Rock Springs Run

Major issues with the compuer. I had a bad program removed, but the geeks removed all my pics too. Lost 6 hours of my life getting them back- and its still not right.

They also deleted my downloading program from Canon.  I put the disc in, rebooted the program.  But is still isn't working right.  It used to download pics from the camera, creating a folder with the pictures I took that day,  with the date.  That isn't working.  I have to insert the memory card, let all 2300 pictures download, copy the days pics into a new folder, then stick them here.  It's taken a while to figure it all out. I hate having to change direction.

I had not been to Wekiwa Springs State Park and Rock Springs Run since February. March could be the first month since the inception of Dave's Yak Tales, and before, that I did not visit at least once. I hoped the concessionaire at King's Landing had cleared any debris from Wednesday's storms. Bad for business to send people down the Run if its blocked. I asked the ranger at the Park gate about the conditions. "There's a tree down between the Wekiva and Otter camp. Canoes have trouble, but you should make it in the kayak"  I launched a 9:10.

"Between the Wekiva and Otter camp" covers about 3 miles. I figured the blockage would be in the heavily wooded area.  It wasn't.

This is it.  Good thing it was in the first open area.  A narrow, shallow channel flowed to the right of the toppled trees. A 3-4 section of mud above the waterline.  I pushed across, rather than getting out and sinking in the mud.

This gator was just up Run of the spot where it almost looks like a new spring enters the Run.  Not a spring, just water flowing under and through the underbrush at a sharp turn.

I paddled to the end of the second open area up Run of Big Buck camp.  View looking up Run at the turn around.

And down.

Turned around at 11:00. My memory has faded as I write this a day later, but I think the only people I saw on the way up the Run were campers coming back from Otter camp.. Had to be Otter, as it had smoke rising from the campfire as I passed.  Indian Mound was empty, and no boats were visible at Big Buck.  That site is not visible from the Run, you have to walk a bit to get there.  I took a break on the shore at Big Buck.

As I got back in the yak, a group of boisterous paddlers came down the Run.  Boys being boys. Loud.  I  let them pass and get out of earshot.  I caught up to them again, at the high ground Run left up Run of Indian Mound.  Let them get ahead once again.  I gave them more space when I stopped at Otter camp and poured my spare water bottle on the still smoking logs.

Speaking of logs, the rain has not raised Rock Springs Run to where it was last spring, when this stump was underwater.

 I was a bit surprised to see the gator still there.  Must have been a thrill for the kids, as the Run is very narrow in that spot.

It was the only gator I saw.  No deer.  Here's the route around the downed trees.

I was surprised by the number of hardy paddlers that got past the blockage.  A

6, maybe 8 boats in a couple groups.  Both which asked where "the" alligator was.

 A prothonotary warbler at the confluence of Rock Springs Run and the Wekiva.

I like the description from the Cornel U site.  "A brilliant yellow-orange bird of southeastern wooded swamps, the Prothonotary Warbler is a striking sight"

I returned to a very crowded Wekiwa Springs State Park at 1:30.  Didn't even consider a swim.  Well, I did, as I drove out if there had been an empty parking space in the area closest to the Spring, I would have stopped, and jumped in. But, there was not.