The first picture is the last on the water picture of the day. 6:15 PM, just before landing at Katie's Landing. From where I launched at 1:10.
Did not immediately head downstream, or up, but across the Wekiva River.
The woodstork was the highlight in the shallow, vegetated area across from Katie's Landing. I began to paddle down the River
The forecast was for winds out of the north at 14 mph. I was paddling into the wind, but I don't think the winds were even 10 mph. Cool, had a long sleeve shirt on.
Two anglers in a canoe launched before me. I passed them as they stopped to fish.
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A tandem kayak came up the River. Front paddler had a camera in hand, pointed towards me. "Best picture you'll take all day" That's my standard comment when a camera is point in my direction. Once I saw who it was, it was probably the worst picture they took all day.
Views From Our Kayak I was right
Had I known who it was, I would have smiled.
This is the second alligator of the afternoon. The first was bigger, but slid off the bank before I got a photo.
I began taking pictures of the next big gator at a distance so I would not miss it.
I think I've seen this one before. It did not move, maybe raised an eye, as I went by.
I thought of videoing these turkeys for the sound. Not gobbling, but the noise as the scraped through the detritus on the forest floor looking for whatever it is turkeys eat.
I recall seeing just two or three motor boats on the Wekiva, one more canoe.
My leisurely paddle got me to the mouth of Blackwater Creek in two hours.
Up the Creek I went.
Saw another alligator and an otter.
Turned around after 30 minutes.
Approaching the Wekiva River, 4:16 PM. Time to head back to Katie's Landing.
The big guy, or gal? was still there. But did slide into the water. Must have got to close.
Hello, ladies.
I said, Helooow.
Look at me!
O.K., I put my head, and tail, down.
First limpkin of the day. Across from Katie's Landing.
First great egret photo. There had been one when I started out, but it flew away.
End of the day on the Wekiva River.
Landed at 6:20. Just over 5 hours.
Too bad it got to dark to for you to see the deer I saw as I drove out on Wekiva Park Road.
Your pic was not the "worst one" Master Dave. It is always good to take a pic of a famous person, of a legend.
ReplyDeleteThe big one of your Tale is the same one on our Views. It was the same location, as I saw from your pics. It had a partner when we paddled by down river, alone on our way up. Was not the only biggy we saw but the most photogenic.
Great post.
ReplyDeleteLuis, you are going to make my head explode with this "Master Dave" stuff.
ReplyDeleteOctohawk,thank you. I thought, of course Katie likes a Katie's Landing post, which got me thinking about names and I remembered the conversation I had when I stopped at the 7-11 on S.R. 46 on my way to the launch. An employee asked where I was going. I said Katie's Landing. She said her parents used to run it. I looked at the name tag, first name only, and asked, "Mary Moncrief?" No. Not the former owner's daughter, but the daughter of a couple that managed Katie's when it was a private business.