Weeki Wachee, Mud River, and Salt Spring

Celebrated Columbus Day in appropriate fashion. By discovering something that already existed.  Salt Spring, above

 The kayak ramp at Rogers Park was underwater when I launched at 7:30. Two pickups with trailers in the lot, another came and launched his camo duck hunting boat as I got on my way.

Up the Weeki Wachee

I assumed the boater was headed out to the Gulf, not up River, like me. But, as I left Hospital Hole,(the sinkhole where manatees congregate in cooler months) I heard it behind me. Darn,  But,it turned off into a residential canal and I never saw it again.

New paintings on the seawall of  the Panama Canal house. My last visit, in January, the old mural was painted over. A woman, I assume the owner, was doing some work on the former wildlife/Panama  Canal mural.  I began to ask, "Are y..  "YES!"    I guess everyone who passes by is asking if it will be repainted

Wanted to get closeups, but, according to the FEDEX and Amazon websites, I have my "new" camera. In the real world, it never arrived. A refund has already been processed, Just ordered another, and paid for shipping so, hopefully it gets here Wed. Paid 20 bucks for a 2 yr warranty. Old broke, no zoom at 28 months. Now, if I can put the new serial number on the old camera.....

 Red maples beginning to turn.  Yes, we do have fall in Florida.  In shaded spots, steam was rising.  Meaning the air temp was cooler than the River's 72

Otter. Zoom would have been nice, here.

Reached the turn back point at 10.  I had the Weeki Wachee to myself until just past 9.  After that, people began coming down stream from the State Park.

 Past the tour boats  The rental concession launch is just downstream.  No landing, but you can launch your own vessel, for a fee.  Who would want to do that?

I think I had the camera on underwater setting for the above photo. Trees were not that orange.

 The Weeki Wachee is great for a zoomless camera.  Until you want a view of an eagle's nest.

Empty. Odd thing is, Friday night, as I was where I am now, the zoom worked.  Worked tonight, too. Maybe it has an aversion to sunlight.

Leaving Weeki Wachee State Park

For a while, it seemed like every 2-3 minutes, I'd pass another group of paddlers. Took a while, but there was a decent stretch where I had the River to myself, again.

 The white circle is a clock. To let renters from the State Park concession the time so they can land by 3:00 PM.  Or pay another 5 bucks.  Good info to know to avoid the crowd.

 The ibis feeding on a lawn was the most wildlife I saw on a sparse day.  I did see an great egret and great blue heron. And a raccoon.  No manatee, eagles, or deer.  So far.

Rogers Park.  I continued paddling.

Going under this bridge takes you to the branch less traveled.

 To the stream that goes to Mud River

 My plan was to paddle up river.  But, I saw a bald eagle down stream and went to check it out

Oh, to have zoom capability.

The water was shallow, footing firm.  Stepped out to grab a sandwich and pee.  I did not want to stop on the Weeki Wachee as people I had passed may have passed me.  I'd rather not see people while paddling.

I usually go down stream on Mud River, to Gulf.  But, Friday night, while preparing for the paddle, I saw a photo of Salt Spring.  I had not heard of, or visited it, before.  So, I went to find it.

 Over Mud Spring.  Time to head down river.

I had in my head that Salt Spring was on my right. But, when a young girl and her father came out of a channel to the left, I went that way.

 Clear, swift flow.  I was in Salt Run.  The bridge is about halfway up the mile long run. Had to take the paddle apart to fit.

It flows through a residential area.

Salt Spring

 The banner reads, "Paradise". I concur.

 Back on Mud River

 Entrance to the creek back to the Weeki Wachee.   I continued down the Mud.  Better chance to see manatees and dolphins.

Bayport Pier and Gulf, on the horizon.  It had already been a long day.  I turned around.

 Mud, left, Weeki Wachee, right.   Up the WW

Things non paddlers don't notice.  Many bridges have 2 pipes. Bigger for Number 2.  I'm 53, going on 11.

Landed at 3:00.  Your average 7.5 hour paddle.

Stopped at the Van Fleet Trail on the way home.

Rabbit

A six mile ride.  There were more people on the trail than I had ever seen.  A group training for Ironman Florida.  They ran, and biked, a lot more than 6 miles.  But, they did not paddle 17 miles.