Cedar Key

Walk to the Spring.   In winter like temperatures.  28, if memory serves.

At least one manatee was in the run.

.

.

.

Cabin 4

.

Arrived at Cedar Key City Park. Had to kill some time because the tide was out.

Way out.   This is common in Cedar Key. What is uncommon is the Great Christmas Freeze of 2022.  Normally, I would just walk out in bare feet, get to floatable water, dry my feet, and put on sandals.  But, temps were in the low 40's.  Cold for sandals.

After 30 minutes are so, I said "Bleep it, I'm going in. After a long walk, I was in the kayak at 12:29

It was a pain to put socks on, in the kayak, but I did it.  Putting on my sneakers would have been really difficult. 

For the first time in 3 days, I took off my gloves and rolled back my hood.

 .

Ruins on Astena Otie Key.  Would have been a good, mosquito free day to explore the interior, but I did not want to deal with the foot wear issue.

.Snake Key 

.Cormorants, above, oyster catchers, below.

Reddish egret

.

Bald eagle

.

Buffle heads

Water went from wavy to smooth. I could not figure out why.  Appeared to be the same depth. No sand or shell bar.

Completed the paddle around Atsena Otie

Brown  pelican and black skimmers at the entrance to the Number 2 Channel

Tide way too low to check out the spoonbills in the mangroves on the other side of this old shell encrusted wreck. 

.

Snowy egret.    I was bit disappointed there was no snow this weekend.

Hat and gloves were back on.  Forecast called for a high of 53. I don't think it got above 50.

.Cemetary Point Park boardwalk

.

Lunch break at Cemetary Point Park.   It has a lot of shaded picnic tables and benches. Took a while to locate one in partial sun. 

Back on the water

Spoonbills!

Scale Key

Water is shallow near here, tide was still relatively low, I turned around.

Back to the small island with the trio of roseate spoonbills

.

Yellow crowned night heron

Tide came in some, but just the tip of the wreck has to be visible to safely navigate to my spoonbill spots.

Blue teal

Crystal River power plant working overtime during what may have been the coolest 3 days in my 33 years in Florida.

I had been on the water, except for lunch, about 4.5 hours. Might as well make it 5, and enjoy sunset

Cedar Key, No. 1 in farm raised clams. 

Landed at 5:39

I think City Park has more lights than ever.

Dinner at Robinson's Seafood.  Grouper chowder.

Shrimp and grouper.    Got a bag of clams and mullet dip to take home.