Chassahowitzka

Just looked to see when I last visited the  river, campground, spring, river, and National Wildlife Refuge sometime referred to as "Case o whiskey" May 5, 2012.  Here is what I wrote then.
I was surprised, Friday night, when I looked at the Yak Tale archives to see when I last kayaked the Chassahowizka River.  The following is from that Tale in May.

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.

Change November to May.  At least this time the gap was only 3 months,  not 6.

This great blue heron saw me off from the Chassahowitzka Campground boat ramp at 7:35,  The River was high.  High tide was at 7:07 am.   The River is also high from summer rain.
Five minute into the paddle,   I saw two animals.  First thought, bald eagle and manatee.

Closer observation revealed it was osprey and dolphin.

The dolphin was farther up River than I have ever seen one on the Chas. It knew where the fish were.  Swimming from one side of the River to the other, charging downed trees the provide shelter for fish.

I followed the dolphin until I got toe the spring on the left side that manatees sometimes visit.  I paid a visit.  Should have kept following the dolphin.  Out of the spring, I next entered Baird Creek.  Would summer water levels allow me to paddle all the way to "The Crack" Spring.

The Crack Run.

The Crack.  Paddled all the way.

All the rain meant lots of bugs. Which me think twice about a swim.

Skeeters and deer flies can't get me underwater.

This pic is to show how close the bottom of a rope that people swing on is to the hard limestone at the bottom of the spring.  Brings to mind the last words of a redneck. "Watch this!"

I was not eaten alive when I got out of the water.

Picked up a couple cans and a plastic bag.

Usually, one has to walk the last 50 yards or so.  More at the end of winter.

The run from The Crack flows into Baird Blue Spring. Which is the source of Baird Creek.

Returning to the Chassahoitzka River.

So far so good.  It had rained, pretty hard, during the drive to Chassahowitzka.  Stopped before I launched.  But now, down River of the trio of islands, it began to rain.  And, distant thunder.  That had me turning around.

A patch of blue to the north had me paddle up what I thought was Salt Creek.  It wasn't.  I paddled around an island and would up down River of where I began. The rain continued.

After again not finding any manatees in Snapper/Houseboat Spring,  I paddled the run entering the spring as far as I could.

Which was here.

When I came back out on the River, the rain had stopped. Blue sky to the west.  So, back down River I went.

I turned around, again at 11:00.  The sky behind me, the west got dark, the wind picked up, and thunder rumbled.

Paddled up Potter Creek to Ruth Spring Run.  Saw the only alligator of the day on Potter Creek.

Potter Creek

Back on the Chass.

One of the small springs where the Chass begins.

Approaching Chassahowitzka Main Spring.

Landed at 1:20.  Almost 6 hours.  Not bad for a rainy Saturday.  It did not rain on me after I turned around for the second time.

Drove through the tent camping area.  Overpriced, a $23 a night, in my opinion.

For that, I think you should get a stand up grill and not just a cinder block fire pit.

And have fallen trees removed from the road.

Stopped at the Van Fleet Trail on the way home.

An 8 mile ride.

There were a lot of butterflies.  At least  5 varieties,  I only got a photo of this viceroy.