Rock Springs Run

Soft Shell Turtle

Nice paddle today at the place where we kayaked for the first time, Rock Springs Run. The humans outnumbered the wildlife but that is something you should expect on a weekend at this location. A decent paddle regardless.

Great Blue Heron

Put In and Take Out: Wekiwa Springs State Park. Check the link for information about location and fees. One thing, this is a great put in and take out location. The problem is to get there. Always have your cart at hand. It will make your life easy when you are done paddling because, when you arrive, if you are carrying your yak you are going downstream. Piece of cake. But when you come out of the water, after three or four hours paddling, it becomes a walk of shame like the one I had today. We do have a cart we only use here but today it was not in my van so...you can make the math here.

Wekiva River Gator

This is an extremely popular location in Central Florida. If you come during a weekend expect to see tens of people in the park and lots of people in the water. That is exactly what happened to me today. Had a late start, to complicate things. Was in the water at 9:05 behind a mini armada of yaks. Took my time in the lagoon area to let them be way ahead of me. When I did not hear them, then continued my paddling down river toward the confluence with Rock Springs Run. Here is what I saw on that span.

Turtle

Carolina Wren????

Same gator of the previous and next gator's photo. Just did shoot different angles

Gator

How do you like my hiding place?

Entered Rock Springs Run and started my up stream paddle with no one in sight. That changed when made it to the first open area. Remember the armada at the lagoon? Well, they were right there, clogging the waterways as they stopped for drinks right there after the Z ( an area where the Run forms a Z). Anyways, passed the armada and kept going up stream. It was here where the highlight of the paddle happened. A 5 feet gator was in the edge of the run and as I paddled near it hissed, lifted his head and tail, and did some ups and downs in the water. Very cool. Paddled a little bit farther and came back down stream to make a video of the gator this time. Guess what. This time reptile ignored me so no video. Anyways, did paddle all the way to Big Buck Camp where another armada coming down from King's Landings was having a party in the water.

The Yak-Signal

Little Blue Heron

Turtle

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Little Gator near Big Buck Camp

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Biggest Gator of the paddle just past Big Buck Camp. Maybe 8 feet but cannot tell for sure.

My cell phone had 11:00 AM when I put the bow of my yak down stream and started my trip back to the State Park. Here is what I saw, which is not much...

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Little Blue Heron

Ibis

Green Heron ( this and the rest of the pics are from the Wekiva River section)

Green Heron

Sleeping Beauty. Someone give that gator a teddy bear!!!

Little Blue Heron leads the line

Soft Shell Turtle

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Yellow Crowned Night Heron

And this is it for this one. Thanks for reading and for coming back too, if you saw the preview. Do not forget to check our Facebook Page. Hope you come back for the next post when we will be sharing more Views From Our Kayak.