Saturday, January 16, 2010

Hontoon Island Loop

My Hontoon Loop paddle today, Saturday, January 16, 2010 began the same way my last visit here ended. With a bald eagle across the St Johns River from Blue Springs Run. Well, not exactly the same. In December, there were two eagles.

I arrived at Blue Springs State Park just before the gate opened at 8:00, and was on the water at 8:15.

Manatee with a satellite transmitter.
After observing manatees from the mouth of the Run, off limits to people until March 15, I paddled down the St Johns, going on the west side of the island across from the French Avenue launch. Always a good spot for wildlife. Sandhill cranes and a least bittern.




Back to the main channel of the St Johns, it was nice to paddle in swim trunks and t-shirt for the first time in several weeks. Overcast skies, but only a 20% chance of showers.



Few folks on the River between Blue Spring and Hontoon Island State Parks. The only paddlers, a women's crew team. The day began with a bald eagle. When I reached Lake Beresford and the turn around the north tip of Hontoon Island, the second bald eagle of the morning.






Paddled past the Hontoon Island docks, fuller than they were in December. My favorite boat was berthed. Bold Eagle, out of Green Bay. Packer flag waving proudly.


Into the Hontoon Dead River for the paddle back to Blue Spring.



I always take a look at my old landing area.

Saw 3, 4 boats on the HDR.
















Or is it HLR? Hontoon "Live" River.


Arriving at Snake Creek, I paddled into it, stopping for lunch. It has some of the only high and dry ground on the Hontoon Loop. Much of the shore is cypress trees and knees. Back in the water, but not for long. Snake Creek is still blocked.

I turned around, back to the Hontoon Dead River, to the northernmost canal leading back to the St Johns.






Had I been able to navigate Snake Creek, I would have missed otters in the canal.










Feisty otters, swimming towards me, making the hissing sound otters make, nosily going under, popping up again. Had to be a den nearby. Or whatever you call an otter crib.

Yellow crowned night heron

Just before I exited the canal, I encountered the largest flock of turkeys I've ever seen. 15 or so.































Back on the St Johns, now with a few kayakers at 12:30. A couple manatees had moved from the warmth of Blue Spring Run for lunch.


Back to, and past the launch. 7 kayaks were at the end of the Run, manatee watching. Too crowded for me, so I went to see if any were feeding around the island just down River. None that I saw. Here's what I did see.
















I returned to Blue Spring Run, now just two canoes watching the manatees. And cormorants.





Here comes my "God must love idiots, because he made so many of them" part of this Tale. The canoers, a family in two rentals, parked on top of the boom seen above. A manatee checked them out, and they began petting it. THEY ARENT YOUR DAMN COLLIE. Then, a power boat came, and anchored just outside the sancturay. Where's the cops when you need them? I left, and landed. More dumb, or rather lazy people here. Kayaks blocking the landing area. All rentals. I crashed into one, then pulled it, roughly, out of the way. Here we have renters, and the concessioaire too damn lazy to get the boats out of the way. Later on, the situation was how I had left it, over an hour earlier. I can only shake my head in disaapointment.


Here are manatees viewed from the boardwalk.







My visit ended on a good note. For me, not so much for the boater who anchored on the edge of the sancturay, and one who must have joined him. They were at the tour boat dock, having a discussion with a law enforcement officer, ticket book in hand. The office asked three gentlemen from the two boats to come with him to his car. I love it.
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4 comments:

  1. pineyflatwoodsgirlJanuary 18, 2010 at 10:12 PM

    wow, what a mess of animals!

    ReplyDelete
  2. DaveJanuary 18, 2010 at 10:34 PM

    The above comment had me count the differnt animals. 16. That's a "mess", I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  3. chiefgJanuary 19, 2010 at 4:03 AM

    Dave what is the distance on the Blue springs-Hontoon loop if you can use snake creek?
    Chiefg

    ReplyDelete
  4. DaveJanuary 19, 2010 at 11:39 AM

    cheifg, I have no idea. With the twists and turns, it is called Snake Creek, after all, its a bit longer then going through the northernmost canal, which I think is a 9 mile loop. When not blocked, I think the extra distance is worth it to avoid motor boats.

    ReplyDelete

Well, I tried to allow Anonymous postngs. As soon as I did, I had the same problem with the same person/spammer posting comments. One jerk spoils it for all. So,you'll need to register to post a comment.