Blackwater Creek

A blustery day in metro Orlando, Sunday, December 26, 2010. I returned to the Seminole State Forest to kayak Blackwater Creek.  No bear today. Lots of otters.  My State Forest Permit is good through Friday, so the tree lined Blackwater Creek was a good choice to stay out of 20 mph wind.  I wanted to do a car-bike shuttle from the Forest to Katie's Landing, but did not want to endure a windy bike ride and a windblown paddle on the wider Wekiva.  So, I went down Creek to the Wekiva and back.

I started late, no reason to arrive early as there are no crowds, check that, nobody at all to contend with on the water.  On my way at 9:55.   Saw two does in the forest on my left shortly after launching.  Winter as brought all sorts of small songbirds to Florida.  Plenty of these little pale blue ones.

I did an ID search, not coming up with anything.  Any one have an educated guess?  Also, numerous small birds with yellow breasts.  No pics of those.

 The wind is the edge of a cold front.  It was in the low 50's. Now, as I compose, it is 39 with a forecast low of 27. Yikes. Two weeks ago when it got to the twenties, I was in Sanibel, where it was above freezing. I'll have to tough this one out.  Posting  the vulture working on the dead fish got me rambling about the weather.  Last years long lasting cold snaps led to record fish kills. This winter has started off even colder.

I saw otters Friday, and also last Christmas on Blackwater Creek.  The Florida cold doesn't seem to affect them.

The wind was nasty. A peak gust of 39. Strong and steady all day.  A gust came, I moved to the middle of the Creek.  Not that it would do any good, Blackwater Creek is narrow.  A loud  CRAAACCKK as a dead tree in the forest snapped in half and toppled.  Well inland, fortunately.

I saw two large flocks of turkeys.  The first,  5 or so on the left bank. They scurried away, but I kept hearing gobbling. It took awhile to figure out where it was coming from.  I looked up. Another eight turkeys in the tree overhead.  They took flight, joining their mates across the Creek.  The three above were part of a flock further down Creek.  I first heard them.  A loud racket in the cypress trees.  I thought ibis.  But then I saw the turkeys.  15, at least, several males, tails unfurled, running about. Wish I had a pic of that scene.  The above trio were taken a few minutes later, down Creek of the hubbub.

 

Reached the Wekiva, above, at 12:05.  Paddled up it a short way to get a photo of a great egret.  It flew away. Back up Blackwater, 30 minutes to my lunch stop.

As mentioned at the start, no bear today.

This is the otter in the opening photo.

Back to the launch site at 2:30.

I kept going, continuing to the Moccasin Springs campsite before turning back.

Landed just past three. Unlike Christmas Eve, when four guys were fishing at the launch, the only angler today was this great blue heron.

Went for a bike ride. This is north of the launch, my way out is south.

I wanted to see if I could find another of the small springs in the Forest, Sharks Tooth Spring.

Found it. Small spring, fifth magnitude, with a tiny spring run.

Listening to the water gurgling from the ground, I thought, wonder if I can get this sound on video?

Not much sound, but motion.

Pedaled 5.6 miles.  Other than a few small birds, no wildlife spotted.  The deer were waiting for me to drive out of the Forest. 

 I was surprised how well the above photo turned out.  My windshield is pretty dirty.  I got out of the car for the other pics.

I wonder if these were the same pair I saw from the kayak at the start of the paddle.

Almost forgot- saw a bald eagle, in flight, on the up- Creek paddle

Kings Bay, Three Sister Springs

Whiskers, a round figure.  I say manatees resemble Santa Claus much more than they do mermaids.  I saw  lot of these aquatic jolly old elves Christmas Day, 2010. 

The parking lot at Hunter Springs Park in Crystal River was empty when I arrived  at 8:40.  In the water just before 9, headed to Three Sisters Springs.  I did not get a lot of bird photos today, which may be a good thing as with all the manatee pics it would take a week to tell the Tale.

The pelican was on a dock at the entrance of the canal/run that leads to Magnolia Springs, and beyond that, Three Sisters Springs.  A manatee train headed out as I paddled in. I wondered if any would be left at Three Sisters.  I should not have worried. There were plenty.  And not two many people.  One tour boat, advertising "Private Tour, 6 Persons", 2 private boats, and me.  I anchored outside the short run to Three Sisters, donned snorkel gear, and swam in.

 Coming into the Springs, I saw snorkelers on my right.  So, I swam to the left.

Past a view resting manatees, then to a trio who took an interest in me.

One was coming very close. I'd swim away, and it followed.  I took the above photo to show how close. My hand, near, not touching, the manatee's flipper.
These bluegills are under a manatee's fluke.

The friendliest manatee swam towards me again.  I floated as motionless as possible. Closer, closer, until it put its snout right on my facemask.  Gently, not jarring it at all.  It backed off, finding its fellows more cuddly.

 Worthy of a barrel roll.

I spent about twenty minutes with the trio before swimming out of Three Sisters, passing and following more manatees.

There were more manatees outside of Three Sisters than inside. Coming out of the short run, there are small springs on the right and left.  The one on the right has always been a sanctuary, no entry, November to March.  It is larger this year, and for the first time, the area around the small spring on the left is also roped off as a sanctuary.  No manatees were in the new sanctuary, in the old, they were stacked like presents under the tree.

No room at the inn, these manatees had to stay outside the ropes.

I paddled into Three Sisters.  I had not when I arrived, as people were walking in the Run. Why walk when you can swim and not stir up the bottom is something I don't understand.

I left the area, stopped briefly at Magnolia Springs, then headed into Kings Bay.  From the exposed shoreline, I saw it was low tide.  Maybe I could anchor the yak outside King's Spring, like I did Christmas, 2007.  I crossed a rough and windy Bay.  There was a spot where I could have got out, but it was so windy I was afraid of the anchor not holding.  I did get a useful bit of information. A volunteer at the Wildlife Refuge Pontoon said it is ok to tie to it.  Still have the depth problem, however.  As in to deep to stand.  So, I stayed in the yak, and headed back to Hunter's Spring Park.

To bad it got windy, as other than that, it was a beautiful day.

 I landed a little before noon.  The parking lot, which I left with the only car, now had a dozen and more coming in. I timed by day perfectly, before the crowd, and the wind.

As it was still somewhat early in the day, I went to the Crystal River Preserve State Park to check out the bike trail.  The website says " This is a trail for the experienced biker or hiker."  I looked for information about it last night, and all I found just copied the State Park website.  I found the trailhead, and as luck would have it, a volunteer was just coming off an adjacent trail trashbag in hand.  I thanked him, and asked him about trail conditions.  He said it was hard, with a few loose soil areas.  The main thing to watch for was logging was going on, with a marked detour.   I thanked him, got on the bike, thinking I'd ride about 2 miles, then turn back.  The loop is 9 miles according to the website and map at the trailhead.

Once I got going, I decided to do the entire trail.

Less the detour.

 I wondered about logging in a State Preserve.  The sign below explains.  A previous landowner over planted slash pine, crowding out other pines and letting "excessive litter accumulate"---Not trash, natural litter- leaves, branches, ect-fire starter.  Clearing the pines should restore a more natural environment.

I saw a couple of birds, including a red shouldered hawk.  The ride was 7 and 3/4 miles.  I have no idea why it is for "the experienced biker or hiker".  Maybe it is harder when wet.   Speaking of wet, I drove on the Park road to the Visitor Center.  Which is closed on weekends.  Isn't that when people visit?  Here's a view of the Crystal River.

And the best kayak launch I have ever seen.

Short, sandy slope, with s shelter if you return during a summer thunderstorm.  This is far down River from Kings Bay, but I did launch from just across the River, at Fort Island Trail Park, my first visit to Crystal River in 2005.

But, the best thing about the launch, is this memorial.