Moccasin Slough
Summer in Florida is an awesome thing. Hot and buggy, yes....but so much opportunity for hiking, bike riding, swimming, fishing, etc. Sometimes you just can't wait! So in February, just as the days were starting to warm enough for us to comfortably venture outside, David and I decided to embark on a voyage: a 4 mile kayak trip up the east bank of Fleming Island, from Hibernia to Moccasin Slough. The sun was out. There was not a cloud in the sky. The air temp was in the mid to upper 60's. The water temp was still cold of course, but we were feeling brave. We packed our cameras, granola bars, and bottled waters, threw on our swim shorts, and set off.
At first, sitting in the cold water that seeped up through the unplugged scupper holes in the bottom of our kayaks was unpleasant. But soon, our nether regions were used to it, and we were paddling along without a care in the world. There was no wind at all, and at times, the water looked like glass, flat and peaceful, reflecting the blue of Florida's spring skies. As time went by though, we began to appreciate just how far 4 miles is on the water without a motor. Still, we powered on, gliding under dock after dock, until at long last, we rounded the last bend before Moccasin Slough.
Moccasin Slough is an expanse of marshland, full of cattails, water birds, and alligators. We paddled into the slough with wide open eyes, knowing anything could exist here. The waterway leading into the marsh was far too shallow for motor boats to enter, not to mention full of fallen branches that even our kayaks sometimes found hard to maneuver around. Therefore, it was a great place for animals to take refuge. And right off the bat, an ancient creauture showed itself....a large Florida snapping turtle.
Another quiet tributary within the marsh revealed alligator foot prints in the mud, and some obvious areas where gators had been basking. No alligators were seen though, and as the sun began to fall in the sky, we decided it best to begin the trek home. The 4 miles to the slough were long, but the 4 miles back seemed like an enternity. Having eaten only a couple granola bars on the trip there, my fuel reserves were running low. My paddling became slower and slower. David did his best to encourage me, but I just didn't have the strength to keep up. Making matters worse, the sun was beginning to drop behind the trees. Without the sun, I was soon not only weak, but freezing, too! How could it get any worse? I will tell you how......WIND. With the sun disappearing, the wind kicked up. The water that had been flat and calm all day was now beating violently against the side of my kayak. Icy water was lapping over onto my legs, and paddling was growing increasingly more difficult. But at last, we were back at Hibernia, and I have never been so glad to be home in all of my life. Never again will I visit the slough by kayak in February. :)
At first, sitting in the cold water that seeped up through the unplugged scupper holes in the bottom of our kayaks was unpleasant. But soon, our nether regions were used to it, and we were paddling along without a care in the world. There was no wind at all, and at times, the water looked like glass, flat and peaceful, reflecting the blue of Florida's spring skies. As time went by though, we began to appreciate just how far 4 miles is on the water without a motor. Still, we powered on, gliding under dock after dock, until at long last, we rounded the last bend before Moccasin Slough.
Moccasin Slough is an expanse of marshland, full of cattails, water birds, and alligators. We paddled into the slough with wide open eyes, knowing anything could exist here. The waterway leading into the marsh was far too shallow for motor boats to enter, not to mention full of fallen branches that even our kayaks sometimes found hard to maneuver around. Therefore, it was a great place for animals to take refuge. And right off the bat, an ancient creauture showed itself....a large Florida snapping turtle.
Another quiet tributary within the marsh revealed alligator foot prints in the mud, and some obvious areas where gators had been basking. No alligators were seen though, and as the sun began to fall in the sky, we decided it best to begin the trek home. The 4 miles to the slough were long, but the 4 miles back seemed like an enternity. Having eaten only a couple granola bars on the trip there, my fuel reserves were running low. My paddling became slower and slower. David did his best to encourage me, but I just didn't have the strength to keep up. Making matters worse, the sun was beginning to drop behind the trees. Without the sun, I was soon not only weak, but freezing, too! How could it get any worse? I will tell you how......WIND. With the sun disappearing, the wind kicked up. The water that had been flat and calm all day was now beating violently against the side of my kayak. Icy water was lapping over onto my legs, and paddling was growing increasingly more difficult. But at last, we were back at Hibernia, and I have never been so glad to be home in all of my life. Never again will I visit the slough by kayak in February. :)
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