During the first six weeks of our winter Florida adventure, due to unseasonably cold weather, we only paddled one time. That was on the Weeki Wachee River and it was the warmest frigid day we had seen. Today, we paddled the Hillsborough River with our friends John and Susan. It has warmed considerably here in sunny Florida and this trip will mark our 11th paddle since we left the Keys in mid-February.
The Hillsborough River is very close to Lazydays. After an omelet breakfast at the Crown Club, We met John and Susan at the put-in at John B Sargeant park only 5 miles from our camp. It was a beautiful day to paddle. The water level was higher than we had every seen it due to recent storms. We put in at the landing, paddled out a short canal and turned right up Flint Creek. In spite of the high water there was little flow on Flint Creek. We paddled about a mile up Flint Creek before it narrowed and we turned around. When we returned to the Hillsborough River we turned right and paddled upstream about a mile. After about an hour of chasing alligators, turtles and herons we turned around and enjoyed a leisurely float. Between the high water and the warm sunshine, we saw dozens of snakes basking in the bushes. We also saw ospreys, hawks and roseate spoonbills. After a wonderful four hours and about eight miles, we arrived at the take-out at Trout Creek Park.
On the shuttle back to the put-in, we visited with our friends Joe and Jean Faulk, who operate a canoe livery service on the Hillsborough called Canoe Escape. We had hoped Joe and Jean would be able to break away and paddle with us one day before we left town, but business is booming now so maybe next year. After completing the shuttle we said goodbye to John and Susan who were excited about their upcoming trip. In two days they are flying to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for a twenty day adventure. Dorcas and I beat it back to the Crown Club just in time for happy hour.
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