Haulover Canal

With the days getting longer I did my first after work paddle of the season today, Thursday, April 1, 2010. My first thought was to go to Wekiwa Springs State Park and paddle Rock Springs Run for a couple hours. But, I'll be in that system this weekend, camping on Blackwater Creek, and a light chop was forecast on the Intercoastal. So, at 4:30, I was off to Haulover Canal, a place I had not been since December 27, 2009. That's a lot of weekends with rough marine weather, so I've been mostly paddling inland. So, it was nice to launch into the Indian River at 6 PM as three dolphins fed.
One is in front of the Slow Speed sign. A kayaking family of three were watching the dolphins, and several human anglers were competing for the fish coming out of Haulover Canal. I paddled the 1 mile or so crossing to Mullet Head Island. Rosette spoonbill.
Great blue heron










Brown pelicans and great blue heron

More pelicans. As I paddled to the bird sanctuary, one of the many pelicans flying to the island had its beak full as it flew. Expanded, it looked like a cartoon bird. I've never seen that, in flight the beak is usually shut and streamlined. At Mullet Head, I saw another pelican, this one in the trees, also with an expanded beak. It let a fish slide out, into a nest I could not see. Big beaks, a pelican shopping cart.

Cormorant, ibis and brown pelican

Reddish egret
Ibis

I thought all the white pelicans had gone north of the season. After all, I've been seeing swallow tail kites above my inland waterways, a spring and summer visitor from the south. Not South Florida, South America. I do not think I've ever seen a solitary white pelican.

Least tern.

Mullet Head circuit complete, I paddled back towards the Canal, across the entrance to the alternate, less traveled route. Blue heron.

I did not see any dolphins in "Dolphin Cove", nor manatees in Bairs Cove. Great blue heron, south bank, Haulover Canal.
As I neared the State Road 3 drawbridge, a manatee surfaced, the only one I had a good look at on the evening. No manatees at the Overlook either, which had been closed in December. The viewing area for landlubbers has been expanded.
Six to ten boats were in the Canal, fishing. More on the banks. Fishing was good, from what I could hear. Red fish and black drum. When I landed a saw a guy on the shore land a sea trout. The kayaking family were the only other paddlers, I was them again, headed to the Indian River as I paddled out to the Mosquito Lagoon. With the usual detour into the area north of the Canal. Back in the Canal, and into the Lagoon, Too hazy to see the launch towers with the Space Shuttle to the south. Prepped for liftoff early Monday.
I turned back. A manatee swam very close by, but all I saw was the distinctive wake.

Under the drawbridge

Bairs Cove, with temporay Coast Guard barracks for Monday's launch I really should go see it, but I doubt I will.
Sunset on the Indian River.


Landed at 7:45, plenty of light to get the yak on the car. And no mosquitoes. Something I was worried about as I could not find my bug juice in the car. And they can be nasty. Don't see it in the house either, I'll have to remember to pick some up tomorrow before the weekend's adventure.