Current Status – Where is Shamy?
Currently, we are wrapping up our Florida travels and about to start our slow trek north via the panhandle of Florida, New Orleans, and Arkansas with a possible side trip to Fort Worth, Texas to visit Shane’s aunt and uncle. We originally planned to head to the panhandle of Florida the first week of March but decided to revisit our favorite spot near Silver Springs for an additional two weeks. As I write this I am overlooking the Ocklawaha River and knowing it will be tough to leave this spot. Just this afternoon I watched two different alligators climb out of the water to their favorite spot only to discover a turtle occupying the space. Both attempted to climb over said turtle, the first falling from the log into the water, the next one successfully made his maneuver to a coveted spot further up the log. And now they are both peacefully coexisting on the log. Nature knows how to do it best, if only humans could learn to coexist in the same manner. Food for thought.
*Update – it took me a bit longer to put this post together. We are now in the panhandle camped in the Apalachicola National Forest.
Being on the Water in Florida
After spending three and half months in Florida for the winter I wanted to highlight boating and paddling opportunities here. Florida has so much to offer when it comes to getting out on the water. From stand up paddle boarding to kayaking to canoeing to boating, being on the water in Florida offers a variety of scenic views and time in nature.
If you have followed the blog for awhile you know we love any opportunity to get out on bodies of water, rivers or lakes we love it all. This past fall we decided to upgrade our way of enjoying waterways by investing in a Sea Eagle paddle ski.
Prior to that we enjoyed our two inflatable Intex Excursion Pro kayaks. Each seating 2 people. They worked well but it was time to upgrade our time on the water. We were interested in finding a way to add a small electric motor to a new inflatable kayak. Then Shane came across the all in one paddle ski from Sea Eagle. It can be used as a stand up paddle board, a kayak and as a boat with a small electric motor. There is even an option to add a small sail and do a little sailing. And for those wanting more speed (talking about you Shane) you can add up to a 5 horse power gas motor (although his research has indicated you can go up in horse power as long as the motor is within the weight limit of 60lbs). That is currently in the works as Shane was gifted an old school 1953 Mercury gas motor. Not fully operational yet as it needs some love (updates on that to come in future posts).
It is a badass little boat that when deflated completely folds up and fits nicely in the back of our Jeep.
By upgrading we have completely transformed our ability to explore various waterways. Now we can motor upstream against the current of the river and float back to our put in spot, negating the need for a shuttle between two points or needing to work really hard to paddle against current. The electric motor also allows us to explore further than we would with paddling alone. And best of all now we can set back, relax, and take in the beautiful surroundings instead of focusing on paddling. It has been a game changer for sure.
Silver Springs
As I said Florida has many wonderful places to explore via water. Our absolute favorite is the Silver River with it’s crystal clear water and 72 degrees year round due to the natural springs.
The big attraction to this particular spot is the amount of wildlife you are almost guaranteed to see. Manatees in the winter months, big boy alligators, turtles a plenty, many specious of birds, and if you are lucky wild Rhesus monkeys. We were treated to all of them on our multiple trips to this favorite of ours.
Most people put in at the Silver Springs state park kayak launch and make their way down the Silver River. A five mile trek to Ray’s Wayside park. With our motor we are able to put in at Ray’s – motor up to the head springs and float back down. It is an absolute treasure. If you only have time for one paddle or boat trip – make it on the Silver River. You will not be disappointed. One thing to note, this is a very popular spot, not secluded but the scenery and wildlife make up for the people. Most of which are up near the head springs.
Withlacoochie River
This year we enjoyed a 12 mile stretch of the Withlacoochie River, putting in at Spruce boat ramp and flowing down river to Centennial Park in Dunnellon. We were able to see where the Rainbow River meets up with the Withlacoochie River. The Rainbow River is on our list for next year as we ran out of time to explore it this year.
Anclote River + Tarpon Springs
We also spent some time on the Anclote River and toured by water the downtown area of Tarpon Springs. Be mindful of the tides if you decide to explore the Anclote River, it can be too shallow to make it passable during low tide. After lunch and the tide had risen we made our way upstream with Captain Bill and Anita (family who live in Florida).
Captain Bill recalled a hole in the wall bar upstream and sure enough it was still there. Surprisingly still standing, although it looked like it could fall into the water at any moment. Bring cash to enjoy a cold beer while admiring all of the history on the walls. If you are looking for a classy joint or a variety of beers this is not the place for you. But if you are arriving via boat or kayak, there is a dock and a take out spot to park it for a bit.
Ocklawaha River
During our stay in the Silver Springs area we enjoyed exploring the Ocklawaha River on more than one occasion. A beautiful remote stretch of the river awaits for those looking for the scenic beauty of nature, sounds of birds, and no civilization to be had.
We did one trip down river from Gores Landing to Eureka west with our friend Fargo. The trip is about 10 miles. By going just past the take out spot at Eureka West we discovered an old abandoned lock. A pretty cool find indeed.
The last photo above is what we like to call barnacling (made up word of course). It’s when your friend or family wants to hitch a ride to the boat with a motor. That’s when we break out the bungees and strap their kayak to ours, thus negating the need to paddle on their part.
On a return trip we floated down from Eureka west about 7 miles before motoring back to our car. This was a nice stretch as well. Lily pads strong enough to hold my yogurt for a bit during a snack break.
We also motored up river from Gores about 7 miles before turning around to float back to camp. This quickly became a favorite as we stayed here three different times this winter. A first come first serve primitive campground sits alongside the Ocklawaha River. $10 a night with trash cans throughout, a restroom with flush toilets, a water spigot, and a boat ramp to launch from. Gores is situated half way between Ray’s Wayside park and Eureka West. Each section, 10 miles of secluded and remote river taking you through trees, lily pads, and various plants. With many opportunities to see alligators and turtles perched on logs along shore and numerous bird sightings. There are plenty of down trees and logs to navigate around, adding to the adventure.
If you are interested, I recorded a yoga class on a log along the river here. It was my first one back after taking some time off after losing Josie.
Crystal River and Salt River
We enjoyed some time on Crystal River and Salt River in Homosassa. Another beautiful area, home to Hunters Springs, Three Sister Springs and Kings Bay where manatees abound. Fun fact this is the only area in Florida where you can legally swim with the manatees. We stayed above water for our excursions. During our time there we explored over 15 miles of the two rivers and Kings Bay before almost making it back to our launch spot when our lithium battery ran out of juice, forcing us to take up paddling back a mile against the wind and tide going out. Needless to say we DO NOT miss paddling, especially against the current and wind.
Webb Lake
Webb Lake near Punta Gorda was another nice spot. We stayed parked here for a month and explored via water on a few occasions. A wonderful spot for bird viewing as many species call this area home. This was also our last spot boating with Josie and also our first solo trip without her.
We love how stable our new boat is. Standing up on the drop stitch floor is not a problem. Also we met Josie’s spirit animal. Two days after losing her, Mr. Turtle showed up right next to my chair from under the rig. I took it as a little visit from our girl 🙂 We made sure she or he had safe passage across the road.
Bonita Springs
We also dipped our toes into the Gulf down at Bonita Springs. A fun day spent on the water for my birthday. Navigating small channels, motoring bigger more open water and finding our way to a little private section of beach at Lover’s Key. On our way back we enjoyed watching dogs splashing in the water at Bonita Beach dog park. A place we had planned to take Josie but sadly never making it there with her when we lost her suddenly the end of December. But it did not stop us from smiling as we imagined she would have loved splashing in the water with other dog friends. Ended the day at a great little restaurant called Doc’s right on the Gulf. Their grouper was fantastic, a great way to ring in my 49th trip around the sun. Up next year, the big 5-0!!
Kissimmee River & Weeki Wachi
Honorable mentions go to the Kissimmee River and Weeki Wachi. We camped for a week down by the Kissimmee River where we could launch directly from camp and make our way out a smaller channel to the big river. At the end of our day we made our way down to the lock and dam south of camp. Pretty cool to see it up close and personal.
The Weeki Wachi Springs and surrounding areas were another nice spot to spend the day. I managed to snap a photo of a dolphin trying to make his way through shallow water, as the tide was out.
With so many opportunities to explore Florida via water, we are already looking forward to exploring more next winter when we make our trek south again for the colder months. Spending time on the water from December to March is truly a treasure. It will be fun to find new places and explore our favorites again.
Shamy Tip: Try Walking
For those who have followed this blog for some time you know our other favorite pastime is hiking. While Florida does not offer much in terms of hiking, given how flat it is, we do enjoy our almost daily walks.
I wanted to touch on walking for a moment as we have both noticed the benefits and simplicity of walking. When we had Josie we found ourselves going on daily walks. After losing her we initially weren’t making walking a priority. But now we are back to walking on a regular basis and love it. The act of walking is one of the simplest ways to add some low impact exercise into your daily routine.
It is fantastic as an all ages activity and especially wonderful for those who do not have a movement practice and want to get started with some type of exercise. We have both noticed the benefit of getting to and maintaining a healthy weight simply by adding this in. It gives us time to chat and be in nature while moving any stagnation that may accumulate while sitting.
I encourage you to give walking a try and see how it improves your health. Start out with shorter walks, 15-20 minutes a day is great and work up to longer walks or break longer ones up into a couple of sessions a day.
Walking, who knew something so simple could have such an impact.
Highlight Video From Our Travels
And I almost forgot about our airboat ride. This year we had the special treat of going out on an airboat. A first for both of us. While staying near Inverness, FL we met the nicest couple who lived nearby. The husband was so kind to offer to take us out on a tour via airboat. The above short video is a portion of that trip. What an absolute amazing experience!
Next Up: Four Years on the Road!!
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