Lakes Maitland and Minnehaha

Kayaked Lakes Maitland and Minnehaha this morning, Wednesday, August 25, 2010. Lake Nina, too, but only as a transit between the other two lakes. I had thought about paddling the Winter Park portion of the Winter Park Chain, heading south to Lakes Osecola and Virginia, but rain was forecast to come early today, so I decided that longer paddle across the big part of Lake Maitland wasn't a good idea. So, waving goodbye to the ibis at Fort Maitland Park, I headed east along Lake Maitland's north shore at 8:55.


Great egrets.




A blue heron was a few yards away from the second egret. I was aiming the camera when, eee! eee! eee!,,gaack! gaaaack!! A red shouldered hawk, eyes bigger than its stomach, streaked down, trying to get the blue heron, which was about the same size of the hawk. I've seen hawks go after mice, squirrels, snakes, small birds and ducklings, never a blue heron. Reason # 421 why I love kayaking. See something new every time out. The hawk ponders its next move.

Paddled past the canal to Lake Minnehaha to the scenic, dead end canal, unless you want to go over a dam at Howell Branch Road, at the northeast part of Lake Maitland.

This little canal is about the most photogenic place on the entire Winter Park Chain.

Back into a windy and choppy Lake Maitand, headed west, back to the canal to Lake Minnehaha.

Lake Minnehaha.

Anhinga like Lake Minnehaha. As do wood ducks, green herons, osprey and great egrets.

Out of Minnehaha, back in the canal.

Into Lake Maitland.

I landed at 11:05, saw only two other boats in two hours.