Cedar Key, NFL North Champion Sunday

As I began my walk this morning, a car with a Wisconsin Packer plate drove towards me. I waved, they rolled down the window and asked where to see the game.  I told them I did not know but I'd be looking on Dock Street later in the day.  As the pulled away, I gave the traditional greeting,  "The Bears still..."  and got the correct answer.  An omen for the rest of the day.

Despite the driving rain that canceled my walk.  It is now New Year's Eve as I resume the Tale.  Stood under a shelter/information booth. Panels on aquaculture, local fish, and the Big Bend Aquatic Preserve.  Shared it with an interesting local.  Joined the Navy during Vietnam.  After basic at Great Lakes, got assigned to the White House Honor Guard.  When LBJ was President. In civilian life, worked all over for power companies.  Good guy to share a shelter with during a thunderstorm.

It let up, I headed back to 330.

 Balcony views

I ate breakfast-seafood pasta, composed a bit of Saturday's Yak Tale, made an entry in the room log, packed, and checked out. Was raining as I drove across the street to City Park.

 It stopped as I took the kayak off the car. Underway at 11:20

 

 

Colorful trio. Reddish egret, oyster catchers, roseate spoonbill

Coming back after trying to get black crowned night heron photos

 

 

 

I was able to get some black crowned night heron pics in the rookery near Nature's Landing

 

 

 

These spoonbills were near the wreck

 

 

 

 

It was deep enough to get past the wreck and take the back country to Channel Number 3

 As I write on New Year's Day, I forget what kind of ducks these were.  It was raining, lightly.

 

I long paddle to get to the white pelicans. Which were far to the east, near the Number 4 Bridge. Too bad I did not keep my lens clean.

 

 The rain stopped, but it got windy.  Very windy.

 

 

Approaching the Number 3 Bridge

 

 

Loon

 Female avocets

 

 

 

 

Number 2 Bridge

Mergansers

 

 

 

 

As my morning walk was canceled by rain, I decided to take the usual real estate photos from the water.

 

Where's the motor?

 In the center of the boat.  So not to interfere with working and pulling up traps

 

 

 

The wreck

Earlier, paddling into the wind, the occasional whitecap on the protected inner waters of Way Key, I thought I might be landing on the Channel 2 side of Old Fenimore Mill, walking to the car, and coming back to load.

 The wind subsided.

 

 

 Landed at 2:40. 

Had lunch, downloaded photos, recharged the camera battery, all with a nice view.

 

 Back on the water at 3:55

 Saw dolphins as I paddled out to Astena Otie Key.  Did not get any pics.

This one was back near town and the Honeymoon Cottage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue winged teal. Also saw a bald eagle as I paddled towards Scale Key

 

Skimmers over Dog Island

 

Buffle heads

 

Eagle and nest on Scale Key

As the eagle nest was the wrong way from the sunset, I was unable to get back in time for a better view.

 

 

 

 

Ideally, I would have been on the other side of the fishing dock.

Landed at 6:02

Dinner and most of the second half of the Packer game at Steamers.

Also had a cup of clam chowder and a Swamphead Brewery Midnight Oil.

Saw the last 3 scores.  When the Bears scored, silence.  When the Packers scored, especially the 4th and 8 winner, it was like this 

Well, not quite, but there were a lot of Packer fans there.  Perfect ending to a great weekend.