Lake Disston is a popular fishing lake hosting largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, bream, and shell crackers. There is a major rookery along the northern shoreline, about 1.24 miles West of the public launch. Here you can find numerous wood storks, Ibis, and Egrets. The lake also is an important habitat for Eagles, Ospreys, Herons, Coots, Anhingas, and Swallow-Tailed Kites…James
Paddle Logger… I recently had the opportunity to test Paddle Logger for my paddling trips. I happened to see this app on some website and …
Cedar Key is a city located 50 miles southwest of Gainesville, Fl on SR 24, in Levy County. The group of keys is named after the Eastern Red Cedar tree, which played a predominant role during the 1800s. Cedar Key was actually offshore from where the city is located now, on the island key of Atsena Otie. “Atsena Otie” is from the Muskogean language “acheno ota” which translates to Cedar Island. It was here that settlers established the town Cedar Key in 1842…..James
Originating in Georgia, The Withlacoochee River is a key tributary to The Suwannee River and is a state-designated paddling trail. The confluence of the Withlacoochee and Suwannee is west of Live Oak, Fl in Suwannee River State Park. From here, the Suwannee River continues to flow to the Gulf of Mexico…James
After a nice break, we headed back through the canal, into Lake Alto and our launch site. Santa Fe Canal is not what you call an outstanding Florida waterway, but it is one to do just for the trip into the history of this area. This paddle ends another chapter of Florida Paddle Notes…James
The Santa Fe River is a 75-mile river in north-central Florida and derives its name from a Franciscan mission named Santa Fé de Toloca once located near the river. Its source is Lake Santa Fe – Little Lake Santa Fe located north of Melrose and East of Waldo. The upper half of The Santa Fe is a small, winding creek that often dries in low water periods and the river is usually a slow-flowing river…James
The 74 mile Ocklawaha River is a must paddle for those interested in ‘Old Florida’. It’s history is rich as are the wildlife and surrounding forests. One of the most popular and uninhabited sections of the river is from Gores Landing to CR 316, see map below…James
The weather forecast changed over the course of the early morning. By the time we arrived at the launch in Silver Springs State Park the forecast was upwards of a 60-70% chance of rain. As the last of the kayaks entered the water, the sky was dark and thunder heralded our launch. We agreed to proceed, cautious about lightning, and assumed we would get wet…James
Juniper Creek – Upper is a 7-mile winding waterway originating from Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest, Marion County. The creek flows through several sections of beautiful, diverse forest and wilderness eventually flowing into the St. Johns River…James
Tsala Apopka Lake is a chain of lakes located within a bend in the Withlacoochee River with a surface area of over 19,000 acres. Tsala Apopka Lake is located in Citrus County in north central Florida. The area contains numerous lakes, heavily vegetated marshes and swamps that encompass several islands and is often referred to as The Cove of the Withlacoochee…James
