Wekiva River

Upstream from Wilson's Landing in  search of the Little Wekiva.  A search that went as well as Saturday's monkey hunt.   I was beat after Saturday's Silver River and more expedition.  But that did not stop me from kayaking Sunday.  I decided to launch at Wilson's Landing Park, on the Wekiva River, about a mile up River from Katie's Landing.  I don't think I launched from here since Katie's reopened.  I launched at the new launch site, something I wrote disparagingly about when I stopped by a while back to check it out.

At that time, it was just sharp rocks at waters edge.  Now, a green indoor/outdoor carpet covers it. It does cushion well.  The problem is, the water is low, so the edge of the landing, metal honeycombs that hold the rocks in place, is exposed.  So you, or at least I, can't put the kayak along side and step in.  I stepped into the water, found firm footing for one foot, a bit mucky and sank down with the other, and got in.

On the water at 8:55. Left turn, and began to paddle south, up the Wekiva River.

The river is wide and vegetation filled in this section.  This gator found a nice boat ramp to sun on, on the Lake County, west bank.

The section of the Wekiva River between the Wekiva Falls RV campground and the Buffalo Tram primitive campsite is dotted with islands and dead end channels.  Which made it hard, make that impossible, for me to find the Little Wekiva.  I thought this might be it, a little gator on the Little Wekiva?

Maybe, but after pushing over two downed logs and coming to another blockage, I turned back to the main branch.

Another possible entrance to the Little Wekiva?

Also blocked.

Otter

Another false, or blocked, entrance.

The final entrance on the left side was an island I paddled around and when I saw this

Which I know is down River from Buffalo Tram, which, I am told, is down stream from the Little Wekiva. I turned around at 11:30.

Speaking of islands, I bet this sign was put up after campers called, in panic, saying they could not find Buffalo Tram.

Which, staying with today's theme is behind an island.  I've paddled past it without knowing.  The key is, look for the posts from the old logging road, or tram.

Or this sign, which takes away the challenge.

Thought about taking a break at the unoccupied campsite, but I kept going.  Ate as I paddled downstream.

 

Not many people out.  One large group of kayakers came up stream, after I turned around.  About 8 of them. Wonder if they were part of the "Bio Blitz"  I think not. Based on not seeing any notebooks to record what they saw.  Here's a nice article in the local paper about the event.Orlando Sentinel

The River got busier near Wekiva Falls.  Which is now a KOA campground.  I expect their nationwide reach will bring more people. To bad.

Baby wood duck.  Soon to be a gator's lunch.  Its siblings scurried into cover when I went by.

I wondered what this fence, extending into the River, was for.

Oh.

State Road 46 Bridge

Back to Wilson's Landing at 2.  I landed at the old spot, on the bank between two trees.  Firmer footing when you step out of the kayak into the water.

View of the Wekiva from the pavilion.

View of the entrance to the Little Wekiva, courtesy, Joanne.

Non-kayaking part of the day to come.

Just conducted a bio blitz on the back yard. Cut it for the first time since November.  For a postage stamp, it has a wide variety of native plants.  Some may call them weeds.

Back to Sunday.

I stopped at the Lower Wekiva Preserve State Park hiking trailhead on 46.

Walked the new blue blaze trail that links the trailhead to Katie's Landing.

I wonder what the orange ribbon is for.

The next for photos are the four points of the compass, taken from the same spot.

I thought, wow,such an expanse of wild land less than 25 miles from my home.  A few more steps, and a powerline intruded. Then, Wekikva Park Road and Katie's Landing.

Walk back.

I did not spot any wildlife, until I as almost back to the 46 trailhead. There, I saw what I thought were cardinals.

Nope, a summer tanger.  I sent the pic to the Friends of Wekiva FB page.  Although, I'm sure one of the many experts that took part in the "Bio Blitz" saw one.

I want this map.

At the trailhead kiosk.

The Little Weikva is the thin line between the River and the houses.