Cedar Key, 7-26-14

Starting this Yak Tale with the first picture of the day.  From the break wall/sidewalk/boat ramp parking lot. 6:54 AM. Sunrise was a 6:49.  I was going to try to catch it in the kayak.  Was in the car when nature called.   Back upstairs, took care of business. By then it was too late for a water borne view.

 

 

 

 

 View from the 331 balcony.  After an All American breakfast of pizza and coffee, it was time to kayak.  A kid, name of Joshua., was going out.   Not to far, under his dad's guidance.  "Are those storm clouds?'  He asked. "Yes.  Summer in Florida, there are always storm clouds"  "I hate storm clouds"    Me too.

 

9:07, underway

I wanted to go to Seahorse Key.  A strong west wind and whitecaps deterred me.  To the east, a distant shower. I went east, into the relative safety of the Number 2 Channel

 

 

Spoonbills, on the other side of the wreck.

 Low tide, can't get to the other side.  If you want the kayak to still float.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was at Cemetery Point.  As a point, paddling options are presented.  I usually paddle to the Number 3 Bridge. Today, I choose the other option, taking the channel that eventually empties into the Gulf on the northwest side of Way Key.

 

 

Paddled over an hour to get the last 4 photos

Seeing a whale makes it worthwhile.

The wind continued to blow . Which had  me taking longer to circle  Way Key,  There are numerous small, grassy, oyster shell islands.  I did not want to take shortcuts between them to prevent running aground on those shells, pushed by the wind

 

 

Nice location, but for one major problem.  I don't see a place to launch a kayak.  So, Old Fenimore Mill, on the other end of Way Key, with its two beaches, is still where I will buy if I win the lottery.

 

 Landed at 12:40.  Lunch break, then bike to Sandy's for some clams.

Checking on the kayak

 

 

 

 Bought a bag of medium clams

 

 

 4:08, back on the water

Just enough water to get past the oyster bars at the wreck in the Number 2 Channel to get to the spoonbill roost

 

Tide was going out fast, so I did not think I would make it back out past the wreck.  So, I went through a gap in the mangroves into the Number 3 Chanel.  The second gap I tried.  The first, narrow one was too shallow

 

The light was making this great egret's legs look white.  I thought I had a rarity. Great white herons do not come this far north.  It took flight, black legs outstretched.

 Unlike the last time I attempted it, I was able to locate the channel that leads to the Gulf.

 

Landed at 5:20

 Too hot to stay on the balcony

View from inside 331

 Dinner.  Left the jar of sauce at home, so just went with butter, onion and garlic (jar), with the clams

Here we go again, 7:34

 

 

 A kayaking couple asked where the best place to see the sunset was. "Number 4 Bridge, this time of year, as it sets on the other side of Way Key"

 

I made do with what nature provided.

 

 

 

 

 

I began to paddle back.  Turned around a couple times for pictures.  Than the waves grew to about 3 feet so I just aimed over my shoulder.

Also so 2 dolphins to the east, which distracted me from what was going on to the west.  No dolphin photos.

 

 

 

Landed at 8:42