Friday, February 19, 2021

A Week at Myakka River–Part 1

January 16- January 24, 2021                              Most Recent Posts:
Myakka River State Park          Beginning 2021 With Murphy Hanging Around
Sarasota, FL                                                   Alafia and Continuing Slide Troubles


I’m going to post this blog in two parts to see if that will work since it won’t post as one.  If it goes through, I’ll post the other tomorrow.  Because of all this hassle, I’m now nearly a month behind.


I moved on Saturday, for a week in mid January,  from Oscar Scherer, a favorite park of mine, to Myakka River State Park, another favorite.   Saturday is not my favorite moving day.  Too much traffic and no services if something goes wrong.  But luckily nothing in addition to the persistent hydraulic problems showed up.  At least they don’t bother me on the road.


IMG_2247_thumb3 My site at Myakka was a very long pull through with full hook ups and luckily level enough that I didn’t have to  level it up.  Good thing since I still can’t use the jacks.




The view out the front window wasn’t spectacular but OK.  Pooh and his friends are doing well on the dashboard.

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The two parks are fairly close so the drive was short  After arriving, I was able to do a few chores like wash the front window and change the water filters.


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There is plenty of wild life here, mostly concentrated around the Myakka River which is an easy walk in both directions from the campground..


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Everybody was fishing for dinner.

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The white egret has his feathery breeding plumage starting to show.

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Who’s the fairest of them all??

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He seems to be following the Little Blue Egret I guess hoping Little Blue might drop his catch.   I can never get over the little Blue’s green legs.  What a design.

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It’s fun watching the  heron turn the fish this way and that way, drop it, pick it back up, all in an effort to get it down the hatch.

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And he finally does.  Ugg that looks uncomfortable to swallow something that big whole.  Don’t blame him for  stretching his neck. I’m sure glad I have teeth and don’t have to swallow everything whole.

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The Myakka is a very fine paddling river and I was happy to get out in the kayak. The bank is sometimes lined with lovely old live oak trees.


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And frequently  lined with sunning alligators where there are no trees.  His tail is longer than his body.


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Further on down the river, this pair were sharing the bank but not too close.  I paddle far enough away that should they be spooked and jump up into the river, they cannot hit my boat.

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Gator Left





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Gator Right






I love the rudder on my kayak because it enables me to hold myself in one place as the river tries to push me along and watch the wildlife.  I sat here for quite some time and watched the antics and courtship of a couple  of limpkins.  He was chasing her.  She kept flying back and forth across the river to try to shake him.


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Eventually they took a stroll together and I moved on down the river.

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A tri colored heron has his eye on something.

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The waterfowl was in the river, beside the river and in the air over the river

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The common Moorhen has a candy corn colored bill and green legs.  Is there some reason for this particular coloring??

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How I would love to be able to do this.

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I’m the fairest, I’m the fairest.

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Wet heads and dry heads.

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Cruising down the river on a gorgeous day in JANUARY!  This is why I love being in Florida in the winter.


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Two in flight.

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I hung around here and watched this snowy egret decide.  Should he walk in the water in front of the gator.

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Or Walk around behind him?

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Looks like he’s hot footin’ it in those golden slippers.

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Sometimes it’s a little debris  in the water.

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This time, it’s not.

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Great Blue Heron appears to be standing on a nest.

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Watching another fisherman, this time a wood stork, with a bigger fish and a bigger mouth.

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I guess he’ll make it with that big fish but I was making him nervous so I didn’t stay to watch.

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I took this picture of a wood stork earlier in the afternoon.  His bill looks great for spear fishing but doesn’t look so good for holding on to the fish and getting it in his mouth.  That thing is long.

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Wednesday found me inside in front of the TV, an unusual place for me but I didn’t get to see much of the actual swearing in unfortunately because of course the RV Techs showed up at that exact time  for the next installment of trying to make my hydraulics work, installing a new cable from the battery to the hydraulic motor. That didn’t fix the issue either. 

But at least  FINALLY, a new president and the first woman as Vice President.  I nearly held my breath fearing for their safety in this dangerous political situation.  I feel like I have been living in a 3rd world country where a coup was attempted and luckily failed.

 

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I certainly hope we are going to get back to more civility and stability and less narcissistic extremism.  It feels nice to just say President Biden. 


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Come back for part 2 to see my close encounter with a gator.

36 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you Kathy. I appreciate your letting me know since they were the reason I had to split this post into two pieces.

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  2. Yippeeee....glad you were able to post and capture your memories on the blog!!! AHHHHH......Myakka River....so many wonderful memories of times together!!! Will never forget our Deep Hole hike and all the amazing wildlife....Thanks😊🤗😍

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    1. Your enthusiasm just makes me smile from ear to ear. I didn't get to Deep Hole this time unfortunately. But I did manage to do a lot in a week.

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  3. So many birds! Lucky you to be able to paddle such an interesting river. Enjoyed your sunny post while looking out my window at a snow covered landscape.

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    1. Snow is definitely beautiful Doris. If I could go for a week when the snow is on the ground and then magically get transported back to paddling on the river, I'd love that.

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  4. You know that those 🐊 make me crazy! The birds, however, are gorgeous. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. So funny Pam. You really must come down to visit me in Florida and let me take you paddling and show you that it really is no problem. They aren't interested in you unless you pressure their space. You are too big. BUT - don't miss the next blog post.

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  5. I would not be able to do that with gators near by. Gives me goosebumps just watching you do that. Beautiful photos.

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    1. As I told Pam, it's really fine as long as I'm not pressuring them. I'm way too big for them to eat so they'd only come after me if they were afraid. Thank you for the compliment and the comment.

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  6. I would be nervous paddling with all those alligators! Great pics!

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    1. Very shortly you wouldn't be nervous at all. Come on down and I'll take you out on the river.

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  7. So many wonderful bird photos! I'm glad you were able to solve your blog problems. We're also hoping for a return to sanity and civility in our country...and are so happy to have President Biden and VP Harris at the helm.

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  8. Thank you Laurel. I'm glad about the blog too but it means I have to be more careful about my way too many pictures. I want to enjoy every minute of the next 4 years since unless something is done, I fear "he who shall not be named" will run in 2024.

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  9. I love the memories you bring me with all the bird pictures. Our short 6 month stay in Florida when we were full timing made me want to stay there more time. One day we'll come for a visit to the lovely state. Glad you were able to get blog up and uploaded again.

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    1. Thanks Laurie. I hope you'll be able to come too. I always wanted to spend winter in Texas or Arizona but we couldn't because it was too far from David's doctors and now I wouldn't want to because I think Florida was the only warm place in the south this winter.

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  10. I'm amazed at all the different colors birds have. I exhibit a lot of different colors too when things break on my RV. ;c)

    Glad you have great weather in Florida enabling you to get out on the water and see such wonders of nature. Right now I have to settle for seeing nature on my TV. At least I don't have to paddle my recliner to see them. :c)

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  11. Thanks for your comment Paul. I'm so glad you are still following along. You are one of my longest following commenters.

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  12. I love that you identify nature that you see. It surely helped when we moved here from Mass. The only thing of interest now is that we were able to get our first Covid vaccine. You are right in that Florida seems to be the only warm state this winter.

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    1. Thank you Barbara. I identify what I know which actually isn't much. Glad to hear you were able to get the vaccine. Seems like it's difficult for a lot of folks including me.

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    1. Great William. I'll try to keep them coming. Thanks for your comment.

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  14. Beautiful pictures as always.

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  15. Oh yay, so glad to see what you've been up to! Your birds and gators are just wonderful, thanks for sharing them with me. Those gator tails are incredible. While having teeth is great, I'm appreciating having hands watching the birds having to make do without! Love the two in flight, great catch. Looks like a nice, big site to enjoy the area. Geez, I hope those jacks and slides are fixed by now!! It was a relief and a celebration to see the swearing-in, and to feel normalcy and humanity being restored to the WH.

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    1. It is amazing to watch those birds flip the fish around this way and that way to try to get it in the exact position to be able to swallow it whole. I think that would be pretty painful but I guess they're designed for it. Poor fish their last moments of Life are pretty terrifying.

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  16. Great pictures.... You seem pretty comfortable with all those gators watching you. Be careful not to become a statistic.. Love the picture of the heron swallowing a whole fish. Very hard to get photo's

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  17. Thanks Roger I'm glad you like the pictures. Yes I'm very comfortable with the Gators knowing that I'm really too big for them to consider as dinner food and as long as I don't frighten them they'll leave me alone. But...wait until next post. Hope you guys didn't have a terrible time with the Texas weather situation. I was thinking about Amy and Angela being in the Austin area. if it weren't so pathetic it would be funny your senator heading out to warmer climes and leaving you all in the lurch.

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  18. It was wonderful to read about your time at Myakka. Funny, the memory of meeting you and David there came up this week. I thought about reposting it, and then thought maybe you didn't need that right now. You are working so hard at adjusting to the new you without him, and doing so well with that. Like you, I am not the least bit fearful of the gators when I am kayaking, but I also wouldn't take my little dog along. No need to wake the sleeping giants. I think the only time I got a tiny bit nervous was when we rounded a corner in Okeefenokee and the gator there was as big as a downed redwood and VERY close to us. He didn't care though, so it helps to be less afraid as you get used to them. I do miss Florida, so your posts are wonderful to see.

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    1. I'm glad you enjoy the first half of Myakka Sue. I'm happy to see memories of David. He's in my thoughts all the time especially as I struggle with things that were so easy for him.

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  19. Your site at Myakka looks huge. I presume you carry some leveling boards for those places that aren't quite level enough. I'd starve if I had to eat the fish whole, can't stand fish bones. I sure do love when you take out the kayak imagining the peace while watching the wildlife, gators and all.

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    1. The site was very nice and luckily level since normally I level with my hydraulic jacks which aren't working at the time. You have perfectly said what I love about kayaking and why on those rivers that allow power boats even limited to idle speeds, I never go out on the week-ends. It is the peace and the wildlife. So wonderful!

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  20. Your bird sightings/photos are spectacular! So many different species! That was all one day??

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    1. The first few pictures were from a hike down to the river. The rest were from my day paddling on the river. It is wonderful to see so many. Thanks for the comment!

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  21. Allegators and birds - oh my! Great pictures! Myakka is truly a lovely park.

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  22. Yes it is a lovely park with a number of different things to do and I wasn't able to do them all in my week there. Wish you were here.

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