St Johns River, Snake Creek

My job requires that I work one Saturday a month,  for four hours. During that week, I work four hours one week day.  To maximize daylight, I picked this week to be my Saturday work week, and today to be the half week day.  I got off at 1:00, and headed to Blue Spring State Park.  Thinking about maximizing daylight, I did not enter the Park proper, but kept going straight on French Avenue where it turns into a dirt road and taking it to the St. Johns River.  This way, I would not have to be concerned about leaving the State Park at sunset.

Just one vehicle and trailer parked near the River.  With a yellow plate, a State vehicle. The above auto turned around.

After photoing the flock, I launched at 2:10.

Paddled across a windy St. Johns to the area behind the island across from the French Ave. launch.

Saw the first manatee of the day in the channel between the island and the west bank.  Thought it might lead me to more manatees, but I did not see any more in the waters on the west side of the island.

I made a circle in the area behind the island, staying out of the worst of the wind and maximizing bird watching.

 Back on the main part of the St Johns River, paddling to Blue Spring Run.

 The board covers "Motor". November 15 to March 1, no entry is allowed into the Run.  Unless you are a manatee.

 Not a lot of manatees, that I could see, in the Run. I was expecting more, it got down to the 40's last night. Maybe in the high sixties as I paddled.  Had on long pants and a long sleeved shirt. One layer. I saw two other kayakers, in Park rentals.  These were the only power boats.

Park tour and Volusia County Sheriff.  That explained the government tag at French Ave. If I were a Volusia County taxpayer I'd question why the boat is on the water on a weekday with no one on the water. To be fair, I have seen it out on weekends, when an enforcement presence is needed.

I let the north wind push me south. A northbound manatee had to rise high out of the water to get a breath as it swam into the wind and waves.   To get out of the wind, I entered Snake Creek.

Paddling down Snake Creek, I saw a log with a great blue heron and a great egret.  That'll be a good photo, if I get it.  But the great egret flew off, as did an ahhinga I had not seen.  And, on shore a buck splashed through the waterlogged forest.

It's back there, somewhere.  The great blue stayed put.

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  Turned back at 3:50.  Soon thereafter, the only alligator of the day.





 I've been kayaking in Snake Creek since 2005, but had never seen a manatee in its waters.  Until today.  I looked down,, and there was the distinctive oval wake of a manatee just below the surface. Didn't see the manatee for a while as I followed its wake.  Finally, it came up for air. I did not get a pic.  The pic I took is the opening photo.  I can see the manatee's wake as it enters the St. Johns.


 Return to Blue Spring Run.

“If I could have, to hold forever, one brief place and time of beauty, I think I might choose the
night on that high lonely bank above the St. Johns River.”

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

 It's not a high bank, but the sunset over the St Johns at the island across from French Ave has its own timeless beauty.

Landed at 5:20.  On a full launch area.   Not with boats, just cars.  The same group that was there when I last launched from French Ave three years ago, before I got my annual Parks pass.  With a fire in a barrel, beer, or coffee in hand, these guys meet after work and shoot the breeze.  "Glad to see the St. Johns Beverage and Philosophical Society is still meeting"   "More like psychological"