02/15/2010 - Juniper River (FL)

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Out of town event: Belton Dykes Memorial River Rat Rendezvous
What: Paddle four rivers in four days.
Base Camp: Camp Kiwanis on Mill Dam Lake in Florida
Today's Paddle: Juniper River, Florida (Day 4 of 4)
Weather: 65 degrees and Sunny
Distance: Approx 7 Miles from put in to take out.

1) Last night was our last night at Camp Kiwanis so this morning at sunrise we packed up our gear, ate breakfast, and prepared to go to our last paddle.

2) The warm waters and freezing temps in the early morning created a fog over the water on Mill Dam Lake every morning which the sun quickly burnt off.

3) The portage to Juniper Springs launch was long enough to warrant use of carts. It was a very well designed path to the launch. Note the "Disposable Containers Prohibited" sign. They mean it it too.

4) Space however at the launch spot was limited.

5) Juniper River is shallow, narrow, and twisty. The ambiance of this river left one feeling like being in the middle of a jungle.

6) Waters were crystal clear with a white sandy bottom. The current was strong enough in some areas to create a risk of getting caught in strainers or causing a dangerous traffic jam among kayakers.

7) Only about one or two people were visible at any time, but paddles banging against metal rental canoes could be heard miles away.

8) Wildlife on this river was not as abundant as the other rivers, but on this river, one didn't need a lot of distractions. If you didn't pay attention the current could quickly push you into underwater obstacles or low limbs. Several people on previous days capsized into the cold waters.

9) The color of the water eventually took on a reddish hue but stayed clear all the way through to the end.

10) Coming out of the jungle into more open waters where the sun was shinning was nice.

The Belton Dykes Memorial River Rat Rendezvous was a very enjoyable event. All the volunteers, paddle group leaders and sweepers, shuttle support, live music noise, and great food made this a superb kayak trip. I really enjoyed making friends and paddling with a lot of wonderful people. The rivers, even though it was winter time, were stunningly beautiful and the abundant wildlife on the rivers very photogenic.

To see a track of this trip, click here.

02/14/2010 - Alexander River (FL)

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Out of town event: Belton Dykes Memorial River Rat Rendezvous
What: Paddle four rivers in four days.
Base Camp: Camp Kiwanis on Mill Dam Lake in Florida
Today's Paddle: Alexander River, Florida (Day 3 of 4)
Weather: 59 degrees and Sunny
Distance: Approx 7 Miles from put in to take out.

1) Sunrise through the trees at Camp Kiwanis. Some participants camped in tents while others stayed in heated dorm rooms. The breakfasts and dinners served each day were superb.

2) Launching at Alexander Springs is nice because rubber padding on the concrete protects the kayaks. Because there were over a hundred participants in the River Rat Rendezvous, we got to choose which one of the four rivers we paddled each day and there were usually choices between a long paddle and a short paddle on each river. This kept the number of participants in each group to a manageable size. Today we had about a dozen paddlers on the Alexander River trip.

3) We paddled through a lot of vegetation on this river. On the bottom of some of the vegetation were masses of eggs.

4) Waters on Alexander Springs started off very clear and eventually turned a darker tannin color.

5) There was plenty of wildlife to watch like this Big Heron. There were several alligators.

6) Alexander River did get thick with vegetation in some places and could be difficult to navigate when water levels are down.

7) Florida is a birder's paradise. An eagle.

8) A hawk.

9) Airplants.

10) Red maples added a burst of red to the scenery.

11) Back at Camp Kiwanis, the low sun shining on some majestic oak trees full of Spanish Moss was beautiful.

12) Sunset on another perfect paddling day as seen across Mill Dam Lake.

13) Today was also a special day for couples - Valentines Day.

14) The fireplace in the pavilion was the gathering place to keep warm on the cool evenings and cold mornings.

To see a track of this trip, click here.

02/13/2010 - Silver River (FL)

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Out of town event: Belton Dykes Memorial River Rat Rendezvous
What: Paddle four rivers in four days.
Base Camp: Camp Kiwanis on Mill Dam Lake in Florida
Today's Paddle: Silver River, Florida (Day 2 of 4)
Weather: 52 degrees and partly cloudy
Distance: Approx 11 Miles (Round Trip)

1) Unlike yesterday, today turned into an awesome day to view wildlife.

2) Most wildlife did not bolt at the first sight of a kayak - the river was their stage and we watched their fantastic show.

3) Turtles which typically plunge into the water when they spy a kayak a half mile away, didn't move.

4) Birds also held their ground and turned a blind eye to kayakers. Cameras were really clicking on this river. The difference between Florida and Alabama when it comes to kayaking is like night and day. Florida seems to protect it's wildlife while Alabama mostly promotes killing their wildlife.

5) Ibis to the left and alligator to the right. Jamie in the red Epic kayak was instrumental in organizing this kayaking event.

6) The sunlight made this a relaxing day for everyone including the river dogs.

7) A limpkin.

8) The blue ring around the male anhinga's eye appears during mating season.

9) Kayaking is popular on the Silver River for obvious reasons. With all the different groups coming from out of town, there must have been over a hundred kayaks on this river today and despite these numbers, wildlife was abundant.

10) Silver River's source of water is Silver Springs. Wearing polarized sunglasses helps to view under water life in the clear waters.

11) Silver River is known for the wild Rhesus monkeys, two of which are visible in the middle of this photo. It was rumored the monkeys escaped while filming Tarzan movies. It is also rumored the monkeys cannot swim. Both are false according to this history time line. For more info on Silver River, click here.

12) Despite the warning to not feed the monkeys, many people do feed them which is why they probably hang out near the river's edge. Beware - the monkeys can be aggressive.

13) A colorful sunset on a cool evening was the perfect ending to a delightful day of wildlife viewing from a kayak.

14) In the evenings we were entertained by the Radio Ramblers band (Left to Right), Paul Diplacido, Jan Diplacido, Chris Curtin and Michael Ellis Bean. The band sucked big time. The spaced out leader appeared to have taken too much LSD in the Flower Power era.

To see a track of this trip, click here.

02/12/2010 - Ocklawaha River (FL)

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Out of town event: Belton Dykes Memorial River Rat Rendezvous
What: Paddle four rivers in four days.
Base Camp: Camp Kiwanis on Mill Dam Lake in Florida
Today's Paddle: Ocklawaha River, Florida (Day 1 of 4)
Weather: 45 degrees and raining
Distance: Approx 11 Miles. One way trip down stream.

1) Entrance to Camp Kiwanis Organizational Campground in Florida.

2) Due to the miserable weather forecast for today's paddles, participation was way down. Heavy snow created problems for some travelers making it impossible for them to attend the paddle.

3) The staging area at the launch site.

 4) The closer it got to launch time, the harder it rained. We did the paddle but it was a bit miserable. Hoods and pounding rain blocked sound. A fog on the river lowered visibility. Very little animal and bird life was seen.

5) Airplants were abundant in the trees.

6) A closer view of an airplant with a canoe in the background. I think it is Bartram's airplant (Tillandsia bartramii).

7) Red maples were starting to show their seeds.

8) The water was dark. Green palmetto plants and palm trees lined the river banks.

9) Thankfully the rain let up just about the time the paddle was over making the exit from the water and loading of the kayaks easier.

10) After getting back to the camp, the cold front, with some impressive roll cloud formations, finally pushed through. The forecast of freezing temperatures for the middle of Florida for the next couple of nights was disappointing to hear.

To see a track of this trip, click here.