Dave's Yak Tales

Cedar Key Sunset

Monday, April 12, 2010

Turkey Creek

After two days of somewhat legnthey trips, Friday on the Ichetucknee and Silver Rivers, and Saturday on the Chassahowitzka and some of its tributaries, I needed an easy paddle. And one where I might see manatees and dolphins. I had not been to Turkey Creek since July, and last March, I saw manatees. So, off to Palm Bay. Put in at the launch area just past the Port Malabar Road Bridge. A mountain biker stopped his wheels to ask where I got mine. Kayak cart, not Nissan. LL Bean. He saw manatees in the Creek last week. Cutting to the chase, I saw none today, nor any dolphins in Palm Bay. The launch site puts you in the best part of Turkey Creek, full of high banks and a thick hammock.












Beautiful, but shoirt, I soon reached the dam and turned back. Overcast, the Creek's many turtles weren;t yet out at 10:30. One alligator, in a cove where I saw manatees my last visit.

Down stream of the Port Malabar Road bridge, the banks are non-descript. Low lying, shrubbery. Lots of cotton like plants.
Maybe it is cotton, what do I know, I'm from Wisconsin. I did not see many birds, an osprey, a kingfisher, until I got into the area where the Creek gets wider near Goode Park. Usually a prime manatee spot.










The best birding spot was on the northeast corner of Palm Bay. Ibis, a great egret and a tricolred heron in the mangroves. Traffic on US 1 100 yards away. Missed the tricolored heron as two kids road their bikes on the dock to fish.

Palm Bay was choppy, I paddled about 2/3 of the way across to the Indian River, where whitecaps churned. So I turned back to the shelter of Turkey Creek.






Paddled back to the dam, then down stream to the launch site. A nice four hours on the water.

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