The Last Kayak

Four of us went for a paddle today planning to go to Peck's, the seafood restaurant in Ozella. Peck's is about four miles from The Islands by kayak and 17 miles by car. Since the forecast was for possible thunderstorms this afternoon, we decided we would make a decision about completing the trip once we were out on the water. Here we are just setting off from Sue's dock.



It was windier that we expected once we were out on the bay but it was manageable. We moved right along through the twists and turns the route takes through the sawgrass. There wasn't a lot of wild life today, just American Anhingas and Cormorants. I want to note, for my sister's sake, that there were no alligators in view. Once we spotted the buildings that make up Ozella, Abby called to reserve a table. We were told there would be a wait. After a brief conference, we decided that waiting to get a table and the subsequent time it would take to get served would not be conducive to getting home before 4 PM to beat any thunderstorms. None of us wanted to be out on the water in severe weather. We turned around and headed back to The Islands. The wind was behind us allowing Doris and Sue to use their kayak sails. They were really moving along. It wasn't very difficult for Abby and me to paddle with that great tail wind. Before long Dixie Shores, particularly the pink house that is our landmark were in view. I estimate our total trip at about six miles.


Just because we couldn't get a table at Peck's didn't mean we were going to miss our chance to have lunch out. We drove to Cravings on the Water in Crystal River and had a delightful lunch there. Cravings serves seafood and Cuban inspired dishes and is located right on Kings Bay. We snagged an outdoor table with a view of the water. Dick came with us and served as the photographer.

I'm going to miss these women, kayaking and the Florida sunshine. It's hard to believe we will be boarding the Autotrain on Wednesday and arriving back in NJ on Thursday. It seems like only yesterday that we got here. We'll be carrying many wonderful memories back with us.

Kayaking in Crystal River

We've been in Florida for more than six weeks now and for the most part the weather has been very cold. Some mornings we've awakened to heavy frost and the tender plants in front of our condo unit have really suffered. We haven't complained about the weather because in spite of the cold, it's almost always 20 to 25 degrees warmer than NJ. I check every day!

Sunday, February 8, the weather finally turned warmer and we're told it will stay warm for at least the next 10 days. Monday Dick and I rode our bikes along the dedicated bike path on the road to the beach near our condo.

And, today, some of the women in the community went kayaking. It was my first time in a kayak in two years and I was a bit anxious about my stamina. My cousin, Sue, has been gracious about allowing me to use one of her kayaks.

This time of year the water tends to be rather low, particularly when the tide is out. We set out from Sue's dock (specially designed to adjust to the water level) planning to kayak to Lake Louisa. It was a beautiful day, the mullets were jumping and we watched a pelican catch his dinner. About an hour out we began to encounter low water and to get stuck from time to time in the mud. When it became apparent we were going to have to portage over an oyster shell shelf, I decided to turn back. Abby was kind enough to join me while the two Sue's forged ahead.

Abby and I were back home about two hours after we set out. For the first kayak of the season, it was enough for me. I'm looking forward to going out again soon, preferably when the tide is in.