Haulover Canal - Kayaking with Friends

Roseate Spoonbill

Had a relaxing day at the waters near Haulover Canal. Took my friends, Lisa and Jeff, to the last of my Top Three paddling locations. We had been to Silver River, Lower Wekiva River, and Haulover Canal was the one in the back burner.

Lisa and Jeff paddling in the Indian River

Put In /Take Out: The end of the dirt road North and West of the bridge over the canal. Please check previous posts for location. Just in case here are the coordinates: 28°43'50.47"N  80°45'40.47"W

Snowy Egret

Since the purpose of the trip was to show my friends the area did not take too much time for pics but managed to shoot a few. It was choppy and overcast when we started but it got better later. We circled Mullet Head Island first. Here are the pics of that leg.

Cormorant

Brown Pelican

Great Blue Heron

Brown Pelican

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill

Reddish Egret

Tri-Colored Heron

After Mullet Head headed to Dolphin Cover through the alternate canal South of Haulover Canal. To my disappointment there was no dolphin there this time so we visited Bairs Cove, where the manatees put a show for my friends, and then to the Mosquito Lagoon at the East End of the canal. No dolphins at the time but we spotted a gator, which gave us two legs of the Florida Trifecta: Manatees, gators, and dolphins.

Manatees at Bairs Cove

Manatee

Manatees

Bairs Cove manatee

The following sequence is a cool one. A kayaker came close to a group of mating manatees. He was lucky to come out of it dry...

Missed it by that much...

And then the gator...and more... 

Gator in the middle of Haulover Canal

Gator

Little Blue Heron

Great Egret

Haulover Canal

This is it for this one. Hope you liked it as my friends did. It was a nice few hours there. Thanks for coming and come again for our next post when we will be sharing more Views From Our Kayak.

Manatee at Bairs Cove

Note: Dolphins showed up swimming West at the end of the canal when we were ready to leave. Had no chance for pics but Lisa and Jeff saw them and that was the important part. We will be back here.

Tomoka River & Strickland Creek

Because you cannot say Fawn without the Aw!!!!!

 When I left Saturday morning was not set yet between going to De Leon Springs State Park or Tomoka State Park. Left late so I was more inclined to go to De Leon Springs. But somehow got boxed on I-4 and missed the exit so kept going East to Tomoka State Park.

Green Heron chick

Put In / Take Out: Tomoka State Park. Check the link for information and entry fee.

Fawn

After buying my annual pass for the Florida State Parks was in the water around 9:15 AM. A mat of mating manatees was visible near the boat ramp so decided to stay close and shoot pics there. Did not count with the strong breeze and a choppy Tomoka River. It was my plan to kayak down river, as on my previous visit did paddle up river, but the wind was too strong and it was not fun to paddle against it. So went upstream instead and to Strickland Creek all the way up to Sanchez Park,  Here are the pics of what I saw, that was not too much...

Mating manatees in the Tomoka River

Tomoka Rivers Manatees

Sandpiper

Tomoka River Manatees

Tomoka River Manatees

Tomoka River Manatees

Cormorant

Cormorants

Cormorants at the confluence of the Tomoka River and Strickland Creek

Saw a couple of does and a Pileated Woodpecker on my trip up Strickland Creek but was not able to get a decent pic. The woodpecker was against the Sun and the does were running into the forest from the yard of a house near the river. I saw them again on my return trip in the same area. Went past Sanchez Park where found a small herd of manatees. Saw more in that little area than in my a little less than one hour paddle up the creek.

Strickland Creek manatee

Strickland Creek Manatee

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Manatees

Green Heron

Green Heron

Stopped at Sanchez Park for 45 minutes and then started my down creek paddle back to the State Park. Was distracted by a pair of does, probably the same one I saw on my way up creek, and a fawn. That was the highlight of this trip...

Little Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron

Osprey

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Doe in the forest

Deer

Deer family

Fawn

Tomoka River Yellow Crowned Night Heron

Sandpiper

And that is it for this one. A nice long day at the waters of Strickland Creek and the Tomoka River. Thanks for coming and receive an invitation for our next post, where we will be sharing with you more Views From Our Kayak.

Tomoka State Park Boat ramp