Grayton Beach SP on the Panhandle of Florida

Our last stop for this winter escape from the cold/snowy northern winter, Grayton Beach SP.  These parks on the white sand beaches of the Panhandle are an oasis from the highrise condos and beach rentals that have taken over much of the area.  This park offers a nice campground just a short bike ride from the dunes that protect the beaches.  The beaches are white sugar sand and the water is a clear beautiful blue. 

The park has enough land to offer some hiking trails.  Here is one we walked through the pines between the dune area and the lake.  On both sides of the park are beach communities but these are relatively small compared to the busy, packed areas just up the road.  No high rises here in Grayton but cute cottage rentals.  Easy biking from the park.

The weather was not the best for a beach setting for most of the 7 days we were here.  But we did get one day on the sand and a few more OK for walking.  Some days were so windy you would be sand blasted if you were out.

Here is a unwelcome visitor to our site.  A Cottonmouth snake was sunning himself on the road and then tried to hide in the brush beside our site.  The rangers came to relocate him.  You can't deny the triangle head that indicates he is poisonous.

We leave tomorrow to drive to Huntsville, AL for a visit with my uncle Charles and aunt Verna.  Then on to PA.  Should arrive home Monday.  This trip has been great but we will be glad to get home to our family and friends there.

Silver River and Suwannee River State Parks

Happy St Patricks Day all!  Time to catch up on our trip.

We had a very nice 5 day stay at Silver River State Park beside Ocala.  First visit to this park and we will put this on the return list.  The park is just outside Ocala where there is lots of stores available.  We met a great group of folks here that invited us to join there campfires and took us to a nice local tavern for a Belly Buster Burger.  We took their advise and only ordered on to share.  That was plenty.  A real nice locals place.
 We paddled the Silver River, putting in at the headsprings, going downstream about 2 miles to the SP launch and then back upstream to the truck.  We did not use the park launch as it was a 1/2 mile hike with the kayaks.

On the trip we saw the usual flora and fauna.  Such clear water as there are numerous springs that pump 500 million gallons of fresh water every day!  But the neatest thing about this park is the special wildlife they have in there forest along the river......

Yes, wild monkeys!  A fellow brought some Rhesus monkeys and put them on an island in the 1930's for an attraction.  Little did he know that these monkeys can swim and they escaped!  They are doing quite well in the forest of Silver River.  I was so glad we got to see one of the family groups that now populate the area.

Then, Saturday we moved on to Suwannee River State Park.  This park is small and fairly isolated.  It sits on the Suwannee River and has some hiking trails also.  Sunday we paddled 7 miles of the river.  This river is fairly big and has a good current so we knew we could not paddle upstream.  We found a launch at a county park upstream, launched the kayaks and came to the park.  Then Les hopped on his bike and rode back to the truck, 8.5 miles.  The paddle was nice except a weather system was coming later that day and the wind picked up.  The last hour of our 3.5 hour trip was stiff winds in our faces.

 After we were back and the truck returned, the rain began.  Last evening and today saw downpours and steady rains.  With the rains we discovered a leak in the trailer.  Luckily, it is on the back wall at the shower so the water is coming into the shower.  But still not good.  Les will be busy fixing it went it drys up but for now a tarp will have to due. 

It is not raining now but very overcast.  The sun is to return tomorrow.  A few more days here and then we head to the beach again on the Panhandle, Grayton Beach SP.

Return to Myakka River State Park

 We returned to Myakka River SP Monday, 3rd, for a week.  We wanted to delay our path north a bit longer and glad we did.  From the weather reports, the temps in Northern FL are 20o cooler than here.  Oh my.  We are hoping a few weeks will change that.  We have a nice site butted up against some water.  We are getting some very strange noises from the water dwellers, common Moore Hens and frogs.  It has been very nice.  We love the green forest environment and the Spanish moss.

We put our kayaks in the river Tuesday morning early.  It was a calm misty morning and we were the first ones on the water.  We got some great wildlife and later the sun burnt through for a great day.  Below is a green heron, notice the mirror image in the still water.  We also saw a family of Limpkins with 5 babies.  Also below is a pretty little flower we saw while biking the back trails.  Of course there were the alligators also.

The Lipizzan horses are housed and trained very close to this park.  There is a dress rehearsal planned for tomorrow and open to the public.  We plan to go.  I look forward to seeing them and their show.

Monday we move north to the Ocala area and Silver River State Park.  I hope there is cell and good wifi there.  My I am getting spoiled.