Cedar Key, Day 2

Got up to see the sunrise, only to have it blocked by the Cedar Cove condos.  Building on the left.  So, I went out side, crossed the street, and got a vantage from the  breakwall/marina/parking lot.

And,dock

 Back inside before 7. Tried to sleep, could not.  Breakfast plate, rice, clams, steak, red onions

On a rough and windy Gulf at 10 past 9.  Water crashing over, and into the kayak as I launched.

 No pics until I was in the Number 2 Channel

  Oyster catcher and willet? on the oyster bar at the wreck

American avocets. I thought I had only seen these at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, from the car, on Blackpoint Wildlife Drive. But, a mail search reveals I some while kayaking at Caladesi Island in March, 2005.  According to the Cornell U. website they winter in Florida, and "In summer it can be found in temporary and unpredictable wetlands across western North America"   So, I wonder what they are doing in western Florida.

When one is a member of the Church of the Double Bladed Paddle, two Sunday services are appropriate.

It would be a dream not to take this road tomorrow afternoon

 And stay in Cedar Key

 Not a head scratcher at all.

Two spoonbills

Two dolphins.  Not visible.  Usual area, near Cemetery Point. They were headed towards the Number 3 Bridge.  But having been there Saturday, I took another route.

 Crab trap buoy

Moving.  Is it a satellite tag? Some injured manatees,  rehabilitated and released back to the wild, have tethers tied to their tail attached to a float and antenna that look a lot like trap buoys.  The antenna are longer.

 It was moving quickly, against the wind and tide  Not a satellite tag.  Not a manatee, as I followed over 5 minutes and it did not surface  I think with the time and effort, a manatee would have come up for air. Turtle? Fish? A mystery.

Clam lease is my guess.

 View to the right

 left of the markers. 

And, straight ahead. I turned back.

Saw dolphins two more ties, but was unable to get photos.  The law of averages caught up with me after Saturday's dolphinpaloza.

 Could not approach the avocets as closely as before.

Tide was out

I began to mentally prepare for the paddle in the Gulf.  It was rough in the morning.

 No worries.  Almost flat.

 If had been like this at 9 AM I would have paddled to Seahorse Key

But, pull back a it, and there were distant clouds.

Landed at 12:30. Lots of seaweed on the beach after two windy days.  I fixed lunch, cheese steak, and wrote Saturday's Tale.

After a 3  hour break from the mid day heat, I was on the bike

The end of Airport Road.  I would be back here, later in the day.

 I ducked

Of course

Need to see a pelican

 Saw the family

 Not a bad place to spend eternity

I did not see any dolphins

The great egret would have preferred I not be on the boardwalk

 Crest

 Shell

The next four photos are taken from the same spot.

Nice spot

 I knew I'd see pelicans eventually

 Concreteblockhenge.

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue like Stonehenge.

 Back at 5. Have a beer

 Dinner.  My second helping, and get back in the kayak.  Only to have the weather turn for the worse. Too rough to kayak for the sunset. Looking out over the balcony, cloudy and drizzle. Oh well, I can walk in the rain, maybe I'll see something. Out the door, the other side of my unit, the Sun!  Got on the bike and rode to seek the sunset

View from the bridge linking Way Key to the key the airport is on.

Views from the end of the road next to the runway

Same road, different spot, above

 Too bad the pelican was not on the top rail

The bridge, again.

 Canal view

 Gulf Blvd scenes

 From Dock Street

 Dock Street

Just before I went inside, 8:55 PM EDT