Chassahowitzka River

I was surprised, Friday night, when I looked at the Yak Tale archives to see when I last kayaked the Chassahowizka River.  Thanksgiving weekend.  Way past time to return. Nice drive with the big full moon.  Launched from the Chassahowitzka Campground, the only place to do so, at 7:15.  After putting the $5 fee in the honor box, as the campstore where you pay was not yet open.  I would have got an earlier start, but ran into road closings for the Florida Blueberry Festival.   I did not even know there was such a thing. This year was the first.  I did not pay attention to the detour signs as I approached Brooksville.  There are two main ways through Brooksville.  A by pass route, and a though town route.  I went through town, figuring this early the only traffic would be people setting up for the Farmers Market at the Hernando County Courthouse.  Once I got downtown,  the streets were closed.  I had to turn around, and take the bypass.

Speaking of barricades.

This sign, and  wire fence, are on the land surrounding the small springs up stream, and past Chassahowitzka Spring, from the boat launch. New since my last visit.  Ok my be.  Less people on the land means less erosion.  Less sediment getting into the springs.  When I snorkel here, I usually tie up to a tree in the water. Not attached to land.  No swim this morning.

I missed a photo of a swallow tail kite, down river of the launch site.

Great blue heron.

Anhinga.  I went into the spring that manatees frequent.

Three, including the mother and calf that open the Tale.  Pictures taken from the kayak, camera held in the water.  I thought if I got all the way in I might get a better look.

Not really.
Back in the yak.

I resumed paddling down River. Past the entrance to Baird Creek, continuing
 to the right of the three islands that split the channel.

Moorhen.

Great blue heron

Great egret

Lots of alligators out and about at 9:00 am.  And I was 2/3 of the way to the Florida Trifecta.  Time to find a dolphin.

Yellow crowned night heron

Not a bad start to the day. I wasn't even in the Chassahoitzka National Wildlife Refuge yet.

The blue sign marks the east border of the Refuge.

A bald eagle across the River.  I  took a pic from far away, just in case it took off.

It stayed in its perch.

I got distracted by an otter.

I'd seen otter in 2 or 3 places earlier, but failed to obtain a photo.

Paddled to the Dog Island Rest Area.

As usual, no rest for me. The dock is to high. This is usually where I turn back.  But, needing to see a dolphin, I kept going.  I also wanted to see if distant houses were on an island or the mainland.

Mainland, but as about as far from civilization as you can get. Three houses on a point.

I  went a little further, turning back at 10:30. This was the view.

I thought I had left the Refuge.

Back view of sign.

But, looking at this map go to page 2, there's no way I paddled out of the Refuge.   I'm guessing there sign was put where people will see it, in the channel just past the private land on the south,  has to be the 3 houses, and the islands.  Future task. See if there is a sign between the islands and the mainland to the north.

Cormorants

A few years ago, I was told there would be a lower, floating dock at Dog Island.

From: FWSDBC@fws.gov
Subject: Re: Dog Island Rest Area
To: "DAVID CANNON" Date: Tuesday, February 12, 2008, 8:58 AM
That is a good temporary solution. We hope that by the end of this year we will have a floating dock with gangway leading to the main dock.
thanks for your suggestion.
Chassahowitzka NWR Complex
(352) 563-2088

DAVID CANNON 02/11/2008 07:28 PM

To: chassahowitzka@fws.gov cc: Subject: Dog Island Rest Area

I appreciate the shaded pavilion and facilities. One
quibble. As a kayaker, the dock is too high at low
tide. Is it possible to attach a lower level ?
Nothing fancy, just a couple of boards to step foot on

More than four years ago.  Guess the folks at the Refuge had other projects in mind when stimulus dollars were handed out.

I crossed to the south side of the Chass and entered Crawford Creek.

Black crowned night heron

A set of unique homes just south of the Citrus County line. In  Hernando County, just upstream of where Blue Run enters Crawford Creek.  I continued on Crawford Creek.

 Sometimes, the water level is to low to paddle past this sign. (Please excuse font changes trying to find the one I was using)

Today, I made it past the eel grass covered limestone, water from the spring gushing past.

This is as far as I got. Don't think the Creek goes much farther. Another dead end on the left.

If I ever win the lottery, I'm landing here, and saying, "OK, I've got 5 mill, ya  want it?" That's the opening bid.

How can you not love a  house on a spring.

Actually, I hate it.  I hate that it's not mine.

I may never own a place on a spring, but I can stop the yak in the middle of a creek, step out, and eat a sandwich in the middle of the run. 

No limestone where I stood.  Sank a bit into the bottom.

"Captain Pierce, Captain McIntyre...."

The first time I paddled past these houses, I wrote:  No one home, a goodthing as across the Creek from a home flying the Starsand Bars was a frying pan, pock marked with bulletholes. Guess no target practice on Sunday.

Now, there are  3 pans.  Red, offering an easier target.

Back to the Chass

Blue heron

River front property. After a long paddle, I was lucky to have the wind at my back as I paddled up the Chas.  I also had the incoming tide. Higher than usual,with the moon being closer to earth than usual.

Two manatees. One went under the kayak.

Good thing it opened its nostril flaps to surface,or we'd have nothing here.  I have a short video of the other one on my Facebook page.

Bufflehead

See the dot at 11 o'clock?  Otter.

Never saw a dolphin. Landed at 3:15.

An eight hour paddle. 

The hotdog cart is a new addition. I asked how long it had been there. A week. I took advantage.

A mozzarella Italian.  I was going to go with mustard and jalapenos, but then, as it was the 5th of May,  I went with nacho cheese sauce. Or, did I do it, because, you can never have to much cheese?

Stopped at the Van Fleet Trail on the way home.

The trail is 29 miles long. I rode 8.

Lake/Sumter/County line.  The south end of the trail is in Polk County.

Saw squirrels, rabbits, grouse, and a summer tanger. Above is a telegraph/telephone pole from the rail line, incorporated into a rest stop.

Of the four trails I could ride on the way home from the Gulf coast, I like this the best.  Isolated, little used, Saw 4 people, which is a lot

Return to the trail head, 5:50 PM.  Not a bad day.