On the Myakka River and Into the Wilderness

January 5-10, 2024                                           Most Recent Posts:
Myakka River State Park                              Myakka Bird Walk and Outpost
Sarasota, Florida                                            Pictures are Back Sort Of!

I spent several days on the river though not as many as I would have liked due to the cold temperatures, the wind and the rain.  But the days I was out were gorgeous.

This is my favorite of the launch spots in the park, just before the bridge over the river.  From here I can paddle to the upper lake which I did not do this year or down the river and possibly as far as Lower Myakka Lake which contains Deep Hole an alligator gathering spot. 

I can park the car in this launch turn out off the road and pull the kayak down into the water.   The car is the gray stripe on the bottom left of the picture.  It just stays right there while I pull the kayak down to where that other blue boat is and then into the river.

I’ve combined pictures of my days on the water rather than do a separate post for each one.  So this post is long on pictures.

Some days were bright and cloudy as I launched.

Some were fewer clouds and bluer skies.

The thing about being on the river is not only the solitude and the water itself, but the number of birds and of course gators I see.

The Belted Kingfisher photo could have been much better had it not been so bright and cloudy in the background.

I’ve heard people call the White Ibis the Florida Chicken.  Not sure why.  I don’t think it clucks.  Though it does normally travel in flocks and it’s quite something to see dozens of Ibis flying down the river toward you before they pick a tree or adjacent trees to land in.  Or perhaps it is called that because the Ibis is pretty ubiquitous in Florida.

Most of these pictures were taken on the two days I took my canon with me rather than the days where I only had my phone.  I saw gators on all my days on the water but on the second of these two days I saw more gators than I have ever seen on one river before.  On that day, I paddled into the Wilderness.

I know I’ve said this before but aren’t those Ibis just a little bit nervous?  He’s coming their way.   I didn’t stick around to see what was going to happen.

Snowy Egrets have black legs and “golden slippers”.

I’ve read that Roseate Spoonbills start out white and get more color as they get older from the foods they eat.

I see birds take flight like this Great Blue Heron but I don’t often get a decent picture.

 

I mentioned the Limpkin and his call in my last post.  Here’s a link so you can hear it.

Here is a different Tri-Colored Heron in his “stand up” pose.

Gators  often seem so stealthy to me.

There were many more than these 4 on the bank but my lens isn’t wide angled enough.  I’ve always thought of alligators as solos.

I was really hoping this guy did not decide to launch himself off of his high perch.  Not that he would be interested in me but he’d make a huge splash and potentially get me all wet not to mention the waves.

Do you think he might have a lisp with those teeth?

I arrived at the bridge when I noticed the sign….

It’s been a few years since I’ve been at Myakka River State Park and I’d forgotten that a good part of the river is wilderness and requires a permit.  It’s true that it is unlikely anyone would have asked me for mine but I trust that there is a reason I should have one so at this point on this day, I turned around and went back.

Too late to get a permit and return today but I did get one for my next paddle.

Green Heron

He’s in the process of disappearing beneath the water.

I took this rather shaky video of a Roseate Feeding.   Use this link to see it.

Just want to remember how glad I am I’m in Florida in January.

You really have to keep your eyes on both banks to make sure you don’t get too close.  I almost didn’t see this guy.

Gators were really everywhere especially on the day I paddled into the Wilderness.

Common Moorhen

As I moved into the wilderness, the river got narrower and the gators got more numerous.

Black Crowned Night Heron

This looks like the very best sunning spot to me.

He seems to be alert and smiling but I was far enough away as you can see in the above shot that he was worried.

As the river narrowed even more, I had experienced enough gators jumping into the water from both sides as I went past, sometimes one right after the other.    I know I worried them.   They are not so used to folks in boats here as fewer people paddle this far from the park.

I’d been out over 2 hours and this seemed like the spot to turn around.

On my way back, I saw a number of fishermen.

Tri-colored Heron looking for lunch

Both my days on the water were wonderful and I only wish there could have been more.   Next time!