St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park

 Can't beat an empty ocean front beach on a June Sunday. Well, except with an empty (of people) freshwater spring.

I began the day hopping out of bed in my cabin at Jonathan Dickinson State Park to go for a morning walk

At the Education Center. Hopefully next time, I will remember the  picnic tables. at the rear. Easier for Yak Tales posting on the laptop than the rocking chairs in front.  

 I hoped, as always, to go kayaking somewhere where I would not see a lot of people. What was on the way home q mark Qmark key busted.  St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park looked promising.  Water access only, by private boat. No State Park run ferry.  A small, paddle raft only Martin County Park for launching.  17 miles away.  I decided to check it out.

Online reviews mentioned limited parking.  Two cars with surf skis were driving out as I was coming in. Plenty of spaces on the street.  And, one at the end of the road, overlooking the small beach, opened up as I unstrapped the kayak

On the Indian River just after 10:00 AM

State Park dock

 I did not land, but paddled south, to an alternate landing 

A long canal, into the interior of Jupiter Island.  Legacy of a land boom-bust. question mark. key busted

Not the landing

Found the landing, helped by two paddlers leaving.

Landed and made a short walk to the Ocean

A guy was fishing at the kayak landing area. He left as I pulled in.  I could see one person on the beach when I got to it. Probably the angler.

The State Park has 2.7 miles of Atlantic beach.

A short trail from landing to ocean.  The northernmost section of the Florida coral reef is a half mile off sure. It would be easy to cart a kayak to her water and paddle to it.  On a calm day. 

Getting crowded 3 people had landed.  Saw 2 more headed to the landing when I was back on the water.

The boardwalk, from the pier, is the beach  access for poor saps who don't have kayaks

Once again, I had the beach to myself.  There was a boat at the dock when I landed, but I crossed paths with its crew, on the boardwalk.

Breakwall and light at the Inlet. Full zoom

 

If I had arrived 10-15 minutes later, the sun would have gone over the seagrapes, making it cooler.  

Had a sandwich on the bench and headed inland.

Had an apple in the pavilion. Where, with out a breeze, the "real feel' was about the same.  Fewer deadly UV rays, however.

Service road.  Walked on it to let a couple who arrived, and left as I ate my apple, get out of sight down the boardwalk.  Boaters, from the looks of them.

No powerboat at the pier.  Perhaps I was wrong about the couple that I saw.  Nope. They had a jetski where I landed.

Outback across the Indian River. Max zoom 

The Park has a Ranger Station, which was closed.  A sign apologized for tram service not being available.  I have learned it usually runs on weekends. 

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Now we now how far I paddled.  I did more than  miles.

Pushing away from Jupiter Island.

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My pre paddle research revealed, in addition to limited parking at Cove Road Park, fast boats on the Indian River can be  a problem. You need to pay attention. 

Cove Road Park, ahead.   I wanted to see what was beyond the fence 

Which is marked, "Private Property"

A very government looking pier. At least to me.   

A sign on the pier looked familiar.

A sawfish advisory.  Like on City Pier on Sanibel.

A kayak rack behind the mangroves

Landed at 2:30. View from a covered picnic table.