Blue Spring State Park

I kayaked the St. Johns River at Blue Spring State Park after work today, Saturday, September 15, 2011. Actually, not right after work, I had to make a detour to the airport area to pick up my sister, who is in town for a  Musical event. No, she is not up for an award.

With our late start, I worried the Park might be full.  Manatee fans.  Deleon Springs was my plan B.  Arriving at Blue Springs State Park, a Fish and Wildlife officer was in the road, and cars were lined up on the dirt road leading to the launch at the end of French Ave.   The officer told us the wait was ten minutes.  I had my doubts, but got in line.  I was right, the wait was not ten minutes, it was less.  Monica got a rental kayak, and we were on the St Johns about 1:40.

Cormorants 1

Monica

She took one of me. As did someone else, I'll get to that later.  We watched manatees for a while at the mouth of Blue Springs Run, then paddled over to the island across from the French Avenue launch.

It was a beutiful afternoon, the jacket came off.

Great blue heron 2

Great egret 3

Anhinga 4

I wanted to show my sister manatees in more places then the Spring Run. Any one can see them there. I have seen manatees many times in the water on the inner part of the island.

Turtle 5



Ibis 6

No manatees, at first.  But I saw a couple in a tandem kayak, camera, at the ready.  What were they looking at.  Then, one of them put her hand in the water.  People do that to attract manatees. I don't know if it works.  I later learned she had her camera in the water.   It was a a manatee, a large one, which swam towards us.  Wanting to give the other kayakers their space, we paddled to the other side of the channel as we headed back to the Park area. Saw more manatees in the main part of the St Johns as we paddled towards Snake Creek.

Osprey 7

Red shouldered hawk 8

Monica decided to lay back at Snake Creek. I paddled on for a few minutes, then came back,  seeing a couple manatees.  My wise older sister saw several manatees as she quietly floated. We headed back to Blue Spring, where two fishing boats were on the edge of the no entry zone.  One tied to a post at the edge of  the run. Wonder if that's legal.  Could be.  A Florida Department of Law Enforcement boat went by without comment. On the other had, maybe he didn't see it.

We landed, carried the yak to the car.  I suggested to my sister that she take a stroll on the boardwalk along Blue Springs Run  while I put the kayak on the car.  As I was securing it, a couple walked up. Do I know these people?  Turns out I do, but only from Dave's Yak Tales and the Green Wave Forum.  Luis, aka Darkknight, and "Mrs. Knight"  They were the couple in the tandem kayak.  Mrs Knight, and I apologize for not recalling your name, showed me a picture she took of me.  Funny thing is, my sister had asked about people who read this blog, and I had mentioned Luis. It was a pleasure to finally meet them. Although, I do have to question Luis' choice of headgear.  The only Falcon hat I saw. There were lots of folks in Packer green and gold in the Park.