Blue Spring Run

Reflections

It was a perfect day today...and I mean perfect. We had a short paddle at the Blue Spring Run in Orange City and that is the important part. WE as in my wife and me. After three months of nightmares, pain, and uncertainty Wifey and I were able to go back to the water together. I did tell her about Annie, a female manatee who gave birth about a month ago at the Blue Spring vent.. Someone posted a pic of a manatee and a calf in the Blue Spring Run last week. Wifey said she wanted to see it so we gave it a try today and were lucky!!!!!!

 

Put In / Take Out: Blue Spring State Park in Orange City. Check the link for fees and location information.

Juvenile Red Shouldered Haw

I did not really plan kayaking out of Blue Spring State Park but when my wife got excited about the manatee and the calf decided to give it a try. There was a big line waiting to enter the State Park. It took us 15 minutes after they open the gates to reach the parking lot and 15 more minutes to start the paddle. We went directly to the Blue Spring Run, where all the pics, except the Red Shouldered Hawk pics were taken. The plan was to go to the vent, check if the manatee was still there, and then return. I did not want to stress her with a long paddling. Here are pics of what we saw at the beginning of the paddle...

Red Shouldered Hawk

Female Belted Kingfisher

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Green Heron

Green Heron

Green Heron

Gars in the Blue Spring Run

We were past the swimming area when I saw wakes in front of us. Also heard the classic pffffffttttt the manatees make when they surface to breath. Then saw a huge one with a little one going under us and then another one, not a baby but not as big as the first one, went under too. We decided to follow them from the sides assuming they were heading to the St. Johns River. But they stopped in an area past the swimming zone and stayed there. That gave us a chance to shoot some pics.

Annie and her calf

Annie

Surfacing to breath

Annie's baby got curious about us swimming under us a few times

Manatee at Blue Spring Run

Manatee

Curious calf

Hello there!!!!!!!!!

Manatees in the Blue Spring Run

Manatee at the Blue Spring Run

Paddlers started to come up the run and would ask us what we are doing. Also the people on the boardwalk were pointing to the manatees. I was getting crowded so told my wife it was time for us to leave. That gave more room for the other paddlers to see the manatees from the distance without bothering them. So we went up the run to the vent. Did shoot a few more pics but that was it.

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Gator

Green Heron

Our shadows

Blue Spring Run (looking to the St. Johns River)

Osprey

This is it. Just a few pics in less than three hours. Thanks for reading and remember to take a look at the Facebook Page for a few more pics and videos from this and past trips. Hope you come back soon. We will be sharing with you more Views From Our Kayak.

Blue Spring Run

Lower Wekiva River (From Katie's Landing)

Hawk

Today returned to the Lower Wekiva River where had a short but entertaining paddle. The opening pic shows a hawk in flight. While I believe it is a juvenile Red Shouldered Hawk, am not sure. It was not as vocal as the Red Shouldered Hawks are and when it made a sound, it was not the typical one from the mentioned birds. Can it be a Red Tailed Hawk? Maybe someone here can answer that.

Lower Wekiva River Turtle

Put In / Take Out: Katie's Landing. Please check previous posts from this location for fee and location information.

Ibis

On my way to Katie's Landing saw an old friend: The Bald Eagle at the intersection of Hwy 417 and CR 419.

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Started my paddle under a beautiful warm morning. The time was 8:30 AM. As usual, explored the lagoon in front of Katie's but this time it did not produce too many pics. After the lagoon paddled through the West side of the little island down river, and the continued my way down river to the high grounds area. Let the current do most of the job so did not paddle too much. Here are the pics from this part of the trip...

Turkey

Tri Colored Heron

Tri Colored Heron

Green Heron

Green Heron

Young Little Blue Heron

Young Little Blue Heron

Ibis

Young Little Blue Heron

Young Little Blue Heron

Little Bird

Turtles

Son...Everything the water touches is our kingdom

Sure. Keep telling yourself that...(in response of the turtles conversation)

Took me three hours to reach my turning point, or maybe I should say that I turned around after three hours. Was past the high grounds. Here are the pics of my paddle up river...

Turkey

Little Blue Heron

Ahhhhh

Ahhhhh...livin' on a prayer!!!!!!!!!

Green Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

No other kayakers on the Lower Wekiva except for a fisherman who put in before me. One motor boat on my way down, one pontoon boat on my way up. Made it back to Katie's on one hour. Had a nice surprise there when met a  co-worker and her family on their fist kayak trip. On my way home spotted a pair of does on Wekiva Park Dr...

Contortionist Doe at Wekiva Park Dr

Deer

This is it for this one. Thanks for coming and check our Facebook Page for a few more pics of this and other trips. See you soon to share more Views From Our Kayak.

A light blue Nissan Versa with a big red yak on top spooked these two.