Salt Springs Run

Fishing Bald Eagle

Today paid a visit to Salt Springs Run. The forecast was not favorable to other areas I wanted to visit and had not been in this place in a couple of years. The opening is an eagle, again, but after never seen a Bald Eagle getting a fish, for second week in a row. had the chance to witness the event. This time the eagle showed off and flew around with its prey. Quite frankly this was not the best trip if we talk about wildlife seen, but it was not terrible. Saw bald eagles, manatees, and a few more wildlife forms. According to a lady in a canoe, missed a Black Bear too. Will go back to that.

Coots

Put In / Take Out: Salt Springs Marina in Salt Springs. Click on the link for more information. Nice facility and super nice folks in charge. If you do not have a kayak, they rent equipment there.

A manatee swims under my kayak at Salt Springs Run

The Salt Spring Run starts at the Salt Springs, of course, and empties at Lake George 4 miles after running a South East route. The run is really wide first but it narrows at you approached Lake George. Motor boats are a constant so be aware. Also you will find air boats and jet skies in your way. On this trip all the motorized vessels, but one, were polite and reduced speed when they were near me, even in the wide parts. I was not that lucky last week at the Chass.

Barred Owl

A Barred Owl greeted me when I came out of my van. Saw when it landed in a tree behind the restrooms so located the owl when I was done paying the fee. Shoot a few pics and then started my paddle down the run close to 9AM. Was going to explore a small entrance at the opposite site of the launch area but for some reason decided against that. A lady in a canoe went in as I turned and headed to Lake George. That lady was the one that told me she saw a bear. Anyways...took me three hours to make it to Lake George, pic stops included. Here are pics of what I saw on my way down at Salt Springs Run...

Cormorant

Green Heron

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Great Egret

Great Egret

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Pied Billed Grebe

This is when it got exciting. Caught a glimpse of something flying to my right and looked up. It was an eagle, maybe the same one that I saw a few minutes before, in attack mode. After never seeing an eagle doing that in three years this was the second one in consecutive weekends. Am I the luckiest guy in a kayak...?

Incoming!!!!!

Gotcha!!!!!!!

Happy Bald Eagle

Yeah!!!! Still got it!!!!!!!!!

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

After the eagle I resumed normal operations, for the time being...

Pied Billed Grebe

Ring Billed Gull ?????

Great Blue Heron

Turtle

Manatees

Underwater view of a manatee with a scar

Manatee swims beside the kayak. See the scars on its body?

Bald Eagles

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Osprey

Osprey

Made it to Lake George by noon, beached my kayak and took a 30 minutes break before starting my trip back to the marina. Did not stop for pictures too often and was back to the put in area by 2:45.

Moorhen

Coots

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Cormorant

And this is it for this one. The only thing I did not like from this trip was the incredibly high motorized vessels traffic but, it is something you should expect in a weekend in this area. Next time I am going to try it in a weekday. Check our Facebook page for more pics from this and past trips. Thanks for coming and hope you come back next week to share more Views From Our Kayak.

Salt Springs Run