Tuesday, December 25, 2012

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
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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