Hillsborough River

Kayaked the Hillsborough River today, Saturday, July, 9 2011.  Launched from Trout Creek Park at 8:20.   I used the new dock, which I have made disparaging comments about on past Tales.  My concern was the railings, would it be hard to turn the yak on the "T" dock, and footing on the cross of the "T".  It is indented to hold the rollers.    I had no problems.  Picked up the yak, laid  it on the rollers, got in, grabbed the hand rails and pushed into the River.   Better than scraping the bottom pushing off from shore. 

Great blue heron

Great Egret

Osprey

Young great blue heron? 

Anhinga

Lots of great egrets. Or maybe the same one, just flying downstream to pose again.

Alligator

No one on the River until I passed Morris Bridge Park, the 1/2 way point to Sargaent Park.

Turtles

Wood stork

Recent rains have caused the Hillsborough to rise.  To what I consider "normal" summer depth. I use quotation marks as Florida weather is so fluctuating, there is no "normal".

I think I saw as many alligators as people.

Approaching Sargeant Park, 11:25.

I did not land, yet.  Instead, I continued paddling up the Hillsborough.    Not for long, the "Seventeen Runs" section of the River is not cleared.  The above pic is after I turned around.  I could have skooched over a couple logs and gone further, but I had already been on the River three hours.

The alligator in the opening photo was on the above log when I entered the  Seventeen Runs.  I landed, and ate lunch.

 The local outfitter will soon have an on site operation. For now, if renting, you still go to the off River location and are bused to  Sargeant Park.  A bus came, just as I was finishing lunch.  One canoe, three ladies.  I thought I'd let them go out ahead of me.  But, a truck with a trailer, 6 kayaks pulled in,  I made my way down the canal to the Hillsborough.

 A good pillow makes all the difference.

 Osprey lunch

It began to rain. One paddling pair I had seen on the way up River were now headed up stream.   The asked how far it was to Morris Bridge.  "About an hour"  They kept paddling up River.  Not a choice I would have made. They were closer to Morris Bridge than Sargeant Park.

 Rain coming down at Morris Bridge.  It had been raining harder. It stopped soon after. I did not. Stop.

Red shouldered hawk.  No, its not about to dive.  Just the angle from under the tree.

 Apple snail  shell. Link from the University of Florida.

Black crowned night heron.  And turtle.

I returned to Trout Creek Park at 3:45.  Did not land, paddled up Trout Creek

I did not see the huge gators that are in scenic creek.  Just a young blue heron.

Back on the Hillsborough, a female black crowned night heron

How do I know it female?   Dudes don't do the one leg in front model pose.
Landed at 4:40.

Used the dock again. If paddling with a group, it would be more efficient for everyone to land on the bank, as the dock has room for one kayak.  Or two, if the second paddler enters from the other side.  But, one would still have to wait for the other to lift the yak and walk up the ramp.

I went for a short bike ride.  Hillsborough Wilderness Park has a great trail system.  I think I got off the trail here.

It lead to an old road.  Must be pre 1960, when Hurricane Donna hit the Tampa area.  Wilderness Park was developed after that for flood control.  When the water gets high, a gate spanning the River is closed, and the water backs up behind it.  Flooding the area I paddled, not urban Tampa.

Stopped for a few final photos on the way out.