Kayak Trips

Palatlakaha River, Clermont, Florida, August 8, 2008

This was the second part of an exploratory trip on a section of the Palatlakaha River for the purpose of planning a Wilderness Trekker trip in August. I put in at Lake Louisa State Park on the south end of Lake Louisa. I checked out Big Creek which the ranger said was not navigable. It wasn't; there is just too much catching up to do rainfall-wise. I was disappointed that the only way to get the kayak to the lake was to carry it down the boardwalk and to the beach, about 400 or 500 feet. The lake level was low and the beach was long and shallow for quite some distance. As soon as I got into the cockpit, I could hear thunder. The lifeguard, for which there were no guests at the beach, advised me to stick to the lake's western shore in case a storm comes up. Those clouds built quickly and at about 2 miles out (the lake is 3.1 miles across), I looked back to see how far away the rain was, and I could not even see the park due to the volume of falling rain. It was only a couple of minutes away. I was able to pick a good boat house within a minute. I pulled right up under the walkway that was also covered. The wind kept my kayak pressed against the poles. It poured for about 8 to 10 minutes and then stopped as quickly as it came. Although there was thunder a ways off, there was no threat of bad lightning at this part of the cloud burst. I stayed dry the entire time. I continued up Crooked Creek and got out a the county boat ramp for a lunch snack. There were picnic tables, but the ramp area was tight requiring me to drag the kayak up the embankment. It's been about 11 years since I had last been in Crooked Creek. It seemed it had houses along it, but as it turned out, it was a swamping creek and had no development nor any other place to take out. When you enter Lake Susan, there are large new homes being build on the steep slopes of a hill region on the east, while the remainder of the lake is mostly low and swampy. I passed under Lakeshore Drive and tried to notice any public access to the lake from its shoulder, but it was all grown up in weeds, like it has been cut-off from the public. This is the place David and I put in back in 1980. There is about 300 feet of canal after the bridge and then you enter into Lake Minnehaha. I could see the 561 bridge due north by north west. I paddled about a 1000 feet into the lake trying to see if I could spy the signs for the creek that leads to Lake Cresent. At 5.5 miles, I returned, stopping again at the county ramp. However, I made a beeline directly across the Lake Louisa and to the State Park. There was a thunderstorm to the south of the park, with that nasty quick lightning flashing quite frequently, but the prevailing winds kept it south. The life guard helped me carry my kayak back to the parking lot, thank goodness.

Nantahala River, Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina, July 24, 2008

I love this river as much as I love the ride from Franklin via the Wayah Crest pass, along Lake Nantahala (a.k.a. as Alquone), along the remaining old river bed and through the gorge itself. I know serious white water enthusiast consider this a kids playground, but whatever, I thoroughly enjoy its near continuous rumble and at times the restful spans where I can lay my head back against the duckie and look up at the blue sky framed in heavy green. This is truly a place of solace with a little bit of excitement. Of course I rode it twice.

Palatlakaha River, Clermont, Florida, July 11, 2008

This was an exploratory trip on a section of the Palatlakaha River for the purpose of planning a Wilderness Trekker trip in August. I put in at the Clermont city boat ramp on Lake Minneola, my intent was to paddle to Cherry Lake to ensure it was passible. However, instead, I headed south into Lake Hiawatha, through the Palatlakaha section that goes under State Road 50 and into Lake Palatlakaha and then under State Road 561 and into the massive Lake Minnehaha. I only paddled about 300 yards of that lake. Then I return back into Lake Minneola, headed to the northwest corner where the Palatlakaha flows into the dredged swamp as it makes its way to Cherry Lake. I paddled all the way to the north shore of Cherry Lake were a co-worker owns property as a possible take-out site. Cherry Lake is pretty big. As I began to return back to the boat dock about 5 miles back, I realize I had insufficient water for a summer, mid-day paddle. As I stroked back across Cherry and through the chain of smaller lakes and through the long canal I now call the gauntlet, I began to wilt in the Florida heat. As I entered Lake Minneola and the city visible from about 2 miles away, I looked to my right and an elderly man was on the shore working on his dock. I pulled up to the sandy shore and politely asked him for some water in my bottle. He returned with cold water and wished me well. I was restored in minutes. The GPS claimed 15 miles in 5 hours. Next time, minimum 90oz of liquids for a day trip of any kind and any time of the year.

Rainbow River, Dunnellon, Florida, June 28, 2008

This was a Wilderness Trekker event that Bob and I hosted. With the hot summer, I thought a cool spring fed river would bring folks out in droves. We had 3 members and 5 visitors. We had a returning family from Liverpool England which I think is exceptional that they would blow off the typicaly fantasy world stuff to come see the real Florida. I think the Rainbow River will impress anyone. I love this river because of the clarity of water and the ability to get out and swim along the upper portions. I was in control of this trip, so I made it a point that we port at the State Park at the spring head (you launch at a county park 1.1 down river), and take a few jumps into the cold water at the spring head swimming hole. That was so refreshing, 6 of us agreed. Unfortunately, we were a bit rushed at the end because of fear of being stuck in one of Florida's afternoon thunder showers; which in fact we were chased for an hour by thunder, but noting materialized. To read the full WT trip report with pictures, hop on over to Rainbow River 2008.

Guadalupe River, Gruene, Texas, May 25, 2008

This was a commercial ralfing trip that is about 3 or 4 miles long. Pam and my sister Paulette and I went together. I think it was the first time I have ever had Pam on a rafting trip. It starts at the town of Gruene (green) Texas just north of New Braunfels and where the hill country to the west starts to make its rise. The rafting outfit is located in town and they pick you up at a public park just a few miles downstream. There were 3 good rapids along the way, a couple of 1.5's and a class 2 that was a good drop but over a smooth trough that was more scare than bite. The river has an aquamarine color to it due to the local sediments, but in general the water was fairly clean and clear. The water temperatures were in the seventies while the air temperatures reached for the 90's. Good memories, great times! There is about 7 or 9 miles of the river upstream from the rafting place that might make a great all day kayak trip, but I don't know enough about the difficulty of the rapids in that direction. Note: Avoid the Rockin' R vendor at all costs. That place is uttlerly clueless about what they are doing.

Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers, Live Oak, Florida, April 13, 2008

When I participate in the Florida Bicycle Safari in Live Oak, I sign up for the 3-day rides; Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. However, the last time, I had volunteered as a SAG driver on Sunday, being quite satisfied riding 66 miles on one day and then 51 miles another. However, this time the organizers messed up on my intentions to volunteer on Sunday for which I was not the least bit sadden as I had my kayak, and the Suwannee River State Park was just nine miles up the road. I arrived at the park at about 9:30. The park is vast in land area and extends a couple of miles upstream. However, the usable portion of the park is quite small and the camping is shameful, as the sites have zero lot lines. This is some of the tightest site arrangements I have seen. Ten quadrillion acres at their disposal, and the campers get three-quarters of an acre to simulate living in the Bronx. It would be an ok place as an overnighter on the way to some other destination. The water level in the river was way up and the currents were strong. There had been some good rains this spring and in particular a 2-day rain last weekend. Even the slight rain from last night might have contributed some due to the existing sogginess. The ramp was excellent at this park. I obviously started my paddle upstream. It was a Sunday morning, so no one was about. I had 2 groups of paddlers pass me going downstream and there was one recreational powerboat and a couple of quiet Jon boats with fishermen. It was difficult to paddle the up current. I can only guess, maybe a 3 to 4 MPH current. You could not let up for a moment. The scenery was paradise. All the trees, having been properly watered with unusual spring rains, were in full brilliance. The river's steep shoreline was jagged with limestone rock. It was a peaceful journey. The water, a dark tannin, but clear in the sense that there were no sediments suspended in the water. This stretch of the river is wild and remote. In the 2-mile paddle up stream (in 2 hours with stops), there was but a single resident. I was able to disembark at 3 locations: a limestone shelf, a hidden boat ramp, and on a sandbar, the upstream terminus of my trip. I spent some time at this last location, taking pictures exploring the upper levels of the bank and snacking. My return back to the park was quick, the current and the wind assisted my fast drive back. The park is situated uniquely at the confluence of the Suwannee and Withlacoochee River that drains the southern extents of Georgia. As I approached the Withlacoochee, just a few hundred feet down river from the boat ramp, I immediately could feel its power. Considerable rains north have made the Withlacoochee a mighty force that was extremely difficult to paddle against. I made it about a quarter mile up river, then just came back. Enough paddling to make the claim of being on that river from the north. At the confluence, there was a distinct difference in water quality of the 2 rivers. The dark tannin of the Suwannee appeared pristine as compared to the hot cocoa color of the Withlacoochee with is mix of suspended soils and clay from farms in Georgia. It was my intentions to paddle further downstream on the Suwannee and around the bend to check out the power plant just beyond the rail bridge, the old truss bridge and the modern concrete bridge of U.S. 90. But as I passed under the rail bridge, taking note that the river was no wider than before, yet there was twice the volume now that the Withlacoochee added its contents, the waters were swifter than I had to deal with on the prior Suwannee. It was not until I saw the water forcing its way around the rail bridge pylons with its swooshing sound did I realize that I must reverse the kayak and give it a try going upstream. It was a good test and none too soon. Although the ramp was only about 600 feet upstream, the effort was overwhelming and I spent at least 15 minutes, if not longer, making my way to that land refuge. But just beyond the ramp was a narrow waterway that appeared to be a stream, but I was convinced it was just a back cove up into the woods that ended a few hundred feet. Upon entering the narrow passage, I realized this was a stream with an out flow. I made my way under the bridge that was part of the park's nature trail. The further up the creek the more interesting it became. The sides had steep limestone. There were a couple of very narrow passages where the water rushed over top the limestone base. If the river levels were much lower, parts of this creek would not be passable without portage. I continued up this beautiful and unique waterway, seeing hikers along the following trail high up on the banks. After at least a half-mile back into this mystical trench, with its alternating canopy of cypress and upland hardwoods, another bridge appeared; evidently the return crossover for the trail loop. Then, within 200 feet of the bridge, I entered into a large round pool area that was surrounded by high banks and cantilevered limestone. The creek came to an abrupt end similarly as the Sante Fe River does near High Springs. Water is flowing in between the openings of the limestone underground, creating a hidden creek that is really nothing more than the Suwannee River separated. This day, and the 4-day weekend of kayaking and biking were pure pleasure for which I can truly claim to be a pinnacle of contentment and the antithesis of the grind of urban life. I could have died that day under pure satisfaction of communing with God's gracious gifts.

Crystal River, Crystal River, Florida (Citrus County), April 11, 2008

The Crystal River Kayak trip was an extension of my participation in the annual bike ride in Live Oak Florida called Florida Bicycle Safari. Every other year, I have participated in this mecca event for cyclist; however, I wanted to include a bit of kayaking, especially some exploratory examination for potential Wilderness Trekker led activity. Although Crystal River is not exactly "along the way" to Live Oak from Orlando, the extra hour and fifteen minutes it did add to my travel to Live Oak, it still saved me about two and a half hours if I had done the trip all on it's own. I put in at Hunters Spring Park, a city park about 6 blocks from the intersection of U.S. 19 and S.R. 495 (Citrus Ave) the apparent "center" of town. The park was small and the two dozen parking spots were almost all occupied. I can imagine that his place is a zoo on the weekends and in the summer. The park is designed as a drop off point for kayakers although a large portion of the waterfront is for swimming in the clear spring water. Crystal River is made up of several springs (at least 14) spread across various locations separated by thousands of feet. The 3 "sets" of springs I observed involved about a 3-mile paddle circuit. Putting in at Hunters Spring, there is evidence of a nearby spring simply because of the clarity of the water; however, the actual vent was not noticeable by me. In all directions from the park are homes whose backyards come right up to the irregularly shaped coves, canals, creeks and bays that make up the expansive Crystal River headwaters. Commercial activity spans many portions of these water-ways as well. Upon my departure from the park, I met up with a couple from Spring Hill that were very familiar with Crystal River's environs. They led me to the much-desired Three Sisters spring vents. Still traveling through residential areas, you know you have arrived at the Three Sisters because of the crowd of boats, snorkelers and divers. The actual springs are located about 100 feet off the main waters up a narrow and shallow passage with vegetation and private property signs all about. Once through the passage, there are 3 distinct large pool areas where the individual vents are located. Only swimmers and canoe/kayakers can make entry into this area of about 250 by 150 feet in size. All the land, although not developed, is privately owned. From the Three Sisters, I headed out into the expansive Kings Bay and went south to some popular shallows. The place was lousy with boaters and swimmers. Then I headed west toward a pontoon boat affixed to the bay's floor. It was a state information "booth" that provided pictures and information about he manatees. Within a couple hundred feet from this was evidence of another large spring. The water was clear and it pushed away the brackish tint, creating an emerald color out in the open waters of the bay. From this location I made my way west around the bird sanctuary islands and back out into King's Bay. Upon paddling back to the launch site, I explored some of the perimeter of the bay, making my way up canals and coves. My conclusion is that Crystal River would not be an ideal kayaking trip for the club. Other than the Three Sisters spring hole and the launch beach, there are no other places to depart from your kayak. I talked to the owner of the Aardvark Outfitters store and asked about the possibility of going downriver to Ft. Island. He advised not to, especially on a Saturday as the boats and jet skiers are too numerous to make it enjoyable. I did take the time to drive the 9 miles out to Fort Island, the southern tip of where Crystal River empties into the Gulf of Mexico. There is an island called Shell Island, that is a popular destination for boaters and kayakers that sits about 1000 yards from the Fort Island boat ramp. But the waters are opened directly to the winds of the Gulf and the trip could be strenuous getting there and may require the right kind of kayak. It would be something that would require a nine-in-the-morning launch time just to beat the crowds and the winds.

Strickland Creek and Thompson Creek, Ormond Beach, Florida, March 15, 2008

This trip is near identical to the prior trip listed below, except this was a Wilderness Trekker trip that I was
leading. The day was wonderful and the group that came had a great time; except for the effort it took to
overcome the wind. A full trip report submitted to the club can be viewed at
Strickland Creek and Thompson Creek Kayak Trip

Tomoka River, Strickland Creek and Thompson Creek, Ormond Beach, Florida, March 2, 2008

It had been more than 2 months since Bob and I had discovered this creek yet had little time to actually paddle up it except for about a third of a mile. We immediately decided that this would be the river to kayak rather than the boring salt marshes of the Tomoka. However, before we could lead a Trekker group up this river, I felt like we had to do the whole trip ourselves; hence, I find myself on the salty waters of the Tomoka without Bob, but rather with Chris and Carla. Bob could not make the trip. I had wanted Chris and Carla to join us on the Trekker weekend, but why not have them come with me now to keep me company during this outing of exploration; so here we are, the 3 of us on a wonderful Sunday afternoon looking at blue skies and a very comfortable 79 degrees. The Strickland Creek flows into the Tomoka River just upstream from the bridge crossing near the State Park. It is entirely different in its scenery than the wide and tidal shrubbed Tomoka. The Strickland has woods on either side; to the east, prime hardwood and oak hammock; to the west, cedars, scrub oak and an occasional long needled pine. There are many places to disembark on the west side that appears to be more of a spoil rather than natural land. While the Strickland Creek parallels the Halifax River and the road that bisects the mainland between the two, the Thompson Creek also parallels Strickland Creek just on the other side of the wooded spoil area. It's an unusual and more than likely, not natural, arrangement to be able to paddle up to the end of a creek and then paddle back down another creek, both emptying out into the Tomoka River. Chris and Carla had rented a 2 person kayak at the State Park. It was a steady kayak, but very weighty and not kind to the muscles. The Strickland is a beautiful creek, imagine the classic Florida tropical painting with large herons, osprey, bits of saw grass, sable palm, and oyster shells on the shoreline. We got out a couple of times on the spoil and again at the boat ramp park at the end where for the first time you see homes (we are actually only a couple of hundreds yards from US 1 when you are at the end). The Thompson turned out to be more wooded than I expected. Although this is a much smaller creek and its shore lays low in the tide; thus its entire length had no place to depart. Once in the kayak, one stays in the kayak, as the muddy flats afford no substantial footing. It was good to experience this creek at low tide as it is very shallow, but acceptable to kayaking. We returned into a slight wind that made the 4.5-mile float back to the park a bit tiring. I know Chris and Carla were happy to get out on such a nice Sunday, and we enjoyed the time together, but I think it was a bit much on them for a first trip out, especially in the heavy kayak that they rented. I hope to write future kayak stories with their names included. Tekker Map and Creek locations

Peace River, Zolfo Springs to Gardiner, Florida February 23 & 24th, 2008

A multi-club gathering organized by Linda from West Palm Beach, a troupe of 8 of us gathered at Pioneer Park in Zolfo Springs in Hardee County. This is the middle section of the Peace River that is a great complement to the upper section taken exactly one year ago. The original plan was to paddle the upper portion again, but the long-term drought created considerable doubts about the quality of the river experience. Upon my drive to Zolfo, I stopped by the many river crossings along last year's run, and there was very little flow. In fact, duck weed covered areas near the Ft. Mead put-in indicating to me that our choice on moving south was a wise move. The 20-mile middle segment did have sufficient water such that there was no need to drag the kayak; though there were long stretches where the water was only 5 to 6 inches deep at best in the broad sandy sections; you just had to choose your path carefully, else you found yourself "pole-ing" about with your paddle. The river in terms of water flow and the occasional torrents; technical maneuvering; even clarity, though tannin; and changes from sand to limestone, both on the river floor and the high embankments made this is wonderful kayak trip. Unfortunately it was marred by the forces of nature 4 years ago by which Hurricane Charley had left an indelible mark that will take decades to recover in terms of the once sprawling live oaks that help define one of Florida's most beautiful rivers. Unfortunately, the current state of the scenery was awful. In some areas, 80% of the majestic oaks have died, most have fallen; the few remaining are sparse with truncated branches. The river's edge is littered with tree fall and the forest scape can be summed up as truly ugly. I can only image what beauty abounded this narrow hidden river pre-hurricane event. From Zolfo, we paddled about 6 hours including a couple of stops until we reached the abandoned steel frame bridge for which immediately after that, numerous camping areas were available on either side. Ranchers own this entire section of the river and they take serious their private property rights. However, with the river so low, there are ample legal camping opportunities upon grass covered sand bars right on the river's right of way. We claimed a pretty good spot, relatively high above the river yet accessible. Yielding to the cow patties and fire ants, 8 tents and a common canopied area was established with in a few minutes in between the on-and-off drizzles. Eventually the sky opened up with a hard shower for about 30 minutes only moments after the tarp was erected. Linda championed a late campfire gathering but the crowds thinned by 9 and evaporated by 10. The second day brought faster water, probably from the light shower 12 hours prior; though there was no perceptible difference in the level of the water. The group did it's best to amble along for fear of ending too soon. We passed numerous camping sites and entered into a section of limestone cliffs and boulder debris on the river bottom. It was the best part of the river. Our lunch break was supplemented with several of us dredging for fossils of which one, Mike, had a knack of grabbing something post organic in every fist of gravely litter. No sooner than lunch broke did we find ourselves at Charlie's Creek and the boat ramp. A determined kayaker with an early start could have done the entire length in a single day, especially if there had been a greater water volume. But for us, distance is not the entire objective. Upon the group's departure, I told Linda I hope to see her again at some kayaking outing soon, but it wont be on the Peace River for me until I give it about 10 more years to reclaim its shattered forestry.

Silver River, Silver Springs, Florida February 16th, 2008

At last, the complete run of the Silver River from Wayside Park at S.R. 40 to the springhead abuzz with glass bottom boats over the echoes of a live band playing 60's and 70' songs from a distant band shell. The Silver River remains one of my most highly acclaimed spring rivers with its exceptional water volume and clarity. The four to five mile upstream paddle through undisturbed wilderness provides a plethora of wildlife sightings such as hawk, ibis, otters, herons, egrets, turkeys, all the numerous fish unknown by my inability to identify them, the few troops of Macaque monkeys, and of course alligators from the small cutesy rank to the "stay the hell away from that guy" weight class. A Wilderness group of 12 enjoyable folks spent the better part of the 76-degree and sunny day upon many sizes, colors and styles of kayak and canoe. The State of Florida owns a very board swath of the land from the Ocklawaha River to near the springhead. The springhead is still privately owned and one of the few in Florida that remains so. My long-standing belief is that the State should purchase the last remaining corner of land to assume full ownership and protection of the spring. But actually being their and floating among the boats and the seeing lines of people awaiting for one of the excursions to see for themselves this unique beauty of Florida, I have a change of sentiment; for you see, this is one of the rare opportunities for the masses to witness first hand the incredible natural wonder of a Florida spring. I believe such contact with the natural world will encourage many of those people to act in the defense of the river when it needs protection during legislative or county affairs. Actually, the private owners seem to have little impact on the quality of springhead or its flowing waters. Besides, the real threat lies in the hundreds of square miles that lie above the water source in the form of overpopulation and ground seepage pollution that is already placing the river in peril. More about Florida Springs.

Bob and Sean joined in as we paddled from Tomoka River State Park to U.S. 1. Little did we know this is the boring part of the river as it is wide, bordered by some tidewater shrub that kept the forest way off in the distance and with no shoreline for which to get out and stretch or explore. It was not until we were almost back to the state park marina did we discover Strickland Creek, a very nice narrow creek to canoe/kayak with woods on both sides and places to get out.

Clarks Hill Resevior, Lincolnton, Georgia & Lake Burton, Clayton, Georiga September 30th - October 3rd

This trip was part of a 5-day bike, kayak and camp trip through Georgia.

See both the detailed journal at Travel Journal entry called "A Tornado thru Georgia" and
also pictures on this site at Camping 2007

Alexander Springs, Ocala National Forest, Umatilla, Florida September 1st, 2007

Bob joined me on this Wilderness organized trip that put in at the springhead. We paddled almost 3 miles downstream, then returned to the springhead. The trip was good even though the morning started out with threats of rain. The crystal clear waters of the run provided for scenic kayaking as you could see the river's bottom most of the way. There were no places to take out except near the beginning where the creek crossed under a county road. I highly recommend this run for kayaking, though it is more open/wider than Juniper run. The springhead is beautiful and the deep blue hole brings forth cool waters for a refreshing summer afternoon.

Nantahala River, Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina July 19th, 2007

On vacation with Pam and while staying at Barbara's vacation home in Franklin, I drove over to the other side of the mountains (exactly 1 hour no matter which route you take) to partake in th Nantahala Outdoor Center's rafting rides. It was busy but I got an 11:00 group raft. There were 6 of us, one family from Ohio. I shared the front with the husband, the son helped out with the guide on the back and the wife spent most of the time with her eyes bulged out in fear. I had such a rush during the entire event that when I got back at 1:30, I signed up for a duckie. The duckie is a kayak looking raft and is virtually impossible to flip or sink. So for a second time I had this most incredible - "I'm so happy to be alive" - rush for another 1 and a half hour.

Silver River, Silver Springs, Florida June 15th, 2007

This was a family event. My sisters Sue and Paulette had come into town for some beachside time and I had arranged this cabin stay at Silver Springs State Park which exceeded everyone's expectation. We just rented canoes at the campground there where State Road 40 crosses the Ocklawaha River. We paddled for about 2 hours. We did not get very far up the river, but we enjoyed it tremendously. Pam sat in the middle of the canoe and rode like Cleopatra while I tried to steer the canoe that was the very least unsteady (the most unsteady ever!). Silver River is such an incredible river, what with its depth, clarity and volume of crystal clear water. In fact, with the current drought, the Ocklawaha River ran clear because most of its volume flowed out of the Silver River.

Ocklawaha River, Silver Springs, Florida April 21st, 2007

This Wilderness led run was from State Road 40 to Gore's Landing, about an 8-mile paddle. This is one of Florida's wildest and most beautiful rivers as is meanders through the hardwood forest on the western border of the Ocala National Forest. The water volume can vary widely as its watershed includes nearly all of Lake county's large lakes and includes Lake Apopka. However, current drought conditions have made the river clear with its greatest volume of crystal clear water pouring out of the Silver River. The group stopped along the way where there was this high bank in the pine and palmetto flatwoods overlooking the river. It is quite incredible that people in the Army Corps of Engineers and the State of Florida actually wanted to decimate this river with a barge canal. Thank you Richard Nixon for nixing that bad idea.

Alafia River, Lithia, Florida March 17th, 2007

This was a Wildreness led run from Alderman's Park to Lithia Springs county park. Bob joined me on this run and we met a number of club members. The water level was ideal. Just enough height to create numerous water rushes over the limestone bottom. Weather-wise, the day was just incredible with brilliant blue skies. There was a good size group. I highly recommend this river, but water height varies widely and can create an entirely different experience if it is too low or too high. In June, Pam and I drove by Alderman Park on the way back from Longboat Key. I wanted to show Pam how neat this river was, it was all dried up and barely a trickle flowed.

Peace River, Ft. Meade, Florida March 3rd & 4th, 2007

This Wilderness and West Palm club led trip was from Ft. Meade to Zolfo Springs, but we had to exit at Wauchulla because of a county fair in Zolfo. The river starts out as a narrow, almost canal like creek. It flows in the narrow swamplands of Polk county just south of Lakeland. My initial impression was not that good because just 2 and a half years prior, this is the exact path that hurricane Charlie had taken with its 110 MHP winds. That level of winds do serious harm to swamp trees, such as cypress and many of the other hardwoods whose roots hold onto only mucky soils. However, I was surprised by the river's sandy to almost gravel bottom. We were fortunate to have had enough water to keep us from walking any shallows, but the the level was just above that critical point. Further down the river, I began to really enjoy the it as there were a number of places were the water washes over the limestone in what could be considered "white water". The water is tanin, but very translucent. The river's banks grew higher and there were many sandy places to stop. We camped on some private land near a 900 foot radio tower and not far from a gigantic phosphate mine for which you could here the machinery run all night. The second day was short, and full of many water rushes over rocks. The river flowed through vast open cattle ranches pocked with sprawling live oaks. Evidence of the hurricane could be seen the broken, and in some cases, dying trees. I suspect this was a much more beautiful river run prior to Charley. Amazingly, there was no deadwood in the river. It was as though it had been cleared.

Santa Fe River, High Springs, Florida February 10th & 11th, 2007

This Wilderness led overnight run included Bob and about 10 others, all new people. We put in at U.S. 441 bridge at the outfitters launch. The day started out glooming and chilly, but the sun came out by mid afternoon. We first paddled up river to the outswell. This is where the river comes back out of the ground after a 2.6 mile journey through the limestone caverns below the forest canopy. Then we paddled back down and just past the initial launch there was some good rapids. Another interesting feature of the river is the "toilet boil" swirl, this is a "pit" off to the side of the river where the a large volume of the river drains down underground. It is quite unnerving to get close to it and it makes a rush of noise. The Santa Fe is one of the most beautiful rivers in Florida. I can only imagine what it must be like in the spring when the leaves come out on the trees. As we approached the U.S. 27 bridge, and next to a park called River Rise, Bob and I noticed our kayaks being jerked about like there was something pushing our boats. When we look around us, we noticed the water was boiling upward all around us. Our guess is that this is the outflow of the "toilet boil" some 2 or more miles back; hence, the name River Rise. We camped overnight at naked Ed's place, an old guy that runs a peice of land right next to the river that has this small but forceful spring on it. He does not live on the property but was present to collect his 8 bucks each. The site was great for overnight tent camping and he left us this large stack of fire wood for our evening enjoyment. We woke up to 38 degree weather. But once on the river, the sunny skies created a delightful day. The more you travel down the river, the clearer it becomes because of the numerous springs along the way dilute the original tanin from the outswell. When we got to the take out, I felt I wanted more. It was such a beautiful river. I shall return and do the distance beyond State Road 47.

Rainbow River, Dunnellon, Florida June 10th, 2006

This was a Wilderness led trip but only Bob and I and one other person from Inverness showed up. You lauch at K.P. Hole county park about a mile downstream from the Rainbow springhead and State Park. We paddled upstream to the park but did not have the $1 for entry (who kayaks with money?), so we just paddled about the springhead. We got out of our kayaks along the river to do some snorkeling. We swam in quite possibly the clearest water I have ever seen. It was incredible to be swimming and see such distances. We lunched at the county park and then continued the 4 or 5 miles downstream to the takeout at State Road 484, just shy of the river flowing into the Withlacoochee. This is a fabulous river. I will return on the next outing, especially on a hot and sunny day. The water is especially refreshing. Bob and I went back to the State Park and went swimming for about an hour.

Chassowitzka River, Chassowitzka, Florida May, 2006

This was a Wilderness led event; however, I took off a day earlier to camp overnight at the county park found right outside the springs launch area, there is no swimming at this spring head. I would not recommend this campground, it is poorly designed (sites at swamp level) and is not that well laid out for privacy. I did cycle that first day on the Suncoast Parkway's bike path from U.S. 98 to State Road 50. This section is highly recommended as it is very hilly and travels through undeveloped portions of Citrus and Hernando county. The kayak trip on the river was very good. The river is wide and open and we had a nice sunny day; although there is few places to get out. Our lunch stop was in a fairly swampy place. We continued out as far as where the river opens up into the sawgrass prairies of the Gulf of Mexico. On the return trip we made our way back down a "flume size" creek that lead to a small spring deep in the woods. It was about a mile back and flowed hard in some areas, often times only as wide as the kayak itself. We had to walk the last couple hundred feet to the springhead which is surrounded by irregular limestone formations and a boil area the size of a backyard swiming pool.

Weeki Wachee River, Spring Hill, Florida April, 2006 (other spelling Weechi Wachee)

This was Bob and my first Wilderness outing. A 6 mile downstream only run from near the springhead, which is a private enterprise, to Rogers Park at State Road 597. Crystal clear waters flow about 7 miles until it reaches the sawgrass prairies of the Gulf of Mexico. There was a public recreation spot to stop, which is where we had lunch. The river is typical Florida spring fed with is white sandy shallows. It was disturbing to see the little rented jon boats with gas motors run up the river, stiring up the bottom and breaking the pristine nature of the river. This is a "I've done it once" river run. Although the water is crystal clear, due to the unbridled influx of development in Hernando and Pasco county, the water content is extremely high in nitrogen and bacteria.