The Ichetucknee Springs State Park opens at 8am. This morning, I was at the North entrance gate at 7:59am with kayak.
I payed the honor $5 fee and parked. Unloading, I drug and carried the kayak and photo gear about a half mile to the launch site.
Getting in off the dock was tricky, but I took it slow and did not capsize. It was already warm enough for a tee so I strapped the pullover microfiber on the back of the kayak with the tripod.
Once underway, the going was slow to Blue Hole. Many stops were made as the yellow wild flowers and cardinal flowers were abundant.
Past Blue Hole the current picked up and by Devils Eye, it was quite swift. Time was spent at Devils Eye close to a blue heron who stayed motionless on the bank. The morning solitude was broken by a lone canoe, a small Bell Canoe Works paddled by a man named Don.
I asked permission to take his photo as he passed. He said he would like a copy and gave me his email.
I wrote it on the notepad before forgetting.
Alone again, i made it as far as Mill Springs, where I ate a banana and almond joys
for a snack. I knew if I went further, with the swift current, it would be a long paddle back.
I went up Mill Springs a bit, to see the source of the water falling, which was falling over a log, before heading back.
The entire time, I never found the type photo envisioned, lush deep blues with greens, but got a few decent shots.
One particular like was coming on the wood ducks before they flew. Two males were perched out of the water, with the females below.
Another was a white heron with the sunlight behind him with a telephoto blurring just enough the background.
Near the take out, I stopped for about thirty minutes as the white heron fished a few feet in front .
The sun would come and go, making a variety of lighting conditions.
I gingerly crawled out of the kayak to the dock, walked back for the car,
loaded up, came home, got Melanie, where we then went to vote.
