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Continue reading →: Estero River (01/01/12)New Years Day turned out to be a perfect day, bright and sunny, not too hot. I paddled the Estero River in Fort Myers, expecting to see a different landscape, as this river has a tidal influence. The river’s flow begins as trickles on the west side of the Corkscrew…
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Continue reading →: Myakka River (11/11/11)It was 11/11/11, and with prophecies of both gloom and doom and enlightenment casting about, I opted for the spiritual enlightenment and headed for the Myakka River in Sarasota. The Myakka River is a brown water river that originates in Manatee County and travels southwest to eventually empty into the…
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Continue reading →: Fisheating Creek (10/09/11)Even the name sounds intriguing—Fisheating Creek. The Seminoles called it Thlothlopopka-Hatchee, “the creek where fish are eaten” (Boning) long before it was paddled for recreation. I’ve wanted to kayak this creek for some time. After all, Carter et al. gives it an A+ for scenery; I knew it would be…
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Continue reading →: Cypress Canopy on the Loxahatchee River (08/27/11)Between the dry spell we had in Florida and my summer travels, I had not been on a river since the Hillsborough in May. I had hopes of paddling Fisheating Creek next, and I was watching the water level. Feeling a bit impatient, I took a quick trip back to…
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Continue reading →: Hillsborough River (05/15/11)The rain came in torrents the night before, and I woke to partly cloudy skies and a chance of more rain. I called Canoe Escape in Thonotosassa for a weather report, and I was a bit surprised when the guy on the other end chirped, “Skies are clear here!” So, off…
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Continue reading →: Econlockhatchee River (04/23/11)My friend, Bill Belleville, and I headed to the Econlockhatchee River for a paddle the Saturday morning before Easter, pleased to find the river was quiet when we arrived. A few sleepy campers emerged from the woods with blankets and pillows just as we carried our kayaks down to the…
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Continue reading →: Blackwater Creek (03/08/2011)Spring Break! A chance to escape selection committees and program reviews, and this time my destination–the Blackwater Creek. The Blackwater Creek, a sweet, tea-stained river, originates with the waters of Lake Norris in Central Florida. Carter et al. describe its 20-miles of twists and turns through the cypress forest as “tight…
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Continue reading →: Peace River: Brownville to Arcardia (01/01/11)New Year’s Day, a time for reflection and resolutions, and I found myself drawn to the Peace River in Arcadia. Paddling the Peace seemed appropriate and reinforced a resolution I had already made to myself, to stay in the moment and to seek joy in living. The Peace River is…
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Continue reading →: Alafia River (10/10/10)Taking advantage of a work-related trip to St. Petersburg, I stopped in Venrico on my return to paddle a stretch of the Alafia River—from Alderman Ford Park to the Alafia River Canoe Rentals—about a 10 mile paddle. Carter et al rated the scenery on this section of the Alafia a mere…
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Continue reading →: Loxahatchee River (09/19/10)The Loxahatchee River was the first of two Florida rivers designated as a Wild and Scenic River (the second being the Wekiva River), a well-deserved designation. Its name comes from an old Indian name which means, “river of turtles.” This area has historic relevance. During the Second Seminole War in…
Footprints and Ripples 