Blue Spring- Changes on Snake Creek

Thursday January 3, 2019                                                       Most Recent Posts:
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It’s foggy when I walk down to the boat dock on Thursday morning just after dawn.  The only folks around are a group of black vultures which seem to live in the area just next to the boat launch.

Before I get in my kayak, I notice a committee meeting of sorts going on just to the left of the boat launch.

I notice the buzzards are not the only ones hanging around near the boat dock..   A Limpkin and a Wood Stork were also here in or near the shallows of the water..

I get my kayak positioned, take this picture, walk it into the water, get in and off I go.  One lone bird remains at the launch.  The black vulture on the pole seems unfazed by my presence.

Once in the boat I check out the top of the trees where I spot a Great Blue Heron.  They always look so strange, such big birds in the seemingly small branches at the top of trees.

I also spot a lone hawk on the snag sticking up.

Based on the color of his chest, I think he’s a red shouldered hawk.  Gorgeous bird.

The map is what the kayak/canoe rental place gives out.  The park itself has no map of the waterways unfortunately.  The blue star is where the boat launch is located, at the end of the boardwalk from the spring to the St. John’s River.  I have turned left and see the hawk above me in a tree on the far side of what is known as the lagoon.  It’s that odd shaped thing.  The next picture is what I see when I consider paddling into the lagoon this morning.   It’s beautiful in the fog but goes no where and I really want to head up Snake Creek to the back of Hontoon Island so I keep on going and turn into the Smith Canal.

The sun still hasn’t made an entry.

On the way to the Creek I spot this kingfisher.

There is something ancient feeling and swampy about the birds and cypress knees along the river.

At this point, I have to be very careful in looking for the opening to the creek.  It’s nearly hidden if you don’t know where to look.

While I’m looking along the edge, I get a fly by and an alligator sighting.

Does it look like an entry to a creek?

The entrance is quite narrow but then it widens out a bit.

The still water shows off the reflection of the Little Blue Heron.

The creek widens and narrows repeatedly..   It’s like being in another calmer, gentler world.

In the tree on the far left is a lone Ibis.  They usually hang out in groups.

I see another limpkin on a snag also off to the left.

Nothing but the sounds of the birds, the dark water and the trees.

An egret flies over my head.

The dark gray in the tree next to the tallest one turns out to be another Little Blue Heron
who apparently likes me less than the last one which was actually closer to my boat.  This one flies off.  Or maybe it’s not me at all just time to move on.

I’m quite surpised when I come to an impass of water lettuce and hydrilla.  This was not here last year.  These are among the most aggressive water plants in Florida.  Water lettuce can double in a few weeks.  Hydrilla stems can elongate as much as 6 or 8” per day.  

I can see the open water from here and decide to try to power through the mass.  It is hard and very slow going.  

Water Lettuce

I make it through but am not looking forward to the paddle back.

More great reflections.

The water plant invasion is encroaching from both sides.  Will the creek soon disappear from kayaking possibilities?

I reach another and larger mass.  I can’t see any open water even as far as my zoom can go.
Sadly I turn back, defeated by the invasives.  What used to be nearly a day long paddle up to the Hontoon Dead River and the back of Hontoon Island is no more.   I wonder if a motored boat would try cutting through this?

On the way back an anhinga and an alligator make great reflections in the water.

The alligator on the bank lets me know that everything along the edge is not water plants.  There is actually some dry ground.   A bit beyond the spot he staked out I pull up for a rest stop.

Back in the kayak, I notice an anhinga and an Ibis high above me.

Just after I zoom in, he turns and makes ready for flight. 

As the morning sun warms things up, the turtles come out to sun bathe.

The Great Blue Heron hides well in the gray branches, but he doesn’t stay long.

After battling through the water plant mass I come upon which may be a guided paddle.  Wonder what they will do when they reach the rough going?

Another kingfisher with a great hair day.

Perhaps the same heron, perhaps not.  I like his reflection and am able to get a close up.

It seems to be a day of reflections.   Paddling Snake Creek is a great place to see reflections and to do some personal reflecting as well.   Things are becoming increasingly difficult in our life so I’m grateful for these little get aways. 

Back in the St. John’s River I can look ahead and see the tour boat.  It’s wide open paddling here.

As I approach the put in, the tour boat is on my left and some private boats are anchored on the right. 

Even the take out is awash in reflections.