Blackwater Creek, Wekiva River

Seminole State Forest to Katie's Landing.  One way paddle, did a shuttle with Stephanie.  Underway, under the bridge, at 9:50.

I saw two otters on the right bank soon after we began.  One went into the forest, the other dove in the Creek.  About 5 minutes later, an otter, maybe the same one, swam upstream.

We slowly drifted down Blackwater Creek.

 Saw more limpkins then any other bird.  I think I saw three, two of them above.  A couple turkeys moved into the trees too quickly for me to get a photo.

Resurrection fern. So named because it dries up, seems dead, but with a little rain, turns green.  It rained last night.  Today's forecast called for a 20% chance of rain.

 Another limpkin.

 I've been on Blackwater Creek 3 of the last 5 days.  So has the above juvenile blue heron

We had been on the Creek for an hour forty minutes when I heard something in the trees.  I looked up, scanned back and forth, there they were.

I don't think I've ever got a photo of two bears.  I've seen three at a time.  Found my "Davilocks, or How I Tree'd Tree Bears" email from June, 2006.  Only one bear pictured. 

Stephanie has to see this.  "Oh Stephanie"  I called, softly.  Too soft for her, loud enough for the bears, who scrambled down the tree and ran into the forest.  Watching them run makes me think it was a bear, not a hog, I saw Saturday, same general area, other side of Blackwater Creek.

Paddling along, I heard what sounded like a sneeze.  From my left.  I don't know if deers sneeze, but there they were. Two doe.  Pretty good day, so far.  Otters, bears, deer.  Photos of all.  But where were the alligators?  I told Stephanie, as the clouds cleared, I expected to see a lot of alligators after a cloudy Saturday and Sunday morning.  Figured they be on the banks, soaking up the sun's energy.  Figured wrong. The clouds are back, saw just two alligators on Blackwater Creek.  Here's one.

Scary, aint it?

A few photos from Stephanie.

If these are from Blackwater Creek, they must be before the ant attack.  Somehow, a colony of ants got on my left arm, neck and back.  Well, maybe not a colony, but when I put my right arm inside my left armpit and began brushing out ants, it was time for stronger measures.  Off came hat, PFD, shirt.  Shirt in the Creek to drown the little buggers.   Some survived that, so I picked them off, one by one.

 Reached the Wekiva River at 1:20.  The great egret, below was on the left, downstream, the way I paddled Saturday.  Today, we headed upstream

It had drizzled a couple times, lightly, on Blackwater Creek.  More frequent rain on the Wekiva.  I didn't care, my shirt was wet already. 

One of the stronger rain showers.  I wasn't sure what theses birds were when I took the photo. I was thinking vulture.  But now, seeing the white breast, have to be osprey with tucked in out of the rain.

I counted 9 other boats as we paddled towards Katie's Landing.  Two kayaks, seven motor.  Five of the motorboats at once, so that was good.  Over and done with.  On  Blackwater Creek, one motorboat.  Two guys trolling.

 The gators we saw were all of the 2-3 foot variety.

Landed at 3:40, but not before exploring the area across from Katie's Landing for some  final photos.

 Snowy egret.

Got the yaks on my car, drove to the Seminole State Forest, unlocked the gate, and drove 2.5 miles on the dirt road to get Stephanie's car at the launch.

I stopped at the Bear Pond fishing dock.

Walked around for a bit.

First robins I've seen this fall, a good sized flock. Nice way to end the day.