Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Saturday's weather forecast was not good.  50 to 70 percent chance of rain over most of the state. Or, at least locations within reasonable driving distance.  But not the Treasure Coast.  Jupiter had a 30% forecast.  So, I drove 160 miles and kayaked the Loxahatchee River.  And Kitchnig Creek, above. A beautiful day.  Doesn't look like it rained here.  Oh well.

As I begin to compose New Year's Eve, I have been told it did rain a little in the Orlando area.  Down south, I was on the water at 9:23

I was wondering if I was going the wrong way, as the current was with me. It was the tide. The Atlantic is 8 miles away.

 

 

 

 

The Loxahatchee River is broad, lined with mangroves.

 

And palms and pines

 

I just emailed the tour boat operator.  Asking why they break the law. They should be setting a good example.   Of course, making money by getting four tours a day is more important than doing the right thing.

The tour boats take visitors to Trapper Nelsons.  If you have rented a canoe, kayak, or motor boat from the Park, you cannot take in further up River.  Why the State rents motorboats for use on a Wild and Scenic River is beyond my comprehension.  At least the renters I saw obeyed the No Wake restriciton.

At least the rental motor boats aren't allowed where the Lox actually gets "Wild and Scenic"

 

 

 

 

 

 

The River narrows, trees canopy the width in sections, high banks in others.

Tree canopy means fallen trees.  I took the wrong fork

 

Wood pecker

 

Another barrier.  I had hoped to paddle at least to the first of the two wooden dams further up River.  But, I turned around.  I had seen 5 paddlers on the way up, so they must have portaged over this, as well as the dams.  It was 11:30

 

 

 

 

I think this is the same gator, but on the other side of the River

I stopped at Trapper Nelson's.

 

Perfect timing.  A kayaker told me the tour boat left five minutes ago.

 

 

 

I had a private tour with the Park volunteer.  Who told me about a Key West author I had never heard of.  Laurence Shames.  I had mentioned my thought that Skink, the ex-governor in Carl Hiassen's books, has to have at least some inspiration from  Trapper Nelson.

 

I had lunch here.  The guide says he doesn't tell tour groups the table tops are metal to make them easier to clean after butchering game.  Some paddlers came ashore, I left.

 

I saw two manatees. And my battery died.  And then the speeding tour boat came. I emailed the Park Service about this, also

 

I saw the manatee pair again, but was unable to get any photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entering Kitching Creek

 

 

 

Paddled as far as I could.  Kitching Creek is a nice alternative if you don't want to paddle up to wide part of the Loxahatchee.

 

 

The overlook is at the end of a short trail.

 

 

 

 

 

The rental dock.  If you have your own boat, there is a separate ramp.  Further down the Lox.

 

 

 

The Loxahatchee is one of two Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida.  The Wekiva, including Rock Springs Run and Blackwater Creek, is the other.  The Wekiva system is much better, in my opinion  No speeding tour boats, for one thing.  The concessionare has responded.

Dear Mr. Cannon,

Thank you for the information and photographs. I can assure you that this is
not the way I want my company to operate. I have already communicated with
the general manager of the operation and have forwarded your email with
photos to both the general manager as well as the regional manager. I will
personally be at JD on the 3rd to address this issue.

Again, thank you for taking the time to bring this to my attention.

Jack

-----Original Message-----
From: DAVID CANNON [mailto:dc1136@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2013 8:17 PM
To: Jack E. Bobo Jr
Subject: RE: Loxahatchee Tour Boats

Saturday, December 29, 2012. First photo, 10:17 am, headed down river from
Trapper Nelsons, 2nd photo 1:18 pm, coming up river. I spotted two manatees
just before the second photo


--- On Tue, 1/1/13, Jack E. Bobo Jr <jbobo@nspconcessions.com> wrote:

> From: Jack E. Bobo Jr <jbobo@nspconcessions.com>
> Subject: RE: Loxahatchee Tour Boats
> To: "'DAVID CANNON'" <dc1136@yahoo.com>
> Date: Tuesday, January 1, 2013, 7:59 PM Dear Mr. Cannon,
>
> Thank you for making me aware that there may be a speed issue with one
> or more of our tour boats on the Loxahatchee River. To assist me in
> investigating your concern, would you provide me with specific
> details, day of week, time, and location of the incident? This
> information will assist me in addressing your complaint.
>
> Sincerely,
> Jack E. Bobo, Jr., President
> National and State Park Concessions, Inc P.O. Box 5837 Maryville, TN
> 37802-5837 Phone 561-746-1466 jbobo@NSPConcessions.com Providing
> Resource-Based Recreation While Interpreting and Preserving our
> Natural and Cultural Resources
>
>
>
> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
> NOTICE: This message is intended for the use of the
> individual or entity to
> which it is addressed and may contain information that is
> confidential,
> privileged and exempt from disclosure under applicable law.
> If the reader of
> this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby
> notified that any
> printing, copying, dissemination, distribution, disclosure
> or forwarding of
> this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have
> received this
> communication in error, please contact the sender
> immediately and delete it
> from your system. Thank You.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DAVID CANNON [mailto:dc1136@yahoo.com]
>
> Sent: Monday, December 31, 2012 8:48 PM
> To: jbobo@nspconcessions.com
> Subject: Loxahatchee Tour Boats
>
> Why do they not adhere to the Idle Speed, No Wake rule on
> the River? Seems
> to me your company should be setting an example, not
> breaking the law.
>
>

 

Landed at 3:35

 

 

Very nice, fairly new, was not around when I first visited Jonathan Dickinson State Park in July, 2005.  Good exhibits.  And plumbing,if you don't want to use the compost toilet at the ramp.

 

Over 6000 men were stationed here in WW II.  Radar training

On my fourth visit to Jonathan Dickinson State Park, I finally climbed Hobe Mountain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I'd be able to see the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. I could not locate it, nor could two other people on the tower. I see it now. Follow the left end of the roof back.  To the red brick lighthouse.

 

 

 

  

I left Jonathan Dickinson State Park, named for a 17th Century shipwreck survivor.  But did not go far.  On the east side of U.S. 1 I saw a sign of Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge.  I entered.

 

 

Undulating trail over dunes.

 

I went to the beach

 

 

 

 

Intracoastal waterway.

 

 

I walked the short stretch of beach and thought, "I haven't seen much wildlife today"  Non-Florida kayakers say, "You saw manatees and alligators, seems like a lot to me!" When a manatee surfaced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alternate route to the beach

 

The Visitor Center was closed. The Refuge also has land across the ICW, on the ocean. I may have to visit someday.