In Their Own Words

Weekend, January 14-16, 2006 Well, another fine Florida rivers paddling weekend has come and gone. This was the most memorable MLK trip in many ways. The scenery, wildlife, and paddlers were outstanding. We started Saturday on the Silver River at the state park put-in, .6 mile from the parking lot. All along the paddle up to the head springs we were greeted by stunning visual pictures of nature and environment. That afternoon we paddled the Rainbow River from K. P. Hole county park to the head spring and back. Sunday morning we were on the Crystal River looking for manatees and enjoying the experience of Three Sisters Springs. Sunday afternoon we paddle-toured several springs on the Chassahowitzka River. On Monday a smaller group of four decided to paddle the Weekee Wachee. I asked for impressions of the GCA/ MLK paddling experience from the participants and here's what I got!

Angela Sauve wrote this for her third grad class:

Today, January 15th, Crystal River, Florida... bubbles and whiskers, I paddle closer to observe. Why are all those snorkelers huddled together? What has captured their attention? Are you curious? Does it make you wonder?

Paddling carefully, I look down into the clear bubbling spring water. Rocks, algae, scurrying fish float by and no shadows appear of my anticipated mammal. Enjoying the sparking sunlight dancing on the surface of the river, I glance at all those diving tourists swimming on my left. As the crowd opens, I see his tail waffle above the water.

My paddle pushes the water below me as I follow his trail. A gray, rough and scratched hump rises above the wake and waits for my kayak to be still. "Oh!" I stop. Out pops whiskers. Two large round nostrils spray air and gulp a new breath. "Do I see a smile?" I smile as I reach out my hand.

My fingers run up and down his wrinkled yet strong gray face. He tilts his whiskers up into the air and then submerges. My hand slides down the back of his broad head and neck. Rub. Scratch. His skin is as coarse as sand paper, yet with sandy green ocean ground covering. Next, the manatee rolls his round body under my kayak and his two elephant-like fins grasp my boat. Protruding from the front of my boat is his vulnerable stomach. I guess he likes his tummy rubbed. Again, reaching down I rub, scratch, and wonder how many others have petted this puppy of the sea?

Nancy and Elvin Hilyer:

The trip was great! Nancy and I enjoyed it — just as last year. We have been going to Crystal River for years and have never seen as many manatees. And this was certainly our first trip to have a large manatee turn upside down beneath our boat, put a flipper up on both sides, and just hang out for a while.

Vincent Payne:

Mo, this is a stellar trip. Megan and Elizabeth loved it.

Helen from Tallahassee wrote:

I enjoyed the weekend very much and found I was most comfortable with your "management style". Determining the paddling locations, setting the starting time and place, offering information on what to expect on the paddle, and then letting us have some freedom to explore, was delightful.

Allen Hedden sent me his summary:

The early start on the Silver River resulted in fewer power boats encountered than on any of my recent trips there. More birds to be seen as well, whether for the same reason I don't know.

There was a notable lack of 'gator sightings, possibly due to the cool weather. More manatees than on my previous trips — caused by cooler weather also? Spotted two bald eagles. Saw several osprey, one holding a freshly caught fish in its talons. We saw more, and a wider variety of water birds than on any previous trip: anhingas, cormorants, white ibis, great blue heron, little blue heron, kingfishers, osprey, bald eagles, pelicans, great white heron, snowy egrets, great egrets, brown buzzards, turkey buzzards, and several varieties of ducks.

Monday on the Weekee Wachee:

Elvin and Nancy Hilyer accompanied Gaby and me on the Weekee Wachee on Monday. We got a pretty early start so we could head back early, and so Nancy and Elvin could make a dinner engagement at 6:00 in Sarasota. We were actually on the water at 10:15 after dropping off boats and setting shuttle downstream at Rogers Park.

I've driven past Weekee Wachee many times on the way to other Florida river destinations and never given a thought to paddling it. There's a big theme park looking place right on the highway there with a huge parking lot and signs advertising watching the mermaid show. We had decided on Sunday evening at dinner to try it because it was fairly close and in the right direction for Nancy and Elvin's dinner engagement. We chanced upon a local paddler at Chassahowitska Campground Monday morning and asked about Weekee Wachee. He gave it high marks and filled us in with all the logistical details of putin, take-out, shuttle and good directions, including a good eatery close by (more on that later).

This was arguably the prettiest Florida river I've paddled so far, and I've been on a lot of them. It rivaled the Wekiva / Rock Springs Run and Juniper Springs. The clarity of the water and the white sand bottom was reminiscent of Juniper, but with a much wider riverbed and a stronger flow.

Birds and other wildlife were everywhere. The fish were even more visible than in the Silver River / Silver Springs. And the manatee we saw grazing on the aquatic plants was so clearly visible in the shallow ultra-clear water, it was almost surreal. We watched nesting herons feeding their young. As we drifted under a tree limb about 10 feet over our heads we watched an anhinga sitting on the limb drying its feathers as a cat bird mewed in the brush by the river.

We passed a raccoon who was calmly washing his paws in the water on river left as we drifted by only a few feet away. He barely even noted our presence until I got my camera out. By the time I got ready for a shot, he had climbed up the bank and disappeared into the brush. For several miles, we had the river to ourselves. No other paddlers, no power boats, no fishermen, no stream side visitors. After 1-1/2 to 2 hours of solitude, we encountered a single recreational kayaker paddling upstream. Then soon afterward the spell of solitude was absolutely crushed by a jet ski cruising upriver (at idle speed) piloted by none other than a Ranger — incredibly disappointing. You'd think they could patrol the river in human powered craft. Soon we found out why they used motors — we started seeing more and more power boats the closer we got to the take-out.

The upstream paddle boat traffic also increased toward the end of the run. It seems putting in at Rogers Park and paddling upstream and back down is a popular run. There was a section of private homes part way down the run, then more of the wild area, and then for the last mile or so there were lots of private homes. Most of them had been there a while and were tastefully done, but we'd have been happier if they were not there at all.

The clarity of the water remained remarkable for quite a distance downstream until finally a pretty sizable black water stream came in from river right, followed by a couple of smaller ones on the left. Soon after that, the stream showed signs of being tidal, with some exposed mud banks and root systems (it was low tide).

After taking out at Rogers Park, we followed the river trip up with a wonderful lunch at the Bayport Inn on Rte 50 on the outskirts of Hernando Beach. Their grouper sandwich came highly recommended, and did not disappoint us. The fried ice cream dessert was wonderful as well. The biggest problem with the place was the large number of really good looking items on the menu.

As we said our goodbyes, we all agreed that Weekee Wachee had been well worth the time we spent getting there, and we'd all do it again in a heartbeat.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I hope some of you who haven't experienced Florida's spring fed paddling can join us next year.

by Morris Friedman, The Vagabond

From The Eddy Line, March 2006

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