Greetings From Horseshoe Lake Park

I am staying in one of the three cabins in this Marion County Park, located just north of the Ocala National Forest.  Described as "rustic", but with Internet, and heat.  The latter will get tested as temps are forecast to drop into the high 20's here in Orange Springs, FL the next two nights.  Yikes.   I'm taking Monday off.  The marinne forecast was not good for Cedar Key.  Sanibel is too expensive this time of year.   I was thinking of a new place, Fernadina Beach and Amelia Island.  But too cold that far north.  So, I decided on the Ocala National Forest and its spring fed water ways.  But, where to stay.  I considered the place John H. and I stayed last Feburary, Elite Resort near Salt Spring  but it only has wi-fi in a lodge.   Besides, there are 38 cottages and countless RV sites.

I discovered Horseshoe Lake thanks to the magic of the Internet.  I put "Ocala National Forest cabin cottage" in a search.   That was a while ago.   With my  day weekend approaching, I tried to fnd more information.  There is not much out there. Until now.  The Marion County website,  a short Ocala Magazine article, a newspaper story, one review.  No photos.   I called Thursday morning to inquire about availability.  This time of year, you cannot get a cabin in a Florida State Park on two days notice. It is hard to get a tent site.  But, at Horseshoe Lake, all 3 were available.   I asked the woman on the  other end of the line if she could tell me a little about the cabins.  Lucky for me, not only does she take reservations, she has made them for herself. She said she likes #3, as it has nice view and is not directly in view, and sound, of the beach.  Not that noise from the small swim area will be a factor this cool weekend.   As I eat dinner using a pizza plan as a plate, a scuba knife I found along Rock Springs Run, years ago, and a plastic fork from the meals in the car collection, I think I should have quized her more about the dishes. There are plenty of paper towels.

Above is the sink in the bedroom. With paper towel dispenser.  Shower on right, toilet on left. Similar set up in the living room, only the oven, kitchen sink, and cabinets are where the above sink is.

Leading me to assume there was a time when both sides of this building were rented individually, with no kitchen.   To get to the bedroom to the kitchen/dining/living room, you have to exit one, go out on the porch, and enter the other.

I did bring a sheet and sleeping bag.  There is also a futon in the living area. Cost, $100.00 a night.   With tax and an administrative fee, $237.54 for two nights.  Which my by calculations is $7 to high. My receipt states the adm fee is 6.5 % plus .50.  Even if Marion County charges a tax on a tax, so is calculating, from a basis of $216.00, and not $200.00, I get 230.54.   Math was my worse subject, but I'm sending an email to Marion County.   This unit does not appear to be as nice as the fancy State Park cabins, which range from $100 to $145 a night, depending on location, but those don't include a canoe.  Not that I need one.  And speaking of the kayak, time to get to the start of this day.

 A pre-dawn start from Ray's Wayside Park.  Time stamp on the above photo in the canal headed to the Silver River is 6:51.

 Too dark to  clearly see a great blue heron.  Not having paddled since Saturday, I was anxious.  I hoped to go Wednesday morning, but had to meet a roofer.   $5700. Guess my IRA contribution will be less this year.  Any Central Florida folks know any roofers?   This one did my neighbor's.  Quickly, which is good. He seems ok, and has no complaints filed.

 Into the Silver River.

By the light of the silvery moon.

 Anhingas

 Pileated woodpecker.

Ibis.

 Great egret.

 Black crowned night heron

Steam rising off the River means the air is cooler than the water.  I had on long pants and a windbreaker, which I kept on all day.

 Eastern phoebe

Pie billed grebe.

 Blue heron

Wood duck

 Green heron

 Cormorant

Great blue heron.

 Belted kingfisher

Moorhen with ibis.Much more  to come. No monkeys. Only saw one, maybe two.

Good Sunday morning. Happy Birthday Chris Cannon and Abe Lincoln.  Off to a late start, 10 am now, Weather.com has the temperature at 35.  Which means it has warmed up.  This picture is from a walk earlier this morning.

The Dots and anchor are locked in ice. So, I dally, waiting for things to warm up. Forecast high is 52.  I'm going to head to Salt Springs.  Figure manatees will be there. Time and energy permitting, may put in the Ocklawaha River at Eureka on the way back.
Meanwhile, a few more Silver River photos.

Its always nice to get wood duck photos.  Unlike last weekend on Blackwater Creek, the Silver River flock doesn't always flee upon my approach.  They are used to human traffic.

The above photo received strong consideration for the coveted opening picture placement.

Speaking of traffic, I saw no one until I passed the Silver River State Park landing. A guy was launching.  He passed me when I was taking a photo of the first limpkin of the day, 8:34.

Time now to do the dishes and get in the kayak. Its warmed up to 36.  May be 40 by the time I'm in the water.  I hope so.  Looked in the car earlier, only found one glove.

I've been composing and adding photos since about 7. It is now almost 9.  And I wasted two hours of my life as the stem crashed.  And did not start back up the first time. Here we go again.

 First alligator, 8:40.  I told myself, I'd better enjoy the gators today as with the oncoming cold weather, I may not see any more the next two days.   Composing Sunday night, I can report no gators were seen Sunday,

 The gentleman who passed me after launching from the State Park, told me to look for nest building cormorants as he made his way back from the head Spring.

9:30, I arrived before the glass bottom boats went out. Can't tell from the above photo, but it was getting windy. I could not make out were the water was causing the surface to ripple, or "boil" usually quite evident above the main Spring.  I put the wind to good  use and let it, and the current, take me down River.

A closer look at the nest builders.

Anhingas also roost on this small island, but it is the cormorants that made it home. So not to confuse things, this next anhinga was further down River.

 Here is where I was rudely interrupted by the system crash.  So far, so good.

What are you lookin' at?

Three people in two State Park rental canoes paddled up stream, making it a whopping 3 other boats seen, so far.

At 10:40 or so, I approached the Silver River State Park ramp.  Time to take a break.  Several paddlers were there.  "Hello Dave".   I told Bryan I recognized his goatee from photos on the Green Wave Forum but was having a memory loss on his name.  He had paddled up from Ray's with his son, and another couple, Brenda and Ed.  They reminded me we met last winter, putting out a campfire on the Wekiva River.  Not a bad morning when I see eight people, and half of them know me.

The foursome, resuming their paddle.

Dr. Turtle and Mini T.

The first motor boat of the day was a pontoon with an electric motor. Quiet.

Anhinga spears a fish, then deftly flips it in the air, catches it, and down the hatch.

I have a hard time catching popcorn.

There were two turtles on the log before the anhinga butted in.

 The photo between the cormorant and great egret is a water and bank shot. I think its the otter I missed.  Or was it two?  I did see two on the way up and one on the way down.  Or vice versa. Two days later with no photos, I forget.

Alligators

 I finally saw a monkey. Maybe two.  Movement and noise in the trees.  Saw a small one jump from limb to limb, then go into the forest.  There have to be more, I thought, as I paddled closer.  There were not. 

Back to the canal leading to Ray's Wayside, 12:18 PM.  I kept going, to the Ocklawaha River, in search of monkeys.

Speaking of the Ocklawaha, time to head there now.   See ya tonight.

8:30 PM, Monday. I'm home. Let's see if we can finish day one tonight.

It's just six minutes from the canal to the Ocklawwaha.   I got to the confluence, turned right, up River.

 The above view is where I turned back, just short of 30 minutes from the confluence.

 Return to the Silver River.

Approaching Ray's Wayside Park, 1:20.  Put the yak on the roof and took the scenic route to Silver Glen Springs

 .

 I had a goal this three day weekend.  See alligators, otters, monkeys, bald eagles, manatees, deer, and bear. Three down, four to go.

 No luck on the drive.  At Silver Glen, I asked the Park worker who  was there the last time I visited, if the bears were still there.  She said "They left, finally. We had to close the park for three weeks"   Wow.

Here's a photo from that visit.

Here are photo's from Saturday's visit.

I think I hit some wrong button on the camera. That explains the odd reddish tint.

I did not get a good photo, but the area outside the Spring hole looks like a mine field.  Cratered with tilapia nests.  Big holes in the ground. If you call land under water "ground"

 Below is one of the two main Spring vents, not a tilapia nest

Snorkel over, I went for a brief walk on the Lake George Trail.

 Got the camera reset.

Brief, because I wanted to get to Horseshoe Lake, 30 miles away on the other side of the Forest, by 5, when it closed.  I had a code for a lock box at the cabin, but not a gate, if there was one.

The walk paid off.  One of two eagles

I arrived at Horseshoe Lake just before 5.   It has a gate, but does not close.  The gate, the Park does close at 5 in the winter.  Not that there was anyone around to enforce it.  A family of four had been fishing.  When they left, I took the parking space they were in, as it was closest to cabin 3. My cabin.

I went on an exploratory hike.

 Did not like this sandy, loose, section at  all.   Found out the next morning it is not part of the hiking trail.

 This map of the part, really had me confused.  Doug, the friendly park handyman, told me it was wrong.  But that was on Sunday

I'll tell you more about Doug in Sunday's Tale.  He, and the fishing family, were the only people I saw my entire stay.

And with that, I'll end this Tale.