Weeki Wachee River

Objects are closer than they appear.

As often happens, I went to bed Friday, undecided on where to kayak on Saturday.  I had three places in mind.  Rock Springs Run, Hillsbourgh River, and Weeki Wachee River.  Woke to go to the bathroom at 5:30, and as I often do, thought, as well as I'm out of bed, I may as well get going.  Decided to go to Weeki Wachee.  In the water at 8:05.

Would have launched a few minutes earlier, but the new pay system had me a bit confused.  Second time I've used the ATM like machine at Rogers Park.  Parking is $5, $2 after 5 PM.   I used my debit card. When I put the receipt on my dash, I noticed it expired at 8 am. October 1.  And was for $2, not $5. Huh?  Must be the machine charges the $2 rate from 5 pm to 7:59 am.   A guy had just launched his kayak.  I looked at his receipt.  $5.  Must have used cash.  I had 4 singles and a 20.  The machine only takes 1s and 5s.   I wasn't about to wait to 8 and swipe my card again, and pay 7 bucks to park.  So, I did not.  Ready to argue my case if I got a ticket.     Which did not happen. 

 Unlike the great blue heron at the "Panama Canal House"  (if you've paddled the Weeki Wachee you know what I mean)  I did not have the legal terms available to read.

The great blue heron was the first photo after launching.  Paused at the Hospital Hole sinkhole.  Although the thermometer fell 10 degrees to begin October, no manatees  were at that cold weather spot.  82 instead of 92 is a long way from cold.

The manatees were further up the River. First two, big one and a calf, soon joined by a third.    Further on, a fourth big one.

 If not for the manatees, it would have been a sparse morning for wildlife.  Not so for people on the Weeki Wachee.  Lots of people coming down River from the launch at Weeki Wachee State Park once I got half way upstream..  Too many for my liking, but by paddling against the flow, both water and traffic,  I just said hello and had the River to myself.  Or until the next group

Got to the "No Vessels Beyond This Point" sign, at 10:30.

I've seen bald eagles on the upper part of the Weeki Wachee.  Not today.

Going down the Weeki Wachee, I try to find that happy medium between the paddlers in front of me and those coming from behind.

I let some of the folks coming from behind pass by taking a sandwich break.

More manatees. Perhaps the same ones I saw on the way up. First one, then 2, mom and calf, I bet those were the same ones I saw earlier, then another lone manatee. 

Returned to Rogers Park at 1:30. And kept  paddling.  Under the Shoal Line Boulevard Bridge, then under a smaller bridge on the north side of the River.   To the tidal creek connecting the Weeki Wachee River to the Mud River.

The creek was very low.  Good for feeding wood storks, green herons and yellow crowned night herons.

Into the Mud River. Despite the name, it is spring fed.

The rivers converge, and flow towards the Gulf of Mexico.  Very shallow today.

The Weeki Wachee, not the Gulf.  I don't think I've seen gulls on sandbars in the river before.

Speaking of low, a low flying bald eagle.  One of two.

Bayport pier.

 These buoys are new.  At least new since my last visit.

See the sea grass?

Turned around at 2:45.

The eagle pair landed.  And took off before I rounded a bend and would have had a much better view.

Returned to Rogers Park via the Weeki Wachee, not the Mud River, tidal creek route.  In the north channel, which only has homes on the south side on this populated part of the River.  Here's the small bridge.

Landed at 3:55.  Almost 8 hours on the water. One reason I paddled the Weeki Wachee was I figured I could get  a bite and catch the Brewer game at the Upper Deck.  But, some event was going on, the place was packed, parking lot overflowing, so I just headed home.  Heard Prince's two run game-clinching shot on the radio.