blue Springs Run manatee sanctuary. The kayak launch used to be between the boom and buoys, so it was a possible to hang out in the middle with the manatees. At least until a ranger would say to move on. Noting says one can not paddle into the area, but I decided not to. A couple manatees were in the area, but I soon began paddling down the St. Johns River.

Saw two manatees in the River, lots of cormorants, a few anglers, one racing paddler/ Only one photo in the hour ten it took to reach the Hontoon Island State Park docks, this tri colored heron

The slips were a virtual ghost town, no more then 4 of 5 boats sharing space with this great blue heron

Much more wildlife on the Hontoon Dead River, as I paddled south, back towards Blue Spring. "Dead" refers to the lack of current.

Plenty of life, as shown by the above ibis, great egrets and wood stork. At a curve like this, I told a couple fishing in the middle of the River, "Can't do this in the summer, with some idiot coming around the turn at 30 mph". Which is illegal, as the entire HDR is a year round Slow Speed Zone. They were the only people out on the Hontoon Dead River.

Paddled past my old lunch stop. The water was behind the fence in September, the River is falling as we enter the dry season (although over two inches of rain fell Thursday through Saturday)

I made a brief a bit further down River, wedging the yak between cypress knees to stand and pee. Retrieved a sandwich from the cooler, and got back in, eating as I paddled. There are linted spots to stop on the HDR. The best are off the River, on Snake Creek, but I did not feel like taking that detour. A fellow yaker paddled the area mid-week, and told me Snake Creek was blocked. As it had been in September. More ibis.

Red shouldered hawk.

Cormorants.

The only alligator of the day decides 68 degrees is warm enough to soak up solar energy.

I paddled from the HDR to the St Johns through the northern most logging canal.

Back to the St Johns, home to a turtle or two

And,cousin to the cattle egret, the manatee egret

A snowy egret, using a manatee as a feeding platform. A blue heron rode another manatee, only briefly

These manatees, and more were feeding where I often see them, across and up River from Snake Creek

I paddled to Blue Spring Run, as a group of four kayakers came from the other direction. To crowded for me, so I continued to the island across from the French Avenue launch. I had seen nothing there in the morning, now green heron

Anhinga

Least bittern,

and, more manatees, at another favorite feeding spot not to far from the warm waters of Blue Spring Run

I went back to those warm waters, watching a train of manatees leave the Run, into the St Johns. I drifted outside the boom, watching. One curious manatee approached.

The kayak quartet came back, led by a woman, speaking in a little girl voice "ohh I wonder if the one I petted is still here" Made me want to puke. I tried to set a good example.

Girly girl and her friends found manatees to pet. Touch them once, if you have some mistaken belief a wild animal is a pet, but don't continue to rub them. This sign is at the old launch.

Even illiterates can see the universal no slash of a hand on a manatee in the lower left corner. Perhaps this is needed at the new launch, and French Avenue, where I believe the harassing quartet came from. Meanwhile, I heard a woman on the fishing, tour boat dock, say "its a bald eagle" No its not, just another vulture. I had see a bald eagle, flying over the Hontoon Dead River. I turned around, saw the vultures, and not just one, but two bald eagles.

On top of the two tallest pines across the St Johns. Like a 1950's sitcom, the married couple in twin beds.

I did not tell the manatee petters to lift their heads and turn around. I landed, got the yak on the car, then walkeda long the boardwalk along Blue Springs Run.