Today is a day that we had some trepidation about. Very early in our planning we had seen the Florida nuclear power jetty extending three miles into the gulf, and noted cautions that crossing it can be hazardous in bad weather. We are familiar with the jetties in the Northwest and they are serious hazards to get around. Second only to the Tampa Bay crossing, we have been concerned about this day.
The tide could not be worse.
We cannot get out early enough to beat the low tide, and do not want to wait until flood tide in the afternoon. The Guidebook cautions that in low tides a portage may be needed. Arg. The boats are too heavy to carry loaded so a portage is a major process. But the weather will deteriorate today so we want to get moving early.
We cannot get out early enough to beat the low tide, and do not want to wait until flood tide in the afternoon. The Guidebook cautions that in low tides a portage may be needed. Arg. The boats are too heavy to carry loaded so a portage is a major process. But the weather will deteriorate today so we want to get moving early.
We launch into the now familiar fog. It is total. I'd try to focus on a point in the fog and the compass shows I am paddling in circles. Within ten strokes I am 30 degrees off course. Conversely I focus on the compass and it holds a constant bearing but all my senses tell me the compass is wrong and I am spinning around. Yesterday the waves provided a sense of direction so the fog was not so disorienting. But today the smooth water provides no clues and my vestibular organ and brain is telling me nonsense.
We trust our instruments and paddle two miles into the fog. We have instruments and backup instruments. And the break in the jetty finally appears exactly where it should. There is sufficient water to cross. Hurrah!
The crossing is easy. In fact it is about the easiest paddling we have had. The wind is calm and the water is glass. The anticipated rough crossing is trivial and over in a blink.
This has been a auspicious day. As we set out we paddled into a school of porpoises, and we sat silently as they dove for their breakfast and resurfaced for breath. At the end of the day we twice encountered manatees.
Paddling up the Crystal River we stayed near the shore out of the boat channel. The first encounter surprised a manatee sleeping in the shallows. In his panic, he swam under me and lifted my kayak out of the water and dropped me back with a big splash that washed over the kayak. Fortunately my brace held and I remained upright.
By the end of the day, paddling against the current and wind up the Crystal River fatigue set in. We have paddled hard for several days and need some rest.
We ended the day in Crystal River at the Kings Bay Lodge.
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