Florida Spots?

[NavalCanoes]

Hey folks! My ship pulled into Mayport, Florida, up near Jacksonville. I managed to snag a few days of leave time this weekend, and I'll be road tripping around the state. I've thought about taking an overnight canoe trip (or a short day trip) in the state, anyone have some suggestions? And are there any special precautions you'd recommend?

 

[yellowcanoe]

Suwannee bear White Springs. More but I'm on phone and limited data. When we get power and internet back I could help more but that might not be till next week.
Itchetucknee

Google Florida Paddling Trails

 

[frozentripper]

Never been there but check out www.floridarambler.com - watery, lots of choice and the NE folder spots are near Jacksonville.

Ocala State Park looks interesting... 600 lakes, clear water spring runs, primitive camping. Also Salt Spring run (?) and others. Search around for more possibilities.


http://www.floridarambler.com/flori...ddling/kayak-juniper-springs-in-ocala-forest/


http://www.floridarambler.com/flori...awhile-to-explore-wild-ocala-national-forest/


There's blackwater canoeing a little further south... and maybe free canoe use if you contact the park people early enough. Further away but the description and photos look good. Great review, the leaves will probably be off the cypress trees but maybe wildlife still visible, maybe migrating birds.

http://www.floridarambler.com/florida-camping/kayaking-blackwater-creek-near-orlando/

 

[cflcanoe]

For overnight trips a little further to the south than yellow canoe suggest is rock spring run near orlando. Silver springs silver river has unique wildlife (monkeys). Juniper springs is reported to be open. Weekends are a little crowded but during the week is a must do. Ichetucknée springs during the week also. Weeki-wachee has a good spring run aND every sales dream. Memaids. Call and check about show times. Wekiva river is great but south about two hours

 

[joebh]

This is a good link to Florida canoe/kayak paddling destinations
http://www.kayakguide.com/kaykRout.htm
I used to paddle with Al when we were both members of the Space Coast paddlers but I moved from Cocoa and Satellite beach area further north to Port Orange and now paddle mainly mosquito Lagoon area or the ocean in the summer

 

[frozentripper]

Day trip on Lake Norris, near Eustis, FL. Paddled up the Blackwater Creek to the lake. The creek was extremely low and required many portages. The whole western shoreline of Lake Norris is lined with a fascinating dwarf cypress forest. There's a nice camping area just north of the mouth of the Blackwater Creek. It has a fire pit, picnic tables and a well. One of the most beautiful places I've kayaked in Florida.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k50tLYV2r4

 

[yellowcanoe]

When I get internet back I'll post tons of links. Not timely for the OP.
Planning yet another month in Feb paddling FL and camping

Have limited data plan times up for phone

 

[frozentripper]

Nice scenery in the Okefenokee swamp, from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources... large wilderness area, no roads, water access only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrNRhYjOQU0

 

[frozentripper]

Okefenokee canoe routes and access points are shown on a map on the left... lots of info here.

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Okefenokee/visit/plan_your_visit.html

 

[yellowcanoe]

Jax and Oke are actually a fair drive. When we had a FreeStyle course in Yulee it was over an hour drive to get to the east part of Oke.. we never tried to get to the Stephen Foster end that has usually the most "swampy" paddling ( the east end tends to be wide open water prairie where your canoe gets shoved around by the wind in shallow water)
This is the site I use the most for Florida paddling. As there is a great deal of paddling to be done there this is a large site
http://www.floridapaddlingtrails.com/

 

[yellowcanoe]

Were in FL from Feb 12 for a month starting at St Joseph Island and then moving to the Sopchoppy RIver and Crooked Creek then the Wacissa and down to Payne Prairie our base for the Rainbow or some of the Withlacoochee and Homosassa Rivers. Then over to Juniper for four days of Silver River and Juniper Creek and Alexander Springs. Some are old friends some are new. Well finish with a week in the Everglades of backcountry canoeing. The rest will be day trips.. Anyone in the area welcome to join.

 

[Kayak_Ken]

Navalcanoe how long will you be in Mayport? I live about 45 minutes north of Mayport. I only have my solo canoe up here right now but we could probably rent one from MWR for a day trip or longer.

Kayak_Ken (in a canoe)

 

[Kayak_Ken]

Yellowcanoe, I have a small cabin down in the Ocala National Forest that is about halfway between Silver River and Juniper Springs. If you you would like some company and help with running shuttles when you come down let me know.

Kayak_Ken (in a canoe)

 

[yellowcanoe]

Thanks KK.. Right now I am not sure if we will run Juniper below the usual takeout to the lake and get out there or do the inexpensive normal Juniper Run shuttle.. We'd also like to do Alexander Springs which I have never done before( don't know if we need a shuttle) and of course Silver which is up and back for us from Rays so no shuttle needed.

Thanks so much for your offer Were in Juniper Feb 22-26

edit looking at Alexander Springs we can do that out and back..http://paddleflorida.net/alexander-springs-paddle.htm

 

[cflcanoe]

If you do the Alexander springs run. Try the section that uses 52 landing. Down a very rough sand road. The spring head area is not very healthy any more. On a phone. Type more later.

 

[Kayak_Ken]

Rather than paying to put in at Alexander Springs I use the near by bridge that crosses the spring run. It is a short paddle up stream if you want to see the spring itself.

Kayak_Ken (in a canoe)

 

[yellowcanoe]

I'm really glad that I bought a Florida Gazetteer
its a very useful tool Asia the Maine one.
A canoetrippers friend

 

[NavalCanoes]

Navalcanoe how long will you be in Mayport? I live about 45 minutes north of Mayport. I only have my solo canoe up here right now but we could probably rent one from MWR for a day trip or longer.

Kayak_Ken (in a canoe)

Well heck, Ken, I wish I had seen this before we'd left. We were in town almost three weeks, we definitely could have figured something out. Lord knows I'd definitely love to meet some of the brothers and sisters of the paddle from this site.