Canoeing “The Chaz” Chassahowitzka River

Howdee all,

On Valentines day, Jeff and I rented a canoe and toured parts of the Chassahowitzka River.

Here is the link for a few paddling loops from the campground.

We did The Springs Loop.

7 miles RT

Bring a map~and a GPS if you have it (we didn’t use ours)

Print out the directions from this link~you will need them!

Rated Moderate~we felt it was easy.

I am going to highlight my favorite springs in the Loop.

We first went to Blue Springs..

Water is very clear in most of the river..

I think these fish are Mullet.

On our way to The Crack..

We had to get out of the canoe and pull it for a while..

Until it couldn’t be pulled any longer…

We then proceeded of foot a short distance to The Crack.

“The Crack is a jagged crevice about 30 feet long. The clear, oval shaped pool is less than one foot deep and surrounded by forest.”

See the small fish in the pool?

We stayed here a short time enjoying the blue water…

then retraced our steps out to the stream

Onto the next spring.

I think my sickstas would probably like to have that plant growing on the dead tree..

Am I right?

It was a beautiful day for canoeing..

There were what seemed like tens of thousands of Robins in all of the side streams we went into.. Cedar waxwings mixed in.

We saw an assortment of Herons and Egrets.

In the photo below are two Tri-colored and a juvie Little Blue Heron

Oh look~my baby camera captured a flying bird!

Brown Pelican preening..

See that blob at the top of the photo?

Manatee! We saw several this day.

Crab Creek Springs..

A Beautiful Home…I think their only access to this home is by boat.

The Spring

Beautiful!

We circled around the area and found a few other spring vents.

There were three spring vents.

Deep holes in the rock..

This vent is heart shaped :)

Mottled Duck hanging out near the spring.

We then left Crab Creek Springs and paddled to

Unnamed spring

This spring has several vent areas..that are connected by caves.

Sadlly, several people have lost their lives here swimming in these caves.

Time to head back..

Past the first spring near the campground..

Our resident GBH greets us…

A Great day on the river!

Fort Island Gulf Beach and Black Skimmers

Howdee all,

Jeff and I went to Fort Island Gulf Beach to do some birding. This is one of the birding spots on The Great Florida Birding Trail~ 

White powdery sand...Sooooo soft I almost put down a towel to sunbathe….but we had other business here..

We went to the rock jetty~see it down there?

A nice assortment of birds.Terns,Corms, Turnstones

I looked back at the beach..

It was aflutter with birds..

Black Skimmers..

Whenever someone walked by, the Skimmers flew about, then settled down again.

Kids chased them…

It seemed like the skimmers were used to being disturbed..…they would fly away and settle onto a different area of the beach.

The skimmers didn’t seem to disturb the sun bathers  while moving to their next site…

Oh..remember my last post? ~Way to many GBH photos.

Well~this post will be different..

This will be..

Way to many Black Skimmer photos..

And an occasional gull..

Or three..

See the skimmers down there?

Those skimmer birds tried to get themselves into rows....not perfect rows..

I think they may need to work on the row thing..

Now check out that beak..or is it bill?

or

What is that anyway?

They all had them…

Funky Orange and black projections..

Big honkers.

and

No eyes..

Yep..blind birds with wonky honkers…ok I am just kidding.

I know that those are not noses. ;)

There were a few gulls mixed in..

But mostly the gulls had their section and the skimmers had theirs..

Until someone walked by..

Then…

The skimmers flew..

The did pretty good for being blind birds…

The gulls stayed..

The cool gulls were wondering why the silly skimmers were so skittish..

Silly skittish skimmers~silly skittish skimmers..

They just stared at them in disbelief..

This one skimmer stayed while the other silly skittish skimmers flew..

I think it was old..or hurt..or both.

A friend comes back to join him..

While the other silly skittish skimmers settle down again.

Well..

until the next time someone walks by..

Silly Skittish Skimmers..

Stay tuned~~~~~next time

for the way to many ____?___ photos.