Lakes Maitland, Nina, and Minnehaha

A hint of  things to come at the launch.

Otter footprints in the sand. They were there last Wednesday, too.  I had thought of going to Wekiwa Springs State Park this morning, but it was much to cold to get an early start.  The radio said it was 28 at 7:30.   Frost on the lawns.  I launched at 8:50 from Fort Maitland Park. Wasn't too bad. I had gloves but did not need them.
The footprints pointed east, the direction I paddles, so I kept an eye on the shore and docks.

Wonder if this is the one who left the trail/

Cormorants

Anhinga

Once again I saw these ducks. Could be blue winged teal.  Anybody know?
Into the canal.

Anhinga, Lake NIna.

 Back in the canal.





Into Lake Minnehaha.

Is it just me, or does the above pic have an almost 3-D look?  I've just finished my first beer, so it can't be from that.

Always good to get a photo of wood ducks.  On the suburban lakes, you can get much closer than on wild Blackwater Creek, where this past weekend, I saw them constantly, but as soon as I got within 15 yards, they took off.  Here, with houses, jet skiers, wake boarders and other madness (on weekends) a solo kayaker is just part of the background for these colorful fowl.

I love kayaking because every time on the water, I see or hear, something new.  Today it was a new sound.  From otters.  The sound I have heard otters make is kind of a breathy grunt.  Used when they pop out of the water to eye an intruder, like me.  This morning, I heard a cat like screech.  Only it wasn't a cat.  It was to otters, racing on a dock, and then getting entangled.

They separated.

Better to face the common enemy. Me.

After awhile, they dove in, swam through shoreline grass, popping up doing the grunting I'm familiar with.

A sign of winter, other than the record breaking cold

. 

A woodstork.

Back through the canal to Lake Maitland.

I paddled across to Dog Island, circling it.

Back to Fort Maitland Park, a nice two hour sojourn on the lakes.

Blue wing teal?

Wood ducks

Belted Kingfisher

This is the One Hundredth Seventy Seventh (177) Tale of 2010.  Five are bike only, one Tale about camping in the Seminole State Forest has two days of kayaking.  So, I went kayaking 173 out of 365 days.  I hope to make it 174 tomorrow. At my job, mmanagement is being coy about when we get to leave, but the financial books on the year close at noon.  I hope to be on Blackwater Creek by 2:00.