Sunday, January 2, 2011

Rock Springs Run

Made the first of what will be many visits to Wekiwa Springs State Park in 2011 today, Sunday, January 2. Turkeys in the parking lot.

I was on the water at 9 am.




The usual down the Wekiva River, up Rock Springs Run.



 A beautiful day. Got up to 79, light wind, partly cloudy.  I was warm on the unshaded sections. First time I recall feeling warm, working up a sweat, since Thanksgiving in the Keys.




No one paddling, Otter Camp and Indian Mound were empty. A canoe was beached at Big Buck.



Past Big Buck, I encountered the first downstream paddlers.  A kayaker, followed a few minutes later by a solo canoer in a King's Landing Rental.  I turned back at 11:10, after taking the above photo. 




Passing Big Buck again, the canoer had stopped there, chatting with some hikers. I continued, taking a break at Indian Mound, taking a brief walk of my own.

Back in the yak, past Otter Camp.
Continuing down the Run.



I did not see any deer.  Somewhat unusual for Rock Springs Run.  As I got closer to the Wekiva, I began to encounter folks enjoying the nice day.



It was so warm, that I saw turtles sunning from the start of the paddle. Surely, I'd see gators.  Saw one, at it quickly went into the water.
Returning to the Wekiva, paddlers were talking about a monkey.  On Rock Springs Run, just upstream of the confluence.  From the description, brown, long tail, it had to be a rhesus monkey. Cold weather migrant from the Silver River? 
I paddled back up the Run, then down the Wekiva, but it was gone.
I did see an otter.
Landed at 1:45.  Took a hike, about 4 miles.




 Coming to a fork in the trail, I took it.  A seat.  And then headed back.
No deer on land or water today.



Snorkeled the minnow packed Wekiwa Spring.



I made one last deer search.  Drove to Sand Lake.  Shut out, deer speaking, for the day.
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2 comments:

  1. LuisJanuary 3, 2011 at 7:21 PM

    Master Dave, I did paddle Rock Springs Run today. Made it all the way to Big Buck Camp(and 15 more minutes). For the first time took a pic of a deer, a doe, and also saw a gator so big that my heart almost came out of my chest. It caught me off guard since never imagine that something so big can be in such a shallow, and narrow, place. The gator near Big Buck after Indian Mound.Looking forward to the end of your tale.

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  2. DaveJanuary 3, 2011 at 9:09 PM

    Congrats on your first deer DK, or as I said over on the Greem Wave Forum,"Master Luis" Folks, Dark Knight saw, and has a photo of a coyote on the Hillsborough River. Something I have not done. As far as the big gator, I have seen a very big one on RSR. But its been a while. For a time last year it was hanging out on the curvy, wooded section just down Run of Otter camp.

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