Paddled and snorkeled the Weeki Wachee River, Saturday, January 5, 2008. The coldest temperatures in three years, 31 for the low Thursday in Orlando, had me thinking I should see several manatees taking refuge in the warm spring fed River.
I discovered the "Ramp Slippery When Wet" sign, on the left, is true. I slipped carrying the yak to the water.
I lay on the ramp for a while. The aftermath of the fall was painful. Left side of my torso, right arm, right leg all hurt. I must have twisted as I fell. Still sore now, 13 hours later. I have a baseball sized bruise on the inside of my left arm.
But, as they say, you can play when hurt. I wasn't injured, so into the yak and the short canal to the Weeki Wachee River.
I paddled upstream. Unlike my last visit:
http://davesyaktales.blogspot.com/2007/10/weeki-wachee.htmlIt was low tide. That meant a tough paddle against the spring fed current. So, after a few minutes, I stopped at the Hospital. No, not a people hospital to tend my aches, but a sinkhole in the River, known as "Fish Hospital". Given the name because local lore claims fish are cured of parasites and lesions in layer of hydrogen sulfide 70 feet below the surface. 70 feet is less than half way to the bottom,or so I have read. I have snorkeled it once, maybe twice before, seen a few fish. I had read manatees sometimes congregate here. The water above the Hole felt warmer then the surrounding river. I saw a fish, skin flaking off. Was it seeking medical help ? Then I saw large schools of snapper, some sheepshead, schools of mullet, and,
manatees. One, then two, then four. One approached the back of the yak, I turned to take a picture, knocking off my sunglasses. As I watched them slowly sink into the abyss, I decided I may as well get in the water myself. So I pulled the yak up on the bank, and joined the manatees below the surface.
There were at least six sea elephants in the sink hole. As I wrote above, the water was warm, especially the deeper I dove. Prime manatee territory. The white spots are barnacles. The nice thing about the Fish Hospital is that its located on a bend of the Weeki Wachee. That means you can snorkel in one spot without the current taking you downstream. After a few pictures, I discharged myself from the hospital and resumed the trip upstream.
I almost had the River to myself, seeing one boat the first hour. I saw four deer on the bank. No picture. Two manatees swiftly swam down stream. Then two more deer.
Past the halfway point, I encountered downstream paddlers. The first one, however, told me he was returning after paddling upstream. The other paddlers all had the same question, "See any manatees ?" "Oh, yeah", I replied. I saw another one as I continued upstream, and another just downstream of the launch point for the downstreamers. The launch is just downstream of the tour boat dock.
Nobody on the dock, so paddled a bit past the "No Vessels Beyond This Point Sign" before turning and drifting downstream. It was just past 11:00 am.
Back at the launch area, a large group was getting ready to go. I told some who were already in the water to look behind and to the left if they wanted to see a manatee. I told them. I'd take a $5 finder's fee. I ought to be a guide.
I waited for the armanda to ge tour of sight, and sound, then resumed my trip.
I stopped for lunch. Two yellowtail snappper swam upstream. I was leaning towards not snorkeling, but the yellowtail help convince me to do it. Who knows what I might see ? Not to mention the swim could be beneficial for my aches and pains. Florida spring water is, after all, the Fountain of Youth. The yellowtail swam downstream as I finished lunch. Likely found the water too fresh. I got in the water, and holding onto the bow line, drifting with the current.
Saw two manatees. After I got back in the yak, I noticed my dive flag was missing. So I paddled upstream to look for it. Saw another manatee
and recovered the flag.
I saw another aquatic mammal, a raccoon. Here are some of the birds on the Weeki Wachee. There also was a large flock of robins. I saw them both ways, up and down stream. Unable to get any pictures, as an "MVP" chant ran through my head. My Milwaukee readers will understand.
Three, a mother, flanked by two calves, than two manatees, swam upstream as I neared the Fish Hospital. Would any remain ?
Yes. The bank were I beached in the
morning was underwater. The tide was in. So I tied the yak to a root and stepped into the water.
What was a three hour trip upstream was four hours down. I usually go past the launch at Rogers Park, two miles to the Gulf, looking for dolphins and more. This time, sore from the fall, I did not extend the trip.
As usual on the Weeki Wachee, I ended the day with a meal at the Upper Deck. It overlooks Rogers Park.
I always get the Chef's seafood pasta creation.
This time it was Blackend Scallops Alfredo. I was a bit disapponted. Usually there is more, and more than one type of seafood on the platter. The Upper Deck has spoiled me.
As usual on a weekend, the Wekiva was full of paddlers from the State Park, through the Wekiva Marina, to the Indian/Party mound on the right bank. That's about a 45 minute paddle from the Park. I continued for another 45 minutes, to an almost empty River. THroughout the afternoon, I saw more motor boats then I have ever seen here, about 10. One was a DEP officer, ticket book out, as a young man fished beers out of his cooler, and one by one, emptied them into the River.
