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Vol. 2 - the Southwest 11/09
Day 77, Camp 19 - Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area
Posted 02-18-2009 at 03:50 PM by Phantom
2009/01/27
Day 77, Camp 19 (3 nights @ $15 per nite)
Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area
Palmdale, FL
ALL PHOTOS RELATED TO THIS BLOG
ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEW AT:
Picasa Web Albums - Phantom
Tues. we pulled anoher short run of 40 miles down Hwy 27 to Fisheating Creek Campground.
However, we drove another 40 miles further South, then West on Hwy 80, looking for a Corps of Engineers Campground,
only to find it full for the weekend... (and, we were told, several others around... should'a called ahead).
We drove back up to Fisheating creek. Add 80 miles!
I had seen this creek from the road, passing back and forth to the Keys and Everglades and had wanted to run the creek. However, when I called ahead for reservations I was told none were needed (certainly was true)... and that the creek was too low to make the usual nine-mile run (also true). Still, I wanted to paddle on the creek... it looked like good water.
Well.... the campground was nearly empty and the folks wanted to put me out in the main area for 'RV's'... we drove around and checked out the sites... found several nice, small, snug ones but they wouldn't let me go into the area for smaller trailers and tents saying my trailer was 'too tall' and they wouldn't be responsible for hitting an overhanging branch! Phoowee! What ever happened to people being responsible for their own! Too many dang lawsuits! Everyone's afraid. (They didn't bother telling us about all the 'dry' sites further in back, around a small private lake). So we ended up out in the open, on the edge of the RV area, still without electricity. It was a very old, run-down private campground that had been taken under the semi-management of the State Wildlife Department... due to the scenic nature of the creek. We did get on the creek and paddled as far up and down as was practicable, given the low water. Saw some gators, herons, osprey, etc. ... 'the usual'...
. I made some photos of the herons lifting into flight. I am entranced by their beauty and grace in flight. Also got our first close look at the 'Gopher Tortoise' which makes big borrows, easily found by the big pile of sand marking the entrance. When we got close he quickly disappeared into his borrow.
Second night we heard a loud meeyowing from outside our trailer door. I went out to find a sweet cat... rubbing my legs for attention. He was the sweetest guy and I named him 'Fish'. He sat with us around our campfire, glad for the company and loving attention... hopping from one lap to the other, back and forth, not two feet from the blazing campfire. Armadillos were around and other cats which he ducked to avoid. I had the sense that he came from the 'ranch' some few hundred yards to the north, on the other side of the lake. His coat was in too good a condition to be a stray. He was well fed and pretty, though kinda small... no collar... with just a few burrs in his fur.. which I removed for him. Next night he was back and we petted him into the night... him kneading my polarfleece jacket, drooling and purring out-of-control. Last morning it was raining softly. He had spent the wet night under the trailer. It made me so very sad to have to leave him and drive off... as he scampered for the scrub and palmettos... heading (I hoped) for home and a dry barn.
Day 77, Camp 19 (3 nights @ $15 per nite)
Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area
Palmdale, FL
ALL PHOTOS RELATED TO THIS BLOG
ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEW AT:
Picasa Web Albums - Phantom
Tues. we pulled anoher short run of 40 miles down Hwy 27 to Fisheating Creek Campground.
However, we drove another 40 miles further South, then West on Hwy 80, looking for a Corps of Engineers Campground,
only to find it full for the weekend... (and, we were told, several others around... should'a called ahead).
We drove back up to Fisheating creek. Add 80 miles!
I had seen this creek from the road, passing back and forth to the Keys and Everglades and had wanted to run the creek. However, when I called ahead for reservations I was told none were needed (certainly was true)... and that the creek was too low to make the usual nine-mile run (also true). Still, I wanted to paddle on the creek... it looked like good water.
Well.... the campground was nearly empty and the folks wanted to put me out in the main area for 'RV's'... we drove around and checked out the sites... found several nice, small, snug ones but they wouldn't let me go into the area for smaller trailers and tents saying my trailer was 'too tall' and they wouldn't be responsible for hitting an overhanging branch! Phoowee! What ever happened to people being responsible for their own! Too many dang lawsuits! Everyone's afraid. (They didn't bother telling us about all the 'dry' sites further in back, around a small private lake). So we ended up out in the open, on the edge of the RV area, still without electricity. It was a very old, run-down private campground that had been taken under the semi-management of the State Wildlife Department... due to the scenic nature of the creek. We did get on the creek and paddled as far up and down as was practicable, given the low water. Saw some gators, herons, osprey, etc. ... 'the usual'...
. I made some photos of the herons lifting into flight. I am entranced by their beauty and grace in flight. Also got our first close look at the 'Gopher Tortoise' which makes big borrows, easily found by the big pile of sand marking the entrance. When we got close he quickly disappeared into his borrow.Second night we heard a loud meeyowing from outside our trailer door. I went out to find a sweet cat... rubbing my legs for attention. He was the sweetest guy and I named him 'Fish'. He sat with us around our campfire, glad for the company and loving attention... hopping from one lap to the other, back and forth, not two feet from the blazing campfire. Armadillos were around and other cats which he ducked to avoid. I had the sense that he came from the 'ranch' some few hundred yards to the north, on the other side of the lake. His coat was in too good a condition to be a stray. He was well fed and pretty, though kinda small... no collar... with just a few burrs in his fur.. which I removed for him. Next night he was back and we petted him into the night... him kneading my polarfleece jacket, drooling and purring out-of-control. Last morning it was raining softly. He had spent the wet night under the trailer. It made me so very sad to have to leave him and drive off... as he scampered for the scrub and palmettos... heading (I hoped) for home and a dry barn.
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