Wednesdays on the JLB Creatives Blog are set aside for our blog book, From the Nose of Our Kayak. JLB Creatives CEO, Janet Beasley, and her husband, Don, have been kayaking for nearly 10 years. Together they are excited to share with you, their awesome experiences that they have encountered. In this Wednesday feature you'll find kayaking stories, scenic nature photography from their outings, and some helpful tips when it comes to maneuvering your "butt sleds" (aka kayaks) on your journeys.
So if this is a topic that interests you, you'll want to be sure and become a follower of the JLB Creatives Blog, and stop in on Wednesdays each week for the latest chapter in Don & Janet Beasley's adventure blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak."
Previous chapters can be found in our blog archives, we began the series on June 1, 2016.
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From the Nose of Our Kayak
Don & Janet Beasley
Chapter 3 Monkeys...Really?
Silver River's beauty never leaves you wanting, but
this particular outing left us wanting...to go back time and time again! We
began to realize, you never know what you're going to see on the shoreline,
beneath the water, on the water, in the woods, high in the trees, or even
higher in the sky.
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| View of Silver River in mid October 2009 from the nose of our kayak |
The deer drag had worked like a charm and we had
portaged to the launch area in no time. We excitedly launched the kayak at
Silver River State Park for the second time. We knew we had 2-1/2 miles to
paddle up river before we could coast back down on the river's gentle
current to the launch area. At the time, 2-1/2 miles paddling up stream
was quite the undertaking for us beginners.
We cleared the markers and were deep within nature in seconds. Ahhhhh...peace and serenity at last.
Before we could even get to the first bend a green
heron greeted us in the marshy terrain near the shoreline. His glossy green, well-outlined feathers, and chocolate coloring around the neck are what caught our eye. His large non-webbed feet gave him the balance he needed whether on a branch or walking across the mossy top of the water. Thrilled beyond belief, Don stopped the kayak, and I snapped a few shots as this was a
first sighting for us to add to our birding list.
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| Green heron from the nose of our kayak |
Ancient Greek - oides, "resembling." The
word virescens is Latin for "greenish."
They are a smaller
water fowl, but impressive nonetheless. They can quickly change from a short
stubby appearance to a long-necked stately sight.
Just past the green heron a great blue heron stood
poised, ready to pierce its unsuspecting lunch.
The proper name for the great blue
heron is ardea herodias. Ardea is Latin for heron. Herodias was a princess
of the Herodian Dynasty of Judaea during the time of the Roman Empire. So you
could say this bird has a "royal" appearance. To Don and I, they are
magnificent no matter how many times we see them.
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| Great blue heron from the nose of our kayak |
As if that weren't enough eye candy within a very
short period of time, we spotted an anhinga perched high above.
Being it was October, the sky was as blue as the top
of our kayak, and the leaves were somewhat starting to dwindle, so it made for
an easy sighting.
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| Anhinga drying its wings above our kayak |
Anhingas are diving birds, and are known by many names
including snakebird, darter, American darter, or water turkey. When their
swimming is done, they perch on branches, stumps, or logs and spread their
wings to dry. Males are black and white, females boast a brownish neck. Their
distinct "ow waa waa waa" grunting sound is strangely unique.
We have to admit, the first time we saw an alligator it was a bit intimidating from the low angle of the kayak. But we soon learned that if, you keep your distance, don't antagonize or feed them, and for heaven's sake don't kayak with raw chicken in your boat, you're probably going to glide right past them unnoticed. We've had a few encounters that have startled us (no immediate danger), and have learned how to keep a watchful eye at all times for these prehistoric beasts...on any fresh water we kayak in Florida.
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| Florida alligator from the nose of our kayak |
As the shadows began to lengthen we found ourselves
looking for monkeys. Monkeys...Really? Yes, believe it or not, there are monkeys in central Florida.
How did we know
to look for monkeys on Silver River? Silver Springs amusement park has always
been known for its glass bottom boat rides, and monkeys. But how did the
monkeys get there? There are rumors. One rumor is that the monkeys were
released after the filming of the 1939 movie Tarzan Finds a Son.
Another rumor says that in the early 20th century a river boat pilot purchased
the monkeys to bring in tourism. He put them on an island not knowing they were
swimmers, so the fury critters spread throughout the area. Regardless of the rumors, the monkeys are here but they're not native to the area according to
wildlife experts (who are not fond of them for ecological reasons). But that doesn't seem to douse the
thrill of seeing the monkeys as you're paddling up or down this pristine
river.
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| First monkey we ever saw from the nose of our kayak |
Feeding the monkeys is prohibited, and for good reason. They should not become
"comfortable" with human interaction, but rather remain curious from
a distance. They can become mean, jump in your watercraft after more food, bite
you, or if you're enjoying a trip up or down the river with your pet it too can
be in danger from being attacked by the monkeys. We enjoy watching them from a
safe distance, and using our zoom lens to photograph the adorable,
yet menacing, creatures. Don and I actually have sat and watch them for hours sometimes.
Needless to say, we left Silver River that day wanting...but only wanting more surprises on the same river, and could not wait for our next day off!
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Kayak nature viewing tip: When you're kayaking through nature, remember that you are the foreigner. Respect what nature allows you to see.
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