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.