A wonderful day on the Hillsborough River. Almost 10 hours. Lots of photos. This Tale will take a long time to tell. Longer than it should. Thanks to the user unfriendly, not intuitive, piece of shit, Windows 8. Which among its many deficiencies, does not allow me to easily go from this Tale, or any web site, to my photos and back.
Underway at 7:17 AM. When I go to my photos, and click them to see which are Yak Tale worthy, I get a full screen shot, and can't see the photo number. I used to write them down, so as to only post the ones I wanted. With Widowsfucking8 its going to be for of a guessing game. Especially after a beer or three.
No pictures for 9 minutes. Where were the birds?
Here they are. 2 spoonbills to start.
Cattle egrets
Vultures, there were a few hundred near Nature's Classroom.
Juvenile blue heron
Cormorant. Only one I saw.
Great egret
Black crowned night heron
Limpkin. Speaking of animals with brown coats and white spots, saw a fawn. Surprised it was still spotted this late in the year. Saw the mother too, but they ran off before I could get a photo.
Two places where black crowned night herons don't care if you get close. Silver River, and Hillsborough River
Green heron
Morris Bridge Park. I had seen no one since I left Trout Creek Park. There, two fishermen were launching a canoe, with motor, as I set out
Great blue heron
Old bridge posts.
Wood stork
1st alligator picture, 9:56 AM. With a cold front forecast for Sunday, I thought I may see quite a few as they stored energy on this day with temps forecast to reach the low 80's
My alligator forecast was correct.
Approaching Sargeant Park, 11:20
I kept paddling up the Hillsborough.
I do not recall seeing these posts before. There has always been a large tree blocking the River. The first of the "numerous obstacles". It was gone, or at least there was a way through.
Able to go farther than I ever had before. Could have kept going, but it was time for a break. Not to mention, late November days are short.
Approaching Sergeant Park, 12:22. Planned on a lunch break. But, with a very large group preparing to go out, I just used the restroom, and got back in the kayak.
Although, the view would not have been bad.
Say,ahhhh.
Toupee?
Cover boy. Or girl
Morris Bridge, 2:10
Now there were gators on the Morris Bridge to Trout Creek section.
Back to Trout Creek Park.
Into Trout Creek
Dead end
Duckweed
Not a duck
Stymied again.
Back to the Hillsborough.
Last photo, 5:04. 9 hours 47 minutes since the first, at 7:17. Not the last one I took. I paddled down River, through the spillway, to I-75. No idea why the pictures did not turn out. Wish I noticed it before Sunday's paddle, as no photos turned out. Not to mention a great deer video.
So, I was on the water more than 10 hours. Not a bad way to spend the day.
2 comments:
Dave, how cumbersome were the obstacles and is there truly no take out for those next 5 miles? That would mean there was no put in either so that someone wanting to avoid them could hop in past. Just trying to get my bearings on the river. Did you use a livery service? Lots of great pictures, thanks for sharing!
Joy, the obstacles are only on one part of the Hillsborough "17 Runs" and on Trout Creek. There is a 8 mile stretch that is kept clear by the good folks at Canoe Escape. The livery service. They are located at Sargeant Park. You can do a 4 mile trip to Morris Bridge Park, or a 8 mile trip to Trout Creek Park. I go up from Trout to Sgt, and back, plus a little more. I did not use them this time, or whenever I paddle alone, but have used them when friends are with me. Including people from mid 70's to early teens. They are very good. Just put Canoe Escape in your search engine
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