Not bad for a workday (Friday, 5/4/07)

We needed an earlier start (for us) before the heat of the day built up, so we were on the water by 8:30ish - to finish paddling the Piney Z/Lake Lafayette canoe trail. This time we began at the Chaires Cross (eastern) side. Due to a lamentable lack of rainfall in Tallahassee, our butts were scraping the muddy bottom of the water in places. In really low spots, our paddles dripped what I can only imagine primordial ooze looked like.

A haze blanketed the undisturbed water surface, as smog covered Tallahassee - smoke from the huge Okefenokee Swamp (GA) wildfire STILL drifting our way (see http://www.okefenokee.com/). The morning was ours to enjoy, regardless....

We had the swampy lake to ourselves; it was so quiet, we might have been hundreds of miles from civilization. Birds - and lots of them - kept us company with their varied calls, from Carolina Chickadees' whistled song to the squealing of a red-shouldered hawk, Great Crested Flycatchers' goofy police-whistle calls, to the loud hammering of a pileated woodpecker. Hidden ducks flew as we glided by. As they took to the air, herons squawked in protest if we came too near.

The sunny day grew hotter. We pushed to finish our 4+ mile paddle and once the kayaks were strapped on the truck, we drove to the Wacissa River to explore and eat lunch!

It's been a couple of years since we visited the beautiful spring-fed Wacissa River, 20 miles east of Tallahassee. We were aghast at how the invasive hydrilla had taken over. Made us grateful to have seen the river five years ago before hydrilla gained control!! Still, the water's crystal clear, though mostly all you can see is hydrilla, not the pristine sandy bottom. Water level is down because of the drought. So far the herbicide hasn't been effective.

We were happy to see the limpkin cruising the water weeds. It's favorite meal is apple snails, which the herbicide kills, but apparently enough snails survived to keep it at the Wacissa. We had never heard it before, and - WOW! - what a noise! It gives out repeated loud anguished screams and is as loud as a howler monkey.

Even Big Blue Spring had grown massive towers of hydrilla. The channels to each spring were narrowed and some were all but impassible. Still, it's hard to beat being on the clear, cool 68 degree water on a hot afternoon. A stiff south wind counteracted the south-flowing current, enabling us to return to our put-in place easier. We spied lots of little blue herons, white egrets, and even a few wood ducks. One mama had ten little ones out in the open for a paddle thru the hydrilla. They were too far away to take their picture. Nor do I have a photo of the daddy wood duck hiding at the edge of the spring - he scrammed away before I could even grab the camera. He does not like his picture taken!

So we finished up 2:30ish and drove the ol' red truck home. Hot. But happy. Great to be in our kayaks again. Terrific that my shoulders let me paddle again. Next week we'll see what's happening on the Wakulla River!