Ponce Inlet

As you know, I spent the week of August 2-9 2008 in Duck, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I was not impressed by the kayaking. The best of the week was near the Currituck Lighthouse. Today, August 17, 2008 I kayaked near the Ponce De Leon Lighthouse, in order to compare Florida and North Carolina.






Here is the Tale of the Tape. (Tried to do it side by side, but as soon as I downloaded a photo, it all ran together).







First, Currituck:

Red brick built 1875, 158 feet, $7 Lighthouse only, 1 mile to kayak launch, paddle Curituck Sound, I saw great egrets, gulls, pelicans, Canadian geese.

Now, Ponce:

Red brick, built 1887, 175 feet, $5 Lighthouse and restored keepers quarters
(3) each with different exhibits, additional buildings, including Lens Exhibit Building, kayak launch across street, paddle Halifax River, Ponce Inlet, Atlantic Ocean, I saw great egrets, gulls, pelicans, snowy egrets, great blue heron, sting rays and manatees.

Florida by a TKO.

This was the first time I have launched at Ponce. I visited the Lighthouse years ago. In 2005, I got a good view while paddling nearby Spruce Creek. In 2006, from the opposite side of the Ponce Inlet at New Symrna Beach, I hoped to make it to the Lighthouse but distance and Labor Day Weekend boat traffic prevenrd me from making it.

I was not sure where or if there was a launch site near the Lighthouse. Did some searching on the web last night, but was still uncertain. But if I drove to the Lighthouse I figured I'd find something, and did. As mentioned above, the launch is across the street from the Lighthouse. The launch is free, parking across the street. A snowy egret observed me put in on the Halifax River.

I headed south, behind a mangrove island, to stay out of the main channel of the River. I crossed a channel leading to the River, and entered a mangrove lined waterway.

Which deadended. So, I entered another channel.

Which also dead ended. I got out of the yak to attend to personal hygiene, and had this view of Ponce Inlet. I was at Lighthouse Point Park, which, I later discovered, has $3.50 admission. I also later discovered I could have unloaded the morning coffee at the Lighthouse. While it does not open until 10:00, restrooms near the boat ramp open at 6 am.

I paddled out of the area, talking to a guy sitting in the water with his dog. He said the area was prime manatee territory. I saw none, but made a mental note to return. Here's a view of the Lighthouse from that cove.

I reentered the main body of the Halifax and into Ponce Inlet. The left north side of the inlet has a long jetty, the south New Smyrna Beach side is Smyrna Dunes Park.

East, the Atlantic Ocean.

I ventured about half way toward the Ocean before turning back. That trip is best suited for a weekday with calmer seas.

If these paddlers read this, they can avoid the $3.50 fee at the Park next time.

Lighthouse from the Inlet.

A manatee surfaced on the north side on the Inlet as I paddled back to the Halifax.

Lighthouse over mangroves.

Back in the Halifax, where this broad section is Slow No Wake.

After paddling a bit, I made a left into a channel which linked the main branch of the River to

another branch- one full of fast moving boats, a couple towing tubers turning just before a Slow No Wake sign. I went the opposite direction, entering a maze of mangroves and oyster shells.

I took a break at the spot in the top photo. To the south baoters began to gather on the River beach. I recalled seeing a tent city of umbrellas, awnings, and tents when I paddled near here in 2006. All types of craft were in the River today, sail, paddle and power.

Lighthouse across Halifax River.

Zoom.

I returned to the cove where I had been told manatees were, and saw one. A gentlemen, not the same one I saw earlier, said there were two. If so, they took turns coming up for air after intervals of 45 seconds to 2 minutes. I counted. Like yesterday at Blue Spring, no good pictures.

Which, doesn't keep me from posting one barely visible manatee. Too bad it did not surface in front of this great blue heron.

I paddled back to the launch, this seagull must have been going out, as it is on a green day mark.

Hmmm.. I wonder what gave this Boat Yard the inspiration for its name.

This pelican, along with a snowy and great egret, hung around the landing, hoping a kid fishing would give them a free lunch. I landed, got the yak on the car, and went to the Lighthouse Museum. There had been thunder, and I had not seen anyone on the tower for some time. But I paid my $4.50 (AAA) anyway, to tour the grounds, and if worse came to worse, I'd have a rain check for a future visit. The outlying buildings alone are well worth a visit. Full of history. One building holds several lenses.

Including one from the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse that had to me removed because Space Shuttle launches were shaking it severely.

My timing was perfect, I visited all the buildings, looked at the old boats and Cuban exile rafts, walked the nature trail, when the tower reopened. Time to climb.

On maybe the fourth landing, a sign tells of the lighthouse keeper who died of a heart attack, on the steps, at age 59. That will keep the crowds going to the top down.

I made it.

Made it down as well.

I finished my visit to the Ponce Inlet with clam chowder and a bakers dozen oyster and a draft at the Lighthouse Landing, across from the Lighthouse, next to the launch.

I need to eat a lot more to get a pile of shells as high as the earlier picture.







I have a shorter version of this Tale, with different pictures (mostly) on the Green Wave Forum. http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?op=showlocation&location=161

Hontoon Island Loop

I returned to Blue Springs State Park for the first time since Father's Day, doing a slightly different paddle than that day. http://davesyaktales.blogspot.com/2008/06/hontoon-island-loop.html Today, Saturday 16, I utilized a canal instead of Snake Creek to return to the St Johns River from the Hontoon Dead River.




As I was getting ready to shove off, a kid said he thought he saw a manatee. I looked, saw disturbances caused by catfish and gar, not manatee. I told the young man that was likely what he saw. Turned out, I may have been wrong. ( A raccoon just ran across my yard-1st time I've seen one here).




I planned to paddle up to the Spring, but saw a manatee out in the St Johns, and went to investigate. I did not see it again, but saw an alligator. Returning to the launch area
to paddle up Blue Springs Run, I saw a manatee surface to my right. Turned out to be two, mother and calf. I gave them some space, watching the little one roll over. They began to swim up the Run, I shadowed them up to the second boardwalk overlook, where the seacows paused and I continued to the Spring. The lead off picture is coming back on Blue Spring Run from the Spring. I saw the kid on the swim dock, and told him there were manatees. This is a shot of the swim area later in the day.















I should have been snorkeling, as at 10:00 am, the Run was not yet crowded. Lots of fish beneath the yak.






I drifted back to the overlook where I left the manatees. I did not see them. Ahead, there was a disturbance at some shoreline vegetation. Two manatees feeding. I took a picture, but they went under, you can barely see the top of ones head, upper left of photo.









This was just on the edge of the launch area. Out in deeper water, another manatee raised a fluke. I was busy taking this picture.



Tri colored heron.




Also saw a blue heron along the Run.








For some reason, I usually do this trip on Sundays. There is much less traffic on Saturday, at least this Saturday. Less then five powerboats as I paddled down the St Johns to Hontoon Island State Park. Two kayakers, coming up stream. I did not see any more manatees. This paddle has bald eagle potential, none today. Settled for osprey.




I made the turn around the trip of Hontoon Island at the eponymous State Park, entering the Hontoon Dead River. Again, boat traffic was light. Four. Two powerboats violating the Slow No Wake restriction on the entire HDR, one pontoon boat, and a Florida Department of Law Enforcement craft. I had seen the FDLE boat on the St. Johns, and when I saw him again, I asked if he had written any tickets, "No, its been quiet" I mentioned the two speeders I saw, and then we heard an engine, loud. A boat, one of the two I saw earlier, came around the bend, way off plane. Busted ! I love it.


My last Hontoon trip, I was disappointed to see my lunch stop fenced off with a no trespassing sign. More permanent signs are now posted. This was the perfect stop. The docks of Hontoon Island State Park are too early in my route. This is also the only flat place to land on the HDR.

So, I paddled on, entered Snake Creek, and took my lunch break here.

The first high ground on the Creek, not to far from the HDR. Lots of snail shells, must be a midden.

Two HDR birds.

Great Egret, anhinga.

Canal connecting the Hontoon Dead and St. Johns River

I was surprised that other than the gator I saw early, I saw no others until I returned to Blue Springs State Park and saw one in the lagoon just upstream of the Run. In the Run, I paddled along this guy.

And this one.

The alligators were well upstream of the swim area. I went back to the St Johns, circling the island just downstream for the second time of the day, then came back, landed, got the yak on the car and snorkeled the Spring Run. Here's a sample of what I saw.

Blue gills, sun fish, gar, mullet, tilapia.

After a five hour paddle, plus putting the yak on the car, the 30 minute snorkel in the 72 degree water was the perfect way to end the day.

Hillsborough River

It's great to be back in Florida, where more birds can be seen on a single tree, than during a week on the Outer Banks. Ibis, limpkin and blue heron (lower left) here.

Photos are with my old camera. The water level on the Hillsborough is up quite a bit, as this shot shows.

No bicycles, indeed. This is a hiking trail that wends along the River from Morris Bridge Park. There also is a bike trail, higher up, on an old logging road.

I started at Trout Creek, pushing off at 10:50.

I timed my upstream paddle perfectly, arriving at John Sargeant Park as the last rentals of the day left. After a bite to eat, I headed downstream. There were not many paddlers on the River. Not many more than the 10 or so gators I spotted. No good gator pictures. Here's a turtle.

It's August, hot and steamy, birds aren't as abundant as in the cooler months. In addition to the above trio, I saw anhingas, great egrets, great blue herons,

and vultures, lots of vultures at Nature's Classroom. I also saw a bald eagle, first time on the Hillsborough. I finished at 6 pm, a seven hour day. A last wildlife sighting on the drive out of Trout Creek. An immense wild pig. Looked four feet tall at the shoulders, black as night, and fast, seeing me, running across the road, jumping through a fence, and rambling on.