Southbound 2015

October 23, 2015

   In route from Frankfort to EPCOT with a long stay on St.Joseph Island state park on the way.

    It took a few extra days to actually get out of town (broken exhaust manifold bolts), but once on the way, a good trip.  The recurring thought that I had on the trip down through IN, KY, TN, and AL was that our country is huge. There is a story in every farmstead, home and small town. The amount of real estate in woodlands and under cultivation is just astounding.  The other thought was that  most of the country (urban dwellers) have no real understanding of what goes on, out of the city and off the interstate.   A good job opportunity for some one, would be to set up cultural and eco tours of America. For Americans....

  Coming through AL, the cotton crop was mostly harvested, as was the peanut crop. I discovered that the peanut plants themselves are baled.  Food or bedding, I don't know..  I missed the National Peanut Festival by two weeks. darn... Last year I missed the National Cooter  and Turtle Festival...
      Have been on the FL pan handle Gulf Coast for several days now and am getting into Southern mode.
The Monarch migration here is past, but still lots of them still working their way West down the coast.
 Had a fun time the other day and got to paddle among  a school of dolphins, feeding on a school of bait fish.  two dolphins found the school, and called everyone else in for the meal. Ended up with about twelve . It was fun to watch the newcomers leaping and racing towards us for the fun and food.  Sadly no pictures.

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                                   This is the bottom view of a Fritillary butterfly. The top side is a bit boring

     This cutie,with the fashionable leg wear, is a Snowy Plover.  They would take a mid day rest in the depression of where someone had walked.  They are completely invisible when hunkered down like that.  I almost stepped on small groups more that once. You think you're alone on the beach, take one more step and you have 6 friends wondering why you interrupted their nap.

osprey taking flight

  Trip report....Silver Springs and river April 2015

       You think you've seen it all and then along comes serendipity and throws you a curve. (or several).. I started out early, at the head spring. I wanted to get down river ahead of other paddlers, so I could have the river to myself.  The river is about the size of the Platte and is a wild and protected river...No swimming, fishing. The spring puts out 500 million gallons of water a day and thus a nice current. I three hours I saw not one piece of man made litter....

                     Swamp Orchid

 Half an hour down river I could hear all kinds of thrashing in the trees along the bank, and see a cascade of foliage into the water???? NEVER expected this

They are Rhesus  monkeys that escaped from some Tarzan film sets back in the 40's.  They are free range and not fed or contained.  Talk about your invasive species.. 

My other fun encounter was with two bull alligators.  I was well up stream of them. The breeding season is on and the two of them were roaring at one another from opposite banks.  Their roar is just plain unreal.  You can hear it for a mile or so and it is visceral and primeval. I had a real gut reaction to it. (and could feel the vibration through the hull)  They just fussed at each other for 10 minutes and them went back to sunning themselves.  The bull below is about 14 feet.  (kayak 15 feet)

               There was all manner of bird life and swamp flowers

Male Wood duck

   

Belted Kingfisher

         

  THe attack of the killer Sunfish

Off to the Green Swamp in a few days and hopefully more fun encounters.    Jay