The Beauty of Nature

With all of the outdoor adventuring that I do I sometimes forget to toot my horn. Back in October I had the honor of being chosen as Club Kayak's Photographer of the Month for the following photos. 

Alligator and Turtle Basking along Alexander Spring Run

When I first paddled up on this duo on Alexander Spring Run it was a complete surprise. So much so that I was backpaddling and repeating the phrase "gator, gator, gator!" After a moment to recompose and reorient my kayak I finally managed to snap the picture. This picture always leads to the question of "why doesn't the alligator just eat the turtle?" The answer is evident in the following photo. 

Alligator Resting on a Basking Turtle at Alexander Spring Run

The simple answer is that it takes a long time to chose the perfect pillow. You don't want one that's too firm, or too soft. So after putting in all that effort to find the perfect pillow, you don't want to eat it. 

Osprey Dining on a Mullet; Alexander Spring Run

Kayaking very often allows you to see nature in action. As I was paddling along this Osprey plucked a mullet right out of the water near my kayak and carried it up into a tree to dine on. I just wish I had one of those uber nice cameras with an awesome zoom lens. 

Butterflies Extracting Moisture Along Boiling Creek

There were several dozen butterfiles along a sandbar on my favourite creek, Boiling Creek. I managed to get three of them to sit still long enough to be photographed. 

Pitcher Plants Along Boiling Creek

Boiling Creek has some of the most beautiful and interesting plants found in the Florida panhandle. I love paddling on Boiling. The water is crystal clear and you can see all the way to the sandy bottom. 

Dragonfly on Water Lily; Boiling Creek

There have been water lilies each time I've paddled on Boiling Creek. This one has a dragonfly perched on a petal. As I drifted in close for this shot, my kayak slid across the tops of some other lily pads and it sounded like strange but beautiful music. I named my kayak Siren Song as a result. 

Snorkeler at Cypress Springs, Fl.

The wonderful thing about having a waterproof camera is shots like this one. Cypress Springs is located on the Holmes River north of Panama City, Fla. 

Attack of the Tadpoles

Okay, so these tadpoles are not actually attacking. I took this shot in a spring on Econfina Creek. There were hundreds of giant non-metamorphic tadpoles ranging in size from 4 to 6 inches. I let my kayak drift into a pod and I just stuck my camera down in the water and started snapping away. 

Shangri-la Springs, Merritt Mill Pond, Marianna, Fla

This spring is one of several located in Merritt Mill Pond near Marianna, Fl. The pond is about four miles long from the dam to Jackson Blue Spring and is a popular spot for cave diving. 

Cormorant on Silver River

All of the wildlife on Silver River near Ocala, Fl, is protected and this may be why this cormorant allowed me to get so close. I could have literally have reached out and touched him, however, I value my fingers since I need them to write informative and entertaining articles. I hope to continue to share unique and interesting photos with all of you in the future. :)

From Alligators to Tadpoles

I'm feeling a bit under the weather this weekend so I decided to stay home and work on a few articles instead. I finally got Kayaking With Alligators posted, a trip that I went on about three weeks ago. There are alligators all across Florida, but they are definitely more numerous and easier to spot in central and south Florida.

Gator! Gator! Gator! 

I learned a pretty healthy respect for alligators after a close encounter of the wrong kind when I was still living in Mississippi. It was at my first apartment, on the waterfront, and every afternoon I would walk down to our dock, dangle my feet over the edge and feed a little trio of ducks that also lived there. One peaceful afternoon the ducks were swimming just beneath my feet snatching up pieces of bread when the water beneath my feet erupted! A large alligator surfaced, throwing a duck backwards into its gaping maw while the remaining two made a break for it.

In utter shock I somehow managed to scramble to my feet and raced for the apartment and safety. Upon arriving I could only repeat the barely coherent phrase, "Gator! Gator! Gator! A Gator ate my duck!" Of course, my then husband and his friend didn't believe me but followed me back down to the dock where they were able to see the 8-9' alligator swimming slowly away.

Several things happened after that day. 1) I no longer dangle my feet over the water. 2) I don't feed ducks any more. 3) I developed a fear of sharks and dark water (probably based on unseen things in the water) and 4) I have a whole new respect (not fear) for alligators. I even learned as much as I could about them so I could better understand their habits and behaviour.

Since moving to Florida an getting into the sport of kayaking I find myself in alligator territory quite a bit. Even when actively searching for them I can still be surprised when I come upon one suddenly, and true to form I still yell, "Gator! Gator! Gator!" Some things never change.

Lurking Alligator

Last weekend's trip didn't involve alligators, but it still came with adventure and danger. Our group of intrepid adventurers headed out to Econfina Creek from the Walsingham put-in to the Hwy 20 take-out. Water levels were very low and it was portage hell for the majority of the trip, especially when we rounded one bend to find some local yokels had placed large rocks across the entire creek. To add insult to injury their unrestrained pit bull mixes tried to attack us. The two that went after me met the business end of my paddle.

But to earn the reward one has to pass the gauntlet. Our reward was a side trip into Washington Blue Spring where my kayak drifted into a sea of giant tadpoles, Rana heckscheri or River Frogs. These enormous tadpoles, averaging 4"-6" in length take anywhere from one to two years to transform into frogs. Because of this they need a continuous body of water, like a spring or bog, to live in until it's time. Special thanks to my Canon Powershot D10 for these pics.

Rana heckscheri, River Frog Tadpoles on Econfina Creek

A sea of giant tadpoles on Econfina Creek. 

Well, that's it for this week's post. Hopefully I'll be feeling better next weekend and I'll have a brand new adventure to share.