Kayaking revisited

It promised to be a beautiful morning on the Silver River, and we were not disappointed. We started out at 8 a.m. from the parking lot.

Ev pulls her kayak along the trail to the river.

This colorful little spider was hanging out by the landaing.

Same river, but a new experience every time.

Red headed cardinal flowers were showing off.

God's flower arrangement...prettier than I could do.

Often mistaken for a poisonous water moccasin, this brown water snake is harmless.

Ev points out a hornets' nest.

Which was swarming with hornets.

Family of Wood Ducks

Cypress reflections

Looking into the clear water of one of the springs. We'll pass a series of springs along the river.

Measuring water depth

Oh, hello. Pardon us...we're just passing by.

More flowers, purple reflections

Ev takes a picture

Wood duck in a tree

Sharing a log

This is where the swamp trail comes out on the river.

Ev says this is a button bush,

Butterflies seem to like it.

Up to this point you can swim with the gators if you want.

We saw lots of turtles today.

Anhinga hanging out to dry

This little blue heron didn't want to pose....exit left.

Warning..

Science on the river

Wow, seeing one gar is special, but here's a whole school of spotted gar fish.

Ev doing a no-no...she's feeding the fish.

Another baby...this guy's about 3 inches long.

Babies are big business on the river today.

Smile, you're on candid camera...

Ooh, what's this? Where's Birdie when I need her? Lucky for me she gave me a bird book and I believe I've found a pair of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks!

Aren't they pretty?

The anhinga rookery where we photographed nesting anhingas was alive with

hungry babies today.

Somebody feed us!

Big daddy gar fish

3 to 4 feet long

Main spring at Silver Springs attraction

So many children she doesn't know what to do...

But he does...

Bow of a boat sunk about 100 years ago

Night heron

The Silver River may have its own Nessie (or Champ for those living near Lake Champlain), and I got a picture of it....see where the water is roiled up ahead?

There!

Don't know what it was, but it was big.

All done, does she look tired?

Many thanks to my cardiologist who got the blood flowing again in my left arm. I kayaked for four hours with no pain. Woohoo!