DeLeon Springs State Park

Driving to Deleon Springs State Park I told myself I needed to stop and get pictures of the wildflowers in the median of Highway 17 on the way back. 

 Once again, I don't know when I got on the water.  For some reason, when I put the memory card in the computer, it downloads pictures, but not video.  To get video, I have to download everything directly from the camera.  And, the time stamp for all is the time of the download.

 

I guess it was 9:30-10. First time at DeLeon Springs State Park since January, 2009.

The spring is on Spring Garden Lake.  A short paddle takes you to Spring Garden Creek

 

 The Creek is in the Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge

 

 Bald eagle

 

Tour boat making a wake. Everyone else slowed down

Great egret sort of looks like the swamp lily, two pics above

Black crowned night heron

.

 A canal, just down Creek from Pontoon Landing.  I have gone up it before,but not very far

 

 I got out where the canal ended.  A dike.

Missed a pic of a soft shell turtle on the dike.   Hurried into the water when it sensed me

Went for a walk

 At this sign, coming from Pontoon Landing, I always turned left, never right, the direction I walked from today.  Not a long walk

Sat for a moment, and went back to the yak

 The above pic is where I padddled before. Dead end.

Back to the Creek

 Pontoon Landing. The pontoon dock/raft from where it gets the name, as been at Hontoon  Island State Park for years.   Either an example of inter-governmental cooperation, or, an example of a neighbor borrowing your stuff and not returning it.

 Spring Garden Creek is a Manatee Zone from Pontoon Landing to Lake Woodruff.  I have never seen manatees here, just near the Spring.  I did not paddle to Lake Woodruff this trip.

Paddling up another side channel/canal

 

A shady respite from the open water of Spring Garden Creek

 

 

 

 

Another dam video

 

 One of the things Deleon Springs State Park is known for is the Old Spanish Mill Restaurant

Where you cook your pancakes at the table.

 Late in the afternoon, no wait for a table

Two batters, a white flour, and multi grain. I got both, plus chocolate chips and blue berries.

I waited 15 minutes, and took a dip in the spring.

I know it was 4:30, because the time stamp works on the old camera.  Canon has not yet made a waterproof case for the new one.

 

 

The wildflowers in the median of Highway 17 are worth a stop.

 And, sniff

 

I have never seen such beauty on the road.  I think this is a new think, planting flowers and not mowing the medians.  A week later, in north Florida on Highway 441, the median was full of lovely yellow flowers.