Finally – kayaking

Monday December 17, 2012
Site 4 Gamble Rogers State Park
Flagler Beach, Florida

 

As usual…..

I’m up before dawn

 

The sun rises and all I see is a sliver.  It’s pink today

 

 

After the sun is up the clouds start playing hard ball.

 

But by noon the sun has won the battle and the sky is looking fine.  It ultimately turns into a nearly cloudless day.

 

We’re down to our last days here so even though it’s windy, we’re going anyway

We fiddle around in the morning and finally get over to the boat launch where our kayaks have been patiently waiting for about 12 days for us to take them out.  When we do get them out we find a hitchhiker on David’s kayak.  I help him along over into some shaded grass and wish him the best. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are out on the water before 1:00.  It is really windy and we fight out way out of the park’s channel and into the intercoastal waterway.    Some big boats come flying along as we paddle near the shore line.  Their waves rock the kayaks.

 

 

We see a break in the far shore that might go into the mangroves so we head for it.

As we get there we see oyster beds and notice that the water level doesn’t appear low but the oyster beds reach out a long ways and we must be very careful to swing WIDE around them.  These channels are definitely not a place for sea eagles.

The wind is less here but we are still paddling against the current.

We try to go straight down in order to remember where we are so we can get back through the maze of twists and turns.

 

 

I’m still trying to get that illusive really clear picture of the kingfisher.

 

The further into the groves we get, the more calm it becomes.
It’s a lovely quiet paddle.

 

 

 

We’re almost the only ones on the water.

 

 

After a couple of hours of paddling, drifting and just enjoying the beauties of this natural place, we head back.

 

With amazingly little trouble given the twists, turns and avenues we have taken, we find the dock which has one more car parked than was there when we went out.

Tomorrow is our last day here at Gamble Rogers.  I’m going to be very sad to leave especially now that apparently the weather is taking a turn for the better.  The park is definitely on my return to list.  IF I get another reservation at this very popular place.