After a long day Saturday at Myakka River State Park, I needed something easy today, Sunday, January 24, 2010. Haulover Canal is always a good choice, but the marine forecast had rough seas. Rough seas due to wind. Rock Springs Run is good on windy days, but I did not want to make the upstream paddle. I decided to do the Econ, utilizing the car/bike shuttle so I would only have to paddle downstream. The biggest problem would be biking a few miles into the wind, forecast to begin blowing at 15-20 mph starting at 9. Went to bed after midnight, so I thought I might hit the wind. Woke at 7:15. Figured if I didn't get up, I'd just think about kayaking anyway, so I got out of bed. Dropped the yak at the 419 Bridge, drove to the Snow Hill Rd Bridge, and biked back to 419. The wind had not yet picked up, and for half the ride, eastbound, was at my back. It kicked up just as I launched at 9:10.
The Econ, with high wooded banks, is a good place to be on a windy day. Although I was going down river, the first part of the paddle was not easy. Swift current, lots of obstacles to avoid. Plenty of back paddling to avoid partially submerged logs and branches rising from the water. I did not see any alligators, much to my surprise. Not a lot of birds. Great blue herons, anhingas,hawks, and wood ducks. No pics of any of them. About a third of the way into the paddle, in a cove off the main channel, I saw and smelled dead fish. No where near as bad as Saturday on the Myakka. The vultures were doing their job.
The Econ, with high wooded banks, is a good place to be on a windy day. Although I was going down river, the first part of the paddle was not easy. Swift current, lots of obstacles to avoid. Plenty of back paddling to avoid partially submerged logs and branches rising from the water. I did not see any alligators, much to my surprise. Not a lot of birds. Great blue herons, anhingas,hawks, and wood ducks. No pics of any of them. About a third of the way into the paddle, in a cove off the main channel, I saw and smelled dead fish. No where near as bad as Saturday on the Myakka. The vultures were doing their job.
For a time I thought the vulture would be the only bird pic I'd get, having to fill this Tale with River views.
I saw eagles. Three. High in the sky. Circling higher, and going up River. I finally got a non-vulture pic. A belted kingfisher.
A few minutes later, I heard an, or maybe two eagles. Another cove, with tall dead trees where I've seen eagles before. A nest. With both parents present.
Since I have so few photos from this morning, I'm posting most of the pics I got of the nesting pair.
Another belted kingfisher.
I took a break at the Flagler Trail Bridge.
The Econ was busier than usual, but I passed more people on the banks then paddling, four.
If not for the eagles, this belted kingfisher on a fern draped oak branch, palms in the background, may have been the lead photo.
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