Lake Norris

I've been wanting to got to Lake Norris for the last few weeks, to see the nesting osprey. One thing or another, the weather for one, don't want to paddle this big Lake in windy conditions, prevented me from going. Until today, Sunday March 25, 2012.

Blackwater Creek at the Lake Norris Conservation Area is lower than I have ever seen it.  But that only goes back to 2005.   I'm sure it was even lower during the turn of the millennium drought that had Orlando area lakes disappearing.  On the sign in sheet, a gentleman wrote that he and his spouse ended their paddle due to too many portages.  With that in mind, I set out at 9:20.

Lots of logs to go over, but I only had to get out of the kayak once, below.

Perhaps the couple that turned back were in a canoe, or tandem kayak.  Making it harder to get over the logs I forced my way over.  The effort was worth it to get to Lake Norris.

Lake Norris is ringed with cypress trees that extend well into the water.   From Blackwater Creek, there are 10-15 homes to the right, a Boy Scout Camp across the Lake.  Most is undeveloped.  I went left.

The cypress trees make ideal nesting platforms for osprey.

Other birds, like this limpkin, are present.

Blue heron.

The only gator I saw.

In addition to the osprey, there is a large great egret rookery on Lake Norris.

There was a breeze but not the chop I experienced on my last visit to Lake Norris, in July.

 I thought about going all the way around Lake Norris, something I have only done once.  But after my long paddle Saturday on Rock Springs Run, I turned around at 11:10.

I saw one motorboat, far in the distance.

The great egret nests are dainty compared to the massive osprey constructions.

"That's a funny looking osprey nest"

Saw one more boat, maybe the one I saw earlier.  Stopped, fishing under the cypress trees.   Hopefully he did not hear my singing.  You think you have a lake to yourself, start talking/singing to yourself,and bam! you're not alone.

Return to Blackwater Creek, 12:30.

Saw two wood ducks, nothing else, as I banged over fallen trees on my way back to the launch site.

I'll be seeing more of Blackwater Creek in two weeks.  Camping Easter Saturday, downstream, in the Seminole State Forest. 

Put the kayak on the car, a horse trailer was parked nearby, another family came and went for a very short walk.  Done before I set out on mine.

Make sure to lock this gate behind you.  So the cows don't get out of the pasture.

Not Blackwater Creek, a tributary.

Wonder what the story behind this ruin is.

I may have seen this campsite  occupied, once.   Just an email to the Lake County Water Authority asking if individuals can camp at this "group site"

The Lake is a short walk away.  The landing is hard to find for the water. I missed it this time.  I bet it is where there is a reflector on a cypress tree.

Its appropriate that I saw a sandhill crane as I drove into the Conservation Area.  Because that is what these are. Sand hills.  Which makes hiking better than walking on the trail.  Sandy soil, hard to pedal through.  I've done it.

These rails seem rather far apart for my Nissan Versa, if I ever get the opportunity to drive it to the campsite.

I'd guess the walk was 2.5 miles. Took me an hour.  And so ends another Sunday.