Florida: Other places to paddle not involving salt and sand

[yellowcanoe]

I have gained lots of knowledge from Florida guidebooks and websites and Jack LaMarres website for paddling in Florida. Did you know that Florida has more paddling than Minnesota?So far in ten years of paddling Florida in the off season I have been spared beachfront condos and have seen some amazing sights. Before I forget , here is Jack's websitehttps://sites.google.com/site/flkeyskayaktrips/Enroute to and from the Everglades we paddled Ichetucknee Springs, the keys off Cedar Key, the Hillsborough and the Rainbow River. Here is a sampling of pictures.Hillsborough River.. yes this is almost in downtown TampaOf course these are hereThe screaming bird.. Limpkin. It has a very loud scream and is so well camoflaugedLimbo LogPesky Barred Owl. It was trying to steal fish!Live Oak ( I think) Seahorse KeyBeach Seahorse Key.. Its off Cedar Key in the Big Bend area of NW FloridaYes these two were taken the same day. About 20 minutes apart!Things went hell in a handbucket quickThen we were lost till we almost literally crashed into the pier at Atena Otsie KeyGetting out to stretch after a blind 4 mile crossing .

 

[yellowcanoe]

Well that wasn't formatted too well. I am having computer issues and I apologize .. the Preview and Edit functions are kapootz for me and have been for a while.

I add a cypress knee study for you all. Are you fans of Rohrshach? What does this mean to you? Seems Nature did it best!

 

[Guest]

I have gained lots of knowledge from Florida guidebooks and websites and Jack LaMarres website for paddling in Florida. Did you know that Florida has more paddling than Minnesota? Before I forget , here is Jack's website
https://sites.google.com/site/flkeyskayaktrips/

I’ve long been envious of Jack and Nancy’s Florida peregrinations.

For a no-salt (yes sand) trip the 140 miles of Suwannee has a lot of offer; plenty of access points and outfitters along the way to help with shuttle and easy camping on the sugar sand beaches on the inside turns.

The spring runs are a peculiar joy unto themselves. Some of them like the Ichetucknee and Juniper are heavily used, including liveries and park boat rental concessionaires, but seeing 200 million gallons of 72 degree crystal clear pour out of the ground and suddenly form a river is not to be missed.

The 10 miles of the Santa Fe (between Rte 27 and 47) near Fort White is another excellent spring run. There are four major springs along that section (Poe, Lily, Blue and Ginnie Springs). Looking down through that crystal clear water and seeing a cave diver emerge from a spring is one of the odder paddler experiences.

Where there are springs there are often sinks as well. Poking up some cove along the Santa Fe to find the water flowing in off the river and sitting in the gently swirling whirlpool as part of the river disappears underground is another odd experience.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Speaking of odd visitor experience on the Santa Fe. Nice Lagoon









I like some of the wisdom Ed wrote







Yep; taken from IN the boat




Sometimes some REALLY odd stuff

 

[Guest]

Naked Ed. Naked Max.

Where are the naked women?

The photos of Naked Ed's really took me back, and made me want to float the Santa Fe again. Last I heard Naked Ed had health issues and the property he had been squatting for years had been sold.

It was something of brouhaha, with community support behind Naked Ed. I think some arrangement was eventually made with the new landowner for him to stay on, but that was a few years ago.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I met Naked Ed that spring day in 2012. But he had just come back from town and was neither nekkid nor in a jovial mood. His color to me didn't look good. But he was on his lagoon, albeit in many too many layers for a nice day including bomber hat and flannel jacket.

I might float the Santa Fe again next month to find out what is new.