Treasure Island, Fort DeSoto

Sunday, September 14, began with a walk.

 First, to the docks at the back of the hotel

 

 Rental boats from the Freedom Boat Club

 

Jet powered egret

 

Looking across the canal

 Walking across

 

 

 Looking for the sunrise between buildings in a residential neighborhood

 

 Looking across at the hotel

Beach

 .85mile sidewalk on the edge of the beach

One man's trash.....

 

To the beach

Kayaks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not a bad way to spend an hour.  Back to the room for a Jose Ole microwave burrito. The room also had a small fridge, with a good size freezer for a hotel.  Fit all my water bottles and a half gallon bottle, and more.  One shot coffee pot but there also is coffee down the hall.  Had to wait for it to be brewed.  Also had to want  for the internet.  It was poor at first, Friday night.  Then good, then terrible on Sunday.  I think I downloaded one photo.  On the other hand, the problem may have been with the laptop.  I loaded the backpack and coolers, checked around for anything not packed, picked up the coolers, and went to check out.  Thinking, as I took the stairs, it is good I can carry it all in one trip.

 I was thinking of spending day 2 at Caladesi and Honeymoon Island State Parks.  They are about a 20 mile drive from Treasure Island.  Fort Desoto is 10.  Still thinking as I loaded the car.  Decided on Fort Desoto

Not on the water until 11:35.  Spent time looking for the perfect launch spot.  2 pic above with the soon to be drift wood

 

 

 

 

 No Infernal Combustion

 

Instead of paddling out of Mullet Bayou, towards Shell Key, as on Saturday, today, I paddled across, to the camping area.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq0FlQyoCxI

 Just one spoonbill

 

 

I wondered if I could paddle through to the next bay. No.

 

 

The spoonbill continued its wading, feeding, walk.

 

 

 

 

 There be dolphins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Same low bridge from earlier, other side

 

 

 

 

 A manatee surfaced.  I drifted, waiting.  Under me, a large sandy patch in the seagrass.  Manatee sized.  Manatee shaped.  It rose below me, not surfacing.  Moving away. No manatee photos.

 

 

 

 

Back to Soldiers Hole. Where a large ray burst out of the water maybe 20 yards ahead of me. 4-5 feet across.

 

 

Landed at 2:30

 Late lunch at the East Beach, near the Fort

 

 

 Atop the Fort

I had the road bike but it was windy, and I was lazy, so I did not ride.

If I did, and if I decided to change out of my swim trunks, I would have noticed something.

A brief foray on to the beach.  It began to rain, so a good idea not to bike. I got out ahead of the storm, which caused a 51 minute delay in the Buccaneers game.

 

Arrived home, disappointed the Packers were not on local TV. Even more disappointed when I went to get the last thing in the car.  My backpack.  It was not there.   First thought, it was stolen.  Second, did I leave it in the room?  Had to dial 411 to get the hotel number.  I had left it.

So, back to Treasure Island. 229 miles round trip. A 4.5 hour delay in starting this Tale. Which I completed Friday, in Cedar Key.