Dennis Creek and Suwannee Sound

Shell Mound County Campground

Site #12

Cedar Key, Florida

Today I had thought we would get up and go out for an early morning paddle right off the dock next to our site.  We were up in time thanks to this morning's Air Boat Boys

but the reason they have those air boats is that the dock is nothing but mud about 50% of the time.  Two hours before and after high tide you can come in and go out but low tide was at 10am today so there was no early kayaking unless we wanted to be out for a VERY long time.  

The weather man has said there would be thunder storms in the afternoon so we weren’t sure what to do.  We whiled away the morning and then about noon I checked the weather again and they had changed their minds and moved the rain (which never did come) back to 5PM.  Since high tide wasn’t until 4:28, we still couldn’t put in at the campground so we went  down to the Shell Mound boat launch and it was better in terms of water but we’d still have to wade out into mud above our ankles to launch.  So instead, we decided to hike the other trail in the area that we had skipped on our fist trip to the mound and check for launch possibilities later..  We started off on the mile long hike called the Dennis Creek trail.  I don't think we ever actually saw Dennis or a creek.

We hadn't gone too far before we began seeing burned trunks.

Much of natural Florida's habitat is fire dependent which means now the Wildlife refuge staff does controlled burns which we assumed was what was done here.  The trees were still growing.  The area looked very natural other than the burned trunks so it was hard to tell how long ago the fire was.

This tall palm's entire trunk was blackened.

We came to the first of everal boardwalks over what is swamp when it isn't low tide.

But when it is low tide the area is filled with tiny crabs and I do mean filled - thousands.

Here's a great close up David got.

On we went down this lovely trail

And then we came to a pond overlook

A little further was this inviting entry way which led to a bench over looking the marsh.

 Which was filled with, you guessed it......birds

Such a tranquil hike

noticing again Nature's beauty in this pine cone

and the lovely fall wildflowers along the path

The wildflower colors seemed to be yellow and purple all along the way

We finished the hike and walked back around to check out the water levels at the kayak put-in and they'd improved considerably so off we went.   We put in at point A which is at the end of the road the campground is on and only about 1/2 mile away. 

We are kayaking bigger waters here.   This time the Suwannee Basin just south of where the river empties into the Gulf.

Beautiful water and look at those clouds as we paddled along.

We paddled north to go by the campground and got this picture of Winona from the water.

Seemed very strange to find catus on the banks of a wetland.  Florida is unique.

The wind was between 8 and 10 mph so we did have some waves but nothing really difficult.

We paddled into an estuary opening and followed the twisting and turning pathways

I kept passing grasses loaded with these little snails

so here they are up close up, aren't they cute?

It was great paddling.  Like being in a maze.  Who knew what was next.  It was challenging to steer your boat through the narrow turns.

Too soon time to go back.  We had a pot roast in the slow cooker and we were both getting hungry.  So back out into the sound and around the Shell Mound fishing pier to the dock.

Look who hitched a ride.  I discovered them when we got back to the dock luckily and put them back on the grasses nearby.

The end of a great day and then we noticed......

It seems someone backed into the car while we were out and broke my driver's tail light.  One of life's little challenges.   Well, we don't drive at night and since the car is on a dolly it doesn't need brake lights so I guess we have some time to see if we can cut the $78 price I later found on the internet for this piece of plastic.

We have a growing list of things that need to be or have been repaired or replaced since we began full timing.

More, we think, than during any other similar time period we can remember.  Those of you following have heard about them all.  So on to tomorrow which will be another great day.  Life is a law of attraction.  Thoughts are things so think good ones.   See you then.