Myakka River

I visited Myakka River State Park today, January 14,  2012, for the first time since April.   A cold front moved through, so I headed south in search of warmth.  Not very warm. low 46, high 61 today in nearby Sarasota.  Nearby to Myakks River State Park, that is.  A 142 mile drive from my home to water's edge.  Which was further from the road than usual.  The Myakka River is low.  I knew that, having checked the River height here.  The low levels were confirmed by the ranger as I obtained my Wilderness Permit so I could paddle south of State Highway 72.
I was in the water at 8:30, launching near the Park Road bridge.  By in the water, I mean in the water.  I had to get out of the kayak and pull it along until I got to deep enough water.  Taking care to not let the soft bottom pull the water shoes off my feet.

 Snowy egret

 Belted kingfisher

 Black crowned night heron

 Tri colored heron

 Blue heron

 Great blue heron

 Anhinga

 Osprey

Into the Wilderness Preserve.  Construction at the 72 Bridge, it is being replaced.

 Hard to tell, thanks to my expert photography skills (ha!) but this juvenile black crowned night heron blended in very well with the dry grass and log.

 Cattle egret

Green heron.

 Wood stork

 Some type of little bird.

 Great egrets

I saw just one alligator as I paddled towards Lower Myakka Lake. A result of cool temps and low water.

Lower Lake Myakka was.  Lower than I have ever experienced.  I tried to push myself to deeper water.  Seeing nothing but shallow water, I got out of the kayak and pulled it back the way I came.

 Killdeer

Ibis.  I saw a glossy ibis on the shore of the Lake.

 Finally got a gator photo.  The one in the opening picture of this Tale.

 Out of the Wilderness Preserve at 11:30.  Birds seen, but not shown, robins and crested caracara.

 This is how the Myakka River usually looks.

Except, usually, I don't have to post the same pair of alligators three times.

 Stopped for lunch.

The Park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's.  I bet this restroom was constructed then..

 Back on the River.

 Some type of ducks.

As always seems to be the case when I paddle the Myakka River, it was windy.  Out of the north, so I was paddling into it on the up stream paddle.

 Lesser yellow legs

Paddled past my car at 12:50. The shallow area where I walked the kayak in the morning is behind the green area.

 A large group gathered to watch this gator.  I don't mean the vultures, I mean people on the bridge.

 Limpkin

My plan was to paddle for a hour up River from the Park Road bridge. I had to take the paddle apart and push through a shallow spot just past the bridge.

Next, not shallow, but dry.  I turned around.

Landed on the left side of the bridge at 1:20.  Walked across it to get the car.  Better than walking through the muck as I did in the morning.  Loaded the kayak and went for a drive on the Park road.  Destination, hiking//biking trail head.  I drove all the way to the north entrance of the Park.  Lots of cars parked at three different trailheads.  More than I'd ever seen.   It was good hiking weather.   I had not seen anyone on the water.  Guess everyone in the full campgrounds were on the trails.  Two deer crossed the road as I drove.  Making the fourth weekend in a row I've seen deer.

White pelicans on Upper Myakka Lake.

I finally got on the bike.

That's a thieving bald eagle in the tree.

An osprey flew by, dropping a big fish.  Why? I wondered. I then heard, eee eeee  as a bald eagle swooped down.  Neither bird recovered the fish.  Here's what Ben Franklin said about eagles and osprey.

"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him."

 I turned around after 3 miles according to my bike odometer. 

Would not be fun on a summer afternoon.

Only shade, near the trailhead.

Next stop, the birdwalk.

 Or, the bird and hog walk.

Sand hill cranes.  Next stop, the dam at the south end of Upper Myakka Lake. Actually, that was the second stop.  First was to look for a whistle.  A month ago I had three.  The best included a compass.  I bought that at Myakka River a few years ago.  The compass broke, so I tossed it out.  Not thinking, I'm sure it still blew.   The next one, lost on Gum Slough.  The lanyard got caught on a branch, the whistle broke off, and sunk.  So, if you hear a whistling fish on Gum Slough.....    The third, no idea.  Maybe if I clean out the car.... The rental concession had whistles.  With a small compass.  The cashier said a person was recently fined $90 for not having a whistle.   My plan earlier in the day, when whistleless, was, if asked by law enforcement, I'd reach in one pocket, then the other, and say "Must have fallen out"

 More people who failed the reading portion of the FCAT. That would be the Floriduh Comprehensive Assessment Test.

I walked back to the concession area. 

Where I was going to have a bowl of gator stew.  A beer, I thought, would be nice to wash it down.  But,  in my experience, Honeymoon Island is the only Florida State Park that serves beer.

Add Myakka to that short list.  An impressive collection.  I saw Swamp Ape IPA, and thought, that's for me.

Pricy, $6.99.  But, 10% Alc/vol, so you get 2 normal beers in one.  Did not know that when ordering it.  Fine for washing down the stew.

Which now comes with salad and a roll. $7.99.  I began my meal on the outside deck.  Or tried to.  After the wind blew my spoon away, I went inside.

Need to see if I can find this anywhere for one of my brothers.

I caught little buzz, so was very careful as I backed my car out which I had parked between two live oak branches.

On to the Canopy Walkway.

Up the short tower, across the treetop level walkway to the tall tower.

 The crane is at the Highway 72 bridge

I could feel the tower sway in the wind.  Yes, the wind, not the beer.

Finished the day with a walk on the short trail near the Walkway.

A kid, out with his dad and brothers, asked, "Did you get any wildlife pictures with that camera"   "No"  At least, not on this walk.

Before leaving, I checked out a new campsite at the Park.  Same as the old ones.  Full of RVs, right on top of one another.  Not for me.  Some day, I'll rent one of the cabins in the Park.   Very high demand, so I may have to take some vacation time to do it on a weeknight.   Final stop before heading home, the ranger station, to return my Wilderness Permit.  They like to know people made it back.  I'll be back, after it rains and the River rises.