Merry Christmas From Cedar Key

I do have sunrise photos.  I will add those later.  It may be awhile as I am not finished with Sunday's Tale.  I'll add pics there as I drink my coffee and look at the Gulf.  From inside, it is 62 degrees.  Brrr. Just finished the left over drumstick and clam stuffing. After making a turkey sandwich for later, Housekeeping left a list of restaurants that are open Christmas Eve and Christmas.  Today, only the local grocery is open, 10 to 1, and a convience store.  Good thing I  have a place with a kitchen.  Which I have to vacate in just over an hour.  I'll move the car for the first time since Saturday. Across the street. The parking lot at the City Park Beach is empty.

Friday night, and I am finally back to this Tale

 

 

 

I like the view

Not only of the sunrise

 

 

 

 

Began the traditional last day walk at 8. I was going to ask if guests can use the racks.  I forgot

Wildlife brochures in the breezeway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four blocks from Gulf to bayou

 

 

My balcony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The walk took 50 minutes.

Back in my room, I made a turkey sandwich for later. Gnawed the drumstick and had clam stuffing for breakfast.

Good thing I don't hand write these Tales.
Before leaving I booked my next stay.  St. Patrick's Day weekend.  First full weekend of daylight savings.  Will have to see it I can hold out that long.

 

On the water at 11:30

 

 

It was windy, and a bit choppy, so once again I paddled to the protection of the Number 2 Channel.  As on Christmas Eve, I wore swim trunks, legs uncovered.   Long pants may have made more  sense, but I like saying I wore my swim suit on Christmas.

 

 

Black crowned night herons in the cove behind Fenimore Mill.  When I came out, a couple on their balcony told me a dolphin had just swam by in the Channel 

 

Found the dolphin

 

 

Live,the above bird looked like an eagle.  Seeing the upturned wings, I'm thinking vulture, now.

 

Tide was high enough to paddle past the wreck into the area only accessible at high tide.

 

No spoonbills in the usual roosting spots. The pair I saw earlier in the weekend may have been the last of the season. As I have read spoonbills are summer visitors to Ceder Key.

On third thought, maybe it was an eagle

At Scale Key, which I approached from a different side than I had Monday.

 

Came  via a maze of mangrove islands and narrow, twisty, channels.  Nice to have a landmark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was able to get closer to the eagle

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scale Key is part of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge

 

 

Returning via the Number 3 Bridge

 

 

 

Cleared for takeoff

 

Any one know what these are?  I was thinking godwit, dowitcher, but I can't find any with the white and grey plumage.

 

Loon

 

 

 

 

 

Took a break at Cemetery Point

In the distance, the only other paddler I saw this Christmas Day

 

 

This gentleman said it was colder than he expected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three belted kingfisher pics. Has to be a record.

 

I came out of channel and instead of turning right, back to town and the beach, I went left

 

 

 

 

I saw the eagle flying towards the nest.  I could not see it when I took the picture.  Scale Key, once again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's a dolphin out there

 Squint, and look upper right

Steamers

Pickled Pelican

 

Big Deck Raw Bar

 

 

 

Landed just after 5.  Loaded the yak on the car, changed in the restroom, and went to the Big Dock to watch the sunset.  Stopped to take a photo of a family from Maine on the way. With their camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I learned people from Maine can be dumb asses, too. Trying to touch a pelican. I gave them my unsolicited advice.

 Saw a deer on the side of Highway 24 a few miles east of the Number 4 Bridge.  Closing the weekend as it began.  I had seen a deer on the way to the Wacasassa boat ramp, Saturday.

I also learned you cannot buy alcohol in Wiliston, Florida, on a holiday.  Not that I needed any, I had four beers left over. I overheard a conversation between a clerk and police officer when I stopped for gas. "Even on non- religious holidays, like the 4th of July"   Yes.   So, plan ahead.

 

And, on New Year's Eve, I finally finish the Christmas Tale