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| Black Crowned Night Heron |
Today did something I always wanted to do. Went from Katie's Landings all the way to the St. Johns River, which allows me to say that have kayaked the whole Wekiva River. The BCNH makes the opening for this post for a trip that started under a thin layer of fog and ended under an incredible beautiful Florida day.
Put In / Take Out: Katie's Landings. For information about location please check this link : Katie's Landings. The fee per vehicle is $3 and is one of the nicest facilities in the area. Easy access to the river, plenty of parking space, and rest rooms.
My original plan was to go to the Chassahowitzka River but that did not work well. Stayed in bed a little too long. Maybe Canaveral Seashore? For some reason the 12 mph wind speed in the forecast was enough to convince me to go somewhere else. Ahhhh...Lower Wekiva River!!!!! That never fails. But I have been there so many times. Wanted to do something different. Yesssss....I got it. Will paddle all the way from Katie's Landings to the St. Johns River. Easy...piece of cake. Sometimes ignorance...fill the blank. Well, bottom line, to Katie's I went. Stopped on my way there to say hello to friend I had not seen in a while: The Hwy 417/ SR 434 Bald Eagle...
Made it to Katie's Landings exactly at 8 AM. Two guys in a canoe were preparing to go out fishing. The fog was thin, the Sun was hidden. So much for a sunny forecast. The river is high and the current a little faster than usual. Did what I always do: Explored the lagoon in front of Katie's Landings for some minutes (almost one hour), pushed my way down river on the West side of the small island next to Katie's, and kept going down river. Since this time was planning to go all the way to the St. Johns River tried, and see that TRIED was said, to be disciplined and not to spend too much time looking for subjects to shoot pics at. Have to work on that really hard. Anyways, here are the pics of what I saw on my way down river from Katie's to the high grounds in the Lower Wekiva River, where took a break before continuing to the St; Johns.
The Sun came out between 10:30 and 11 AM. At the time had arrived to the high grounds in the river. This spot is a very popular illegal camping site. There were signals that someone had camped there recently. Anyways, stayed there for 30 minutes and the continued my trip down river with the wind in my face.
Made it to the St. Johns at 1:10 PM, looked around while eating a sandwich in the kayak, and started my return trip around 1:20 PM. Was at Katie's by 3:15, stopped maybe three times for pics. Here are the pics from the upstream paddle....
And this is it for this one. I will post more pics on our Facebook Page, where you can also find pics from other trips. Thanks for reading and am hoping you come back for our next Views From Our Kayak.
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| Yellow Rumped Warbler |
Put In / Take Out: Katie's Landings. For information about location please check this link : Katie's Landings. The fee per vehicle is $3 and is one of the nicest facilities in the area. Easy access to the river, plenty of parking space, and rest rooms.
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| Juvenile Little Blue Heron |
My original plan was to go to the Chassahowitzka River but that did not work well. Stayed in bed a little too long. Maybe Canaveral Seashore? For some reason the 12 mph wind speed in the forecast was enough to convince me to go somewhere else. Ahhhh...Lower Wekiva River!!!!! That never fails. But I have been there so many times. Wanted to do something different. Yesssss....I got it. Will paddle all the way from Katie's Landings to the St. Johns River. Easy...piece of cake. Sometimes ignorance...fill the blank. Well, bottom line, to Katie's I went. Stopped on my way there to say hello to friend I had not seen in a while: The Hwy 417/ SR 434 Bald Eagle...
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| Bald Eagle |
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| Bald Eagle |
Made it to Katie's Landings exactly at 8 AM. Two guys in a canoe were preparing to go out fishing. The fog was thin, the Sun was hidden. So much for a sunny forecast. The river is high and the current a little faster than usual. Did what I always do: Explored the lagoon in front of Katie's Landings for some minutes (almost one hour), pushed my way down river on the West side of the small island next to Katie's, and kept going down river. Since this time was planning to go all the way to the St. Johns River tried, and see that TRIED was said, to be disciplined and not to spend too much time looking for subjects to shoot pics at. Have to work on that really hard. Anyways, here are the pics of what I saw on my way down river from Katie's to the high grounds in the Lower Wekiva River, where took a break before continuing to the St; Johns.
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| Lower Wekiva River looking up stream |
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| Limpkin |
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| Limpkin |
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| Ibis |
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| Green Heron |
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| Green Heron |
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| Red Bellied Woodpecker |
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| Cardinal |
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| Little Blue Heron |
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| Osprey |
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| "Shoooo...Go away" |
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| Wood Stork |
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| Wood Stork |
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| Little Blue Heron |
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| Eastern Phoebe |
The Sun came out between 10:30 and 11 AM. At the time had arrived to the high grounds in the river. This spot is a very popular illegal camping site. There were signals that someone had camped there recently. Anyways, stayed there for 30 minutes and the continued my trip down river with the wind in my face.
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| Turtle |
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| Gator |
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| Belted Kingfisher |
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| Great Egret |
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| Anhinga |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Two for one: Wood Stork and Anhinga |
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| Wood Stork and Anhinga |
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| Black Crowned Night Heron |
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| Great Blue Heron |
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| Great Blue Heron |
Made it to the St. Johns at 1:10 PM, looked around while eating a sandwich in the kayak, and started my return trip around 1:20 PM. Was at Katie's by 3:15, stopped maybe three times for pics. Here are the pics from the upstream paddle....
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| Pied Billed Grebe |
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| Ibis |
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| Osprey |
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| Lunch time!!!!! |
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| Gator enjoys the Sun |
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| Typical Lower Wekiva River scene |
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| Male Anhinga |
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| Male Anhinga - Blue circle around the eyes means it is mating time |
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| Gator |
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| Juvenile Ibis |
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| Glossy Ibis. That was at the lagoon in front of Katie's Landing |
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| Glossy Ibis |
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| Red Shouldered Hawk |
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| Red Shouldered Hawk |
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| Red Shouldered Hawk |
And this is it for this one. I will post more pics on our Facebook Page, where you can also find pics from other trips. Thanks for reading and am hoping you come back for our next Views From Our Kayak.
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| Lower Wekiva River Scene. |
Hi. We kayak up here in MA all the time. Mostly sea. Have a place in Bradenton now and will be purchasing smaller kayaks for FL. What kind of concerns or precautions does one need to take kayaking amongst gators? I'm adventurous but don't want to be naive and stupid.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Debbie, Your concerns are exactly the same ones I had three years ago, when started kayaking. My advice is, do not fall in the water and paddle fast. You do not have to be as fast as the gator, just faster than the person with you....just kidding.
DeleteNow seriously, gators have an unfair reputation as killers. Truth is they have a natural fear toward humans and most likely will swam away from you looking the shelter of deep water. That does not mean you will not feel a chill when you see a big one diving in the water when it senses you. Bottom line, respect their space, leave them alone, and they will do the same. Enjoy your kayaking.
A long day on the river.. I admire your early rising and perseverance.. Stunning pics especially of BC Night Heron, Eagle & Kingfisher. The abundance of life in what little of FL remains undeveloped leaves me aching for an earlier age. I will be visiting Pensacola next week..we'll see what I can capture. Next time in Orlando I'll check out Wekiwa River again..
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