Bulow Creek, Gamble Rogers

Saturday, January 21

Driving into Bulow Plantation Ruins State Park

Unlike 99% of Florida State Parks, it opens at 9, not 8. It was just before 8. 9 AM passed, no one at the gate.  I heard a chain saw.  The trail head for the hiking trail  to the Fairchild Oak is just behind and on the right of the above photo.  The trail is closed.  Hurricane damage.  I ducked under the yellow tape and walked to where the volunteer pair was cutting away a large downed tree.  Asked if they had a key.  No.  "We heard the guy cutting the grass".  Back to the gate.  I heard the lawnmower.  When it stopped, I yelled, "GOOD MORNINING!"  I shouted more than once.  Finaly, the Park caretaker came to the gate.  "I lost track of time".  "I'll say.... and thank you for all your hard work."

I took the kayak off the car, then drove to the kayak launch on Smith Creek at North Peninsula State Park. Biked out of the parking lot at 9:52.   Halifax River.

A nice, 6 mile ride.  Sadly, the Ormond Loop is not at nice as it used to be.  Way too many cars and motorcycles.  I say, only let locals, and people with bikes, kayaks, and rods and reels on the Loop

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The last mile of the ride is on a well-maintained dirt road in Bulow Planation Ruins State Park

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On the Creek at 10:30

Landed at 1:52

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2:33 I was at my Atlantic Ocean front campsite at Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area.  The Rec Area has 2 campgrounds. On on the river side, and this one. The ocean side has 34 sites.  Your typical loop, so half the sites have a view of the other campers. One waterfront site is for the camp host.  So, 16 ocean front sites.  Very hard to get. When I saw one was available, I grabbed it. My third time here.  All on the oceanfront. First time was in a tent. On Monday, Facebook told me I was here one year ago.

On the beach at Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area.  Just one of the 3 dune walkovers has been repaired since Hurricane Nicole in November

Rain was starting to fall. It would not stop until early Sunday morning.

A visit to the river side of the Park. The rain stopped me from kayaking. 

I would have got on the water, had I not done it earlier, and not been trailer camping.

Kept relatively dry on a walk through the coastal hammock

My screen room was drier on the inside than my trailer.

It probably is not recommended to have a grill inside a screen room......