Turkey Creek

Osprey at Turkey Creek

The forecast was not good for the place I wanted to go today. After researching a while decided to go to a new place for us. It was a day for first ones. The first time at Turkey Creek, the first Swallow-Tailed Kite of this year, and the first landing on my six, in the water, after the paddle. It was a good short, very short, paddle. I was reading this blog, South Florida Guy, who has a link to this other blog, Florida Rambler. I read a post about Turkey Creek in Palm Bay. Went to Dave's Yak Tales for more information and, when the forecast was ugly for the places I had planned to visit today, looked for Turkey Creek and did not look that bad.

Coot

Put In / Take Out: Alex Goode Boat Launch at 1300 Bianca Dr, Palm Bay. Click on the link for a map. It is a very nice facility and there is no charge and it has clean restrooms. I had to use it to change clothes after falling into the water after the paddle.

Brown Pelican

We arrived at the Alex Goode Boat Launch close to 10 AM. I was 90% sure that manatees were going to greet us based on what I did read on Florida Rambler and Dave's Yak Tales. Take a guess about what happened. Exactly....no manatees today. Will use the map on the previous link to let you know what did we do on this paddle trip: Turkey Creek Map.

Osprey

First we paddled down the creek, to what is labeled in the map as Turkey Creek. That is after where the railroad crosses over it. We were hoping for dolphins. But the wind was picking up and there were no dolphins around after 15 minutes so decided to go up the creek then. Ospreys were ruling in the area, teasing my wife and providing her several pic chances. She tried more than once, very patiently, until one of them dove for and came out with a fish in front of us. I think wifey is a fast learner but am probably biased. Will let you voice your opinion on that. A Green Heron flew in front of us just to hide very well into the vegetation. Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, Gulls, and Anhingas flying over us.

Turkey Creek Gator

The city of Palm Bay installed signs to guide the paddlers in the creek. Follow directions and you will be OK. The creek goes across a residential area so you will have houses on your right side, assuming you are going up the creek. After that the creek goes under Port Malabar Blvd, and it is as wild as it gets. We did not go all the way to the end. Wifey started asking me to turn around and after the second time I decided to do as she asked. But she liked the paddle because it is short and offered many pics chances. We missed a Yellow Crowned and Black Crowned Night Heron. Also missed several Green Herons. Gators were present and on our way out, a boater told us she saw dolphins in the area that map calls Turkey Creek. We paddled there, waited some minutes, paddled farther to the Indian River, and turned around. Then, on our way up creek, wifey spotted the dolphin hunting just across the railroad tracks. Go figure!!!!! We do not have too many pics to show you, it was a short paddle, but here are some...

Royal Tern

Osprey has a fish for lunch

Circle of Life

Brown Pelicans

Cormorants

Brown Pelicans - Juveniles

Brown Pelican

Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

Green Heron

After dive Osprey

Did You Know that Ospreys dive head first when fishing? They also carry their fish head looking forward to help with the aerodynamics in flight.

Anhinga

Gator at Turkey Creek

Turkey Creek Gator

Turkey Creek friends. Wifey thought it was a lovely scene.

Gator at Turkey Creek

Turtles

Turtles

Turtle

Soft Shell Turtle

Tri-Colored Heron

Brown Pelican

To be Id

Little Gator

Little Blue Heron

On your mark...ready...go...There goes the coot!!!!

Dolphin at Turkey Creek

Dolphin

Dolphin

Little Blue Heron

Swallow-Tailed Kite

Swallow-Tailed Kite

Fell short of a YDT (Yak Dave Trifecta: Gator, Dolphin, and Manatee). But it was a nice paddle. Much better than I anticipated. Thanks for reading and hope you like that pics and come back next week. We will share more Views From Our Kayaks, from another nice place in Florida. If you wish to see ALL the pics from this post follow us, or Like us, on Facebook - Views From Our Kayak.

Turkey Creek Gator