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| Atlas V S rocket - Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft inside |
We had a heck of a paddle at Haulover Canal today, Saturday November
26. It was not our original plan since I wanted to paddle either Crystal or
Homosassa River. Problems with our vehicle forced us to stay at or close to home.
Decided for the latter since I knew NASA had a launch on schedule, The Atlas V
carrying a laboratory spacecraft going to Mars. It turned out really good in a
beautiful day. It was not cold, it was not hot, but it was breezy and that made
us change our routine regarding on how we paddle at Haulover Canal. Other than
that we had a sensational day at one of our favorites.
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| Cormorants |
Put
in/ Take Out: As usual, our Put in and Take Out spot was the end of the dirt
road North and West of the draw bridge over Haulover Canal. It is still free of
charge. There were a few cars at the time we arrived (9:00AM). I was somehow
surprised since was expecting many more cars since it was a launch day. No
outfitters, no tourists, no Coast Guard post at Bair’s Cove. “Maybe they scrubbed it” was my first thought. No big deal anyways since there is plenty to
explore at the Haulover Canal area.
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| Browns Pelicans |
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| Osprey |
Our first pic was taken at 9:15AM. An osprey perched near
the put in was the first subject of my beloved photographer’s attention. At
that moment we decided to paddle to the East end of the canal in order to be on
time for the launch, in case that there was still a launch. That did not stop
wifey from shooting pics at a dolphin hunting at Dolphin Cove, a small cove
just West of Bair’s Cove where often dolphins are present. A quick peek at Bair’s
Cove was not promising regarding manatees. That would be the second time in a
row that manatees were not present at a place where you would see a manatee 9
out of 10 times, depending on the season and the weather. During the winter the manatees leave this place looking for the spring's warm waters. But with the warmer temps we have had lately in Central Florida, I did expect for the manatees to still be present at Bair's Cove.
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| Brown Pelican |
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| Dolphin |
There were many boats with fishermen at the canal and also many
people fishing from the banks. We had to paddle in the center of the canal to
avoid the multiple fishing lines. Sometimes I felt that we were paddling in zig-zags all the time. After the draw bridge, if you are going East,
there is an opening on the North side of the canal. Another dolphin was hunting
in the area and wifey asked me if we still had time for more pics since she
wanted to shoot some at the dolphin. She was not happy with the pics she
took at Dolphin Cove. We had a few minutes so we stayed in the area. A manatee
surfaced once near the dolphin but we did not have a chance for pics at that
one. The dolphin was more pic friendly and gave us some pics chances.
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| Dolphin at Haulover Canal |
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| Belted Kingfisher |
When we arrived at the area where we wanted to watch the
launch I was not sure there was still a launch. There were no kayaks in line,
no boats waiting, and no people walking in the South bank of the canal, as we
had seen during the shuttle’s launches. A boat came speeding from the North
side of the Mosquito Lagoon going South when suddenly a boat in front of us did
speed up to intercept it. It was the Coast Guard, and that meant the launch was
still a go. The canal is as far South you can go in the Mosquito Lagoon on
launch days and the USCG is very strict about it. Did not want to test them
again and decided to beach the kayak in the South bank and watch the launch
from land. We arrived at our spot 5 minutes before the launch. There was nobody around and, other than a few boats in the canal area, there were no other boats around. No kayakers this time. Quite a contrast from the Atlantis' launch. Looks like nobody is interested on what is happening in Mars or not too many people knew about this. Anyways, here is what we
saw at the time.
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| Launch pads - Cape Canaveral |
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| Lift off!!!!!!!! |
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| Atlas V rocket |
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| To infinity and beyond!!!!!!!!!! |
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| 37" Redfish...Told you were going to be in the internet... |
After watching the launch we headed back to Bair’s Cove. We
used the same route we use on our way to see the launch and use the openings in
the North side of Haulover Canal. That gave us some shelter from the wind and
also avoided the incredible large amount of people fishing in boats. We were
about to enter the canal again going around a boat when one of the guys inside
told us “You are OK on that side. We do not have lines there. Hey…that guy in
that other boat hooked a big one”. Another fisherman was fighting with some big
fish as the line was bending and he was making efforts to reel whatever was at
the end of the line in. Just out of curiosity we waited to see the outcome. The
guy pulled a 37 inches redfish (sorry…did not understand what did he say
because the wind) out of the canal. Wifey did ask them for a pic and here it
is.
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| Great Egret |
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| Racoon |
After that we continued and stopped near the manatee
observation area. A solitary manatee, which we did not see on time, was there
but swam away when we approached. Just after crossing under the bridge I saw
something odd on one tree. It was a raccoon!!!! For wifey and me it was really
funny to see a raccoon like that. She did shoot some pics and we left to Bair’s
Cove and this time several manatees were there. When we are observing manatees
we stay still and let them to come to us. Manatees are curious but if you are
too aggressive trying to get near them they will swim away. Besides is illegal
to harass these creatures. The stay still thing usually works for us every
time. This time it did not. No manatee was curious enough to come to check on
us. Wifey had to settle for shooting long distance pics, what was a hard task
since the manatees will surface to breath and then go under quickly.
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| Manatee |
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| Gator |
After maybe thirty minutes we left Bair’s Cove. On our way
out a dolphin came in but left the area in less than a couple of minutes. It
continued to the East so we went the other way. It was our plan at the moment
to paddle thru Dolphin Cove, check how strong the wind was, and then maybe go
to Mullet Head Island, just west of the Put in. At Dolphin Cove another dolphin
was swimming around. Wifey did shoot a few pics before the dolphin decided to leave. I asked wifey to go to an area with small canals that is just South
of Bair’s Cove. We have been there only once but saw some birds that day. There
are also some tall trees and for some reason I believe that it would be a good
area to see an eagle. Well, I am 0 for 2 regarding the eagles in that area but
this time our visit there paid off. On our way out spotted a gator, which wifey
proceed to shoot pics at. She smiled and said…We got the Trifecta. Funny thing
I did not think about that this time when I usually think about that each and
every time we kayak Haulover Canal. If you do not know yet, my kayaking mentor calls a Trifecta when you see a dolphin, a manatee and a gator in the same paddle.
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| Snowy Egret |
Did You Know That?
A mating pair of snowy egrets cannot recognize each other except at the nest, where the returning egret performs a greeting ritual to avoid being attacked as an intruder. While in flight, the the snowy egret hold his or her neck in an "S" curve.
