Hillsborough River

All of the Hillsbourgh  County Parks on the Hillsborough River are closed due to Covid 19.  A friend posted pictures from a Hillsborough River a few weeks ago.  Someone asked where she launched.  Her coy response, "a city park"   I found it on the internet.

On the water at 7:39.  Could have been earlier, but having never been to Rotary Park, I did not know if it had gate.  So, I drove at, or under the speed limit (something I have become used to towing the camping trailer), and washed all the windows when I stopped for gas.

It looked like the River was flowing from the other side of the Fowler Avenue bridge, so I began the up River paddle.  Or so I thought

I-75 crosses the Hillsborogh twice?  I thought.  No, later found out this is Bullard Ave

Believe it or not, unlike the section I usually paddle, there are quite a few homes along the River, here.

Seems to have little affect on the wildlife

One thing I did not see.  Alligators. Yet

Flood control

My intent was to paddle to Lettuce Lake Park, onward to Trout Creek Park, and towards Morris Bridge Park, depending on how tired I became.

The River grew wider. Lettuce Lake?

A pelican.  I do not recall seeing one on the Hillsborough before.  A check of the Yak Tale's archives confirms that.  I was further down River than I had been before.

Turns out I was a LOT farther downstream.  

Lettuce Lake Park is closed, I thought.  It is.  This is Riverhills Park.  I had been paddling down River, not up.  Must be the tide, I told myself.  When I returned home, I looked into Hillsborough River tides.  Little or none.  I'm just an idiot.  Paddled 5.5 miles the wrong way.  I turned around.

There were numerous black bellied whistling ducks.

It began to rain

It became hard just as I arrived at what I thought was I-75.  In the shade of the bridge, with  time to kill and able to see my phone(useless in the sun) I saw it was Bullard Ave.

Waited an hour for the storm to pass

On the way up, I mean down River, I though these buildings might be USF, which has a launch near Lettuce Lake

Back to Rotary Park.  I continued the voyage

Turtles

Finally, an alligator

Still houses along the River

Limestone.  The Hillsborough is spring fed. The source is Crystal Springs in Zephyrhills

Limpkins are everywhere these days. Their diet, supplemented by exotic snails, in addition to the native apple snails and river clams.

Cormorant

Anhinga, female

Fletcher Avenue

The University of South Florida launch.  Closed. Not that I could use it, having no connection with the school.  Other than watching Marquette beat them in the old Big East.

Lettuce Lake Park. Note the rope, and Covid 19 sign

I had a vison of Lettuce Lake being a weed infested, shallow area.  Far from it.

Roseate spoonbills and gators galore

More spoonbills than I have ever seen on the Hillsborough

The river narrowed past this Park overlook

It opens up.  That is Interstate 75.  Trout Creek is about a mile up River.  I turned around.   I had paddle down from Trout Creek, after going up to Sargent Park, and past 75, once before.  I recall rain, and it being a weekday.  So had to be before I got my current job in July, 2005.  Pre Yak Tales days.  I found the email I sent to family and friends.  It was June, 2005.  A Wednesday.

This section, that I was on for the first time, is just as nice as the section around Morris Bridge.  Maybe, nicer.

Saw one boat. Father and son, fishing.

Disc golf course on the USF property

USF ramp. Shows how low the River is

Fowler Ave. Back to civilization

Civilization does not lack wildlife 

Runoff

Landed at 6:36.  11 hours, about 18 miles, with an hour rain delay.  Now that I know about the area up River from Lettuce Lake, I will return there.