Sunrise on King's Bay

Absolutely the best thing about having the paddleboards with us was being able to go for early morning or late evening paddles.  We were able to do one or the other most days we were in Crystal River.

  On past trips to King's Bay, a highlight has been Three Sister's Springs.  We didn't get there at all this trip.  Mornings and evenings coincided with low tides, and the access to Three Sister's is rocky, the sort of situation which results in face-plants.

  Instead we wandered about, visiting Hunter Springs, Christmas Island and Buzzard Island.  Never too fast, we just strolled about looking at the water and shore.  As King's Bay has fresh water springs, but connects by Crystal River to the gulf it gets a wide variety of animals.  We often saw  skates, crabs, mullet, ducks, cormorants, anhingas, pelicans, ibis, grackles, buzzards and manatee.  I've got a few pictures to share:

Some ibis showing off

A young night heron(?) by Buzzard Island

Anhingas and Cormorants decorate a tree by Christmas Island

A young manatee passes by

    The light of the "magic" hours enhanced everything in the bay:

Scallopers at dawn

Palm Trees on Buzzards Island (a National Wildlife Reserve)

A variety of house styles along the waterfront

Fishing boats at sunset

   And no matter how early we were on the water, dive and snorkel teams were already out.  I think the manatee encounter boats began their morning trips at 7AM, we'd usually wait until 7:15-7:30 for better light.
All in all the perfect way to start or end any day.

Postscript: sitting here by the fire listening to the wireless modem beep its way to powerlessness makes these pictures all the more delightful. It was a surprise to see 14 inches of slush on Sunday, less of a surprise that many trees toppled, including some onto our power lines. Fortunately the weather is not too cold, the wood stove is warm and there's plenty of snow to melt!