Rock Springs Run

I worked half a day today, Friday, August 13, 2010. I'll work 4 hours tomorrow morning. So, I went to Wekiwa Spring State Park. Which was very busy. I launched about 2:15.

Not as crowded as on a weekend, but close. I guess the August family vacation isn't just an "Up North" thing.

I figured once I got up Run of the sand bar, Run right, I'd have is mostly to myself. I did, just two canoes coming down from Kings Landing, two more that had gone up and back. I had a report from a fellow paddler that she saw a bear Wednesday in the same area I saw one Saturday. If there today, I did not see, or hear it. Just after this great blue heron
I saw the first deer of the day, on the other side of the Run.
As you see, by not seeing a deer, it went into the tall grass. Perhaps when I get my repaired/new camera, I won't be missing photos. Just a reminder, since last Saturday, when my Powershot SD 1100 broke, I'm using an old camera, SD 600, broken video screen, broken zoom, so pics aren't up to Yak Tales standards. This is the end of the second open area. I kept paddling.


Turned around at 4:30.

Stopped at Big Buck, a little after 5, to refill the water bottle, and get a granola bar from the cooler.

As you can see, I was back in what I call an "open area". So, what was a long doing on the bank. A big log. That's no log.

A very large alligator. Wonder if its the same one that used to hang out on the bank a bit further downstream- in an area with a couple tight turns, so you'd come around the bend, and, boom! there it was. Got a deer pic, above. If only the zoom was working.

Saw another deer, but too deep in the woods, would not have got a pic with any camera.

Here is where I really missed a full functional camera.

The buck stood for a long time as I approached. It then walked away, crossed the Run, and joined a second buck. Together they walked, than ran away. A few minutes later, they, or was it a different pair, were back on the other bank. Crossing the Run again, or, if two new deer, for the first time. The opening photo. Back on the Wekiva, saw the first people I had seen in about 4 hours, a father and son, fishing. Actually, trying to get a hook out of a bush. Lots of tri colored and green herons in the weed choked lagoon.
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Rain fell as I landed at 7:15, a 5 hour day. Maybe it stirred up the ground for the pecking turkeys as I loaded the yak on the car.