Wacasassa Park is at the end of Levy County Road 326. I was on the water just before 7:30. Left an almost full parking lot behind. Pickups with boat trailers, not a car top rack in sight. I paddled up River, the boaters go down, towards the Gulf.
Wacasassa-Wekiva confluence. A different Wekiva from the one in Central Florida. I paddled to the right, up the Wekiva River.
I must have launched near high tide. The water was dark well up the spring fed Wekiva. It began to clear near where I saw manatees last Labor Day Weekend. As soon as the tought entered my head, there was a huge manatee, under my kayak. Headed the other way, down River, I turned around, tried to locate it, went down River a little bit, but never saw it again. One that big can hold its breath a long time.
The above green heron, and ibis pictured earlier were the only wildlife I was able to capture on the way up stream. I did not see a lot, just anhingas and a great blue heron. Maybe if I pushed over this log I would have seen more.
But, it was a good time to turn back. 8:41 according to the time on the picture.
Cypress
Limestone
Eel grass
Beauty
Hello 'der. Or, deer
Prothonotary warbler.
That's all for now. Time to get back on the water. Third time today, second Cedar Key paddle. Perhaps a sunset shot or two on my return.
Back from the sunset cruise. Changed the opening photo. I think you will approve. Now, to continue the Tale where I left off.
Yellow crowned night heron.
Confluence. I paused for a few minutes, having seen manatees here before, then paddled up the Wacasassa.
My plan was to paddle fo a half hour. The plan was enforced by a large alligator coming of the bank on the left in the next photo.
I saw wild hogs on both rivers, did not get any pictures. When I kanded aguy said they must be looking for water, as the woods are very dry, and usual water holes are empty..
Back to the Wacasassa Wekiva confluence.
Tide went out. Mud flats weren't exposed earlier.
Approaching the boat ramp, 11:30. As two swallow tail kites soared overhead.
Good Sunday morning.
No sun available at 6:30 am, thanks to sub-tropical storm Beryl on the other side of the Florida Penisula. Rain forecast here tonight and Monday.
On my way to Cedar key, Saturday. Three roseate spoonbills flew overhead as I crossed the Number 4 Bridge I had not seen any last Memorial Day weekend.
I arrived about 12:30. I did not expect my room to be ready. It was not. But, I checked in, than carted the kayak across the street. Somewhere, probably on the sand, the cotter pin for the left wheel fell out. Something that happens too often So often that the two or three spares I bought at a hardware store, after I lost the first time have been lost. I retraced my steps back to Park Place, no luck. Ask the guys at the rental concession to keep an eye out for it, and got on my way at 
I do not recall ever seeing more boats on the water a Cedar Key. And I've been here both Memorial Day and Labor Day. Maybe the economy is coming back. And gas has gone down.
I paddled to Astena Otie Key. Spotted two dolphins, or maybe the same one, twice. In a boat channel, the way to the public launch, so not a good spot to sit and watch.
Paddled into the island, but had to turn back, as it was to shallow. The above pic is from the interior of Astenia Otie, looking back at Cedar Key. I saw a great egret, which took off.
Paddling back to Way Key. Cedar Key is the town, on Way Key, which is part of the Cedar Keys.
Pelican and great egrets looking for handouts at the Old Fenimore Mill dock.
Pelican and gull on the oyster bar/shipwreck.
The pilings are from the railroad. Built in the 1860's the first to cross Florida. The eastern terminus was Fernandina Beach. You can walk the old RR line on the Railroad Trestle Nature Trail, which ends at the posts on the right, or from the Nature's Landing Condo's poles on the left. And dock below. The latter is private. I just walk in like I'm staying there. I have, and may again some day.
Back from Sunday's bike ride, I have to share this. A good news/bad news social observation. Good news. At the Cemetery Point Park boardwalk, I said "Hi" to a young man walking the other way. Good news, he responded, by saying "Hot as hell" Bad news, it took him a while to understand why I said, "Not sure this is a good place to say that" Blank look. Me. "At a cemetery" Blank look. "I think the people in there want to get to heaven, not hell" Blank look. "I guess you are not religious" Blank look. "Or culturally aware" "Ohhhh" You, dear reader, would have chuckled immediately.
Back to Saturday.
Dock Street, I landed about 2:30. The wheel on the cart only fell off once as I wheeled the kayak across the street to my lodgings. Lost the cotter pin that holds the wheel in place, remember?
My view. I unloaded the car, began this Tale, tried to take a nap, fixed, and ate dinner, and was back on the water just before 7.
Planned to paddle until, and watch the sunset.
From experience, I know for the best sunset view this time of year you have to go past the big fishing pier. But, it was to windy and choppy in the open water, so I turned back.
I did not stop paddling, oh no. I sought the protected waters of the Number 2 Channel. I've viewed the sunset from here before. Not as good, but wildlife chances would be better. Tried to get a photo of a magnificent frigate bird soaring high above. Unsuccessful.
The 3 spoonbills I saw flying overhead as I drove into town? Maybe, but subsequent events would prove maybe not. If maybe and prove go in the same sentence.
I carefully removed the camera from its water tight case to use the supervivid setting.
Back to "Auto"
I left the spoonie trio on the oyster bar ship wreck, took photos of a tri colored heron and snowy egret that did not turn out. Turned around to see
My spoonie trio had company
Sunday note. I wanted to kayak again, but it just rained. Looking out the window, looks like it will rain on and off for a while. The marine forecast.
TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER OUT 20 NM-
TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER OUT 20 TO 60 NM-402 PM EDT SUN MAY 27 2012
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED LATER TONIGHT
TONIGHT
NORTH WINDS 15 KNOTS BECOMING WEST WINDS 20 TO 25
KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. BAY AND INLAND WATERS ROUGH. NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
MONDAY
SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET. BAY
AND INLAND WATERS ROUGH. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS.
Looks like I may be back on the Wacasassa and Wekiva tomorrow. Now, its not raining, so I'm going to walk over to Dock Street for dinner.
I've returned from dinner. And kayaking. Both were like NBA action. Fantastic! Dating myself with an '80's promo.
But, I still have a Tale to complete from Saturday.
Nature's Landing condos. At low tide this is a mud flat. At high tide you can enter a secret black crowned night heron rookery. I went in, scrapped bottom on oyster shells, so I backed out.
Sunset at the Number 2 Bridge.
For Plan B, Plan A being to see the sunset on the open water, I say things turned out well.
The spoonbills were still on the oyster bar.
Dock Street at dusk. I landed about 8:35. The kayak concession was still open. My cotter pin was not found. Not for lack of effort. The young man doing the grunt work, carrying the kayaks to and from the water, rinsing them off, ect. told me he asked a guy with a metal dector to look for it. Not found. Nice customer service for someone who was not a customer. I gave him a buck. He said, "No" I took it back. Just kidding. Nice way to end the day.
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