This is one of the most interesting and diverse areas on the Adventure Outpost "Launch Menu", with a fantastic variety of historical, archaeological and natural features.
Our meeting (launch) site is about an hour east of Orlando (2 hours SE of Gainesville). We usually schedule this one the day before or after another trip in this area.
Cost: The fee for this trip is $50 per person (or $39 for "wanna go" members).With your own boat, it's $35 per person ($25 for members).
Calendar of Tour dates: www.adventureoutpost.net
Description
On this trip, we paddle the quiet lagoons of one of Florida's finest parks. Extensive dunes and a maze of salt marshes, island hammocks and mangrove lagoons are home to nearly 1,045 plant species and 310 birds, not to mention a fine array of mammals, insects and (my favorites) reptiles.
Canaveral National Seashore has more than its share of outstanding and unique natural features. Perhaps the most noteworthy is it's extensive pristine beach, which stretches for nearly 24 miles. The only high-rise building you'll see here is NASA's massive Vehicle Assembly Building (with more open space inside than any other building in the world), but even this architectural behemoth is a mere speck on the horizon. For wildlife viewing and nature study, you're best bet is to get on the backside of the dunes and into the park's extensive marshes and mangrove lagoons. That's where we're paddling on this trip.
Of course, if a picture's worth a thousand words than a webcam shot must be worth a million. So, I'll stop writing and give you a link to a webcam atop Turtle Mound. Very interesting! Our launch site is just a few hundred yards to the north, but trees block the actual ramp from the view of this camera. Turtle Mound webcam: http://virtualvolusia.com/Canaveral3.html
Archaeology
Within the bounds of this amazing preserve, there are over 100 registered archaeological sites. Many are shell middens and burial sites, the silent remains of thousands of years of native occupation. One local site (not in the park) discovered in 1982, known as Windover, has proven to be one of the most significant archaeological sites in the country. Among the remains of over 40 sets of human remains, some dating back 8,000 years, researchers discovered some intact brain tissue.
Another, more obvious site, that is in the park and is along our paddle route, is Turtle Mound. This 35 foot high Indian mound (50 feet when first excavated in the 1800's) is composed of millions of sea shells, discarded as dinner scraps by Timucuan Indians during the period from about 800 to 1400 A.D. Once the highest landmark on Florida's east coast (before being eroded by the forces of man and nature) it was a landmark for early explorers. In the early 1600's, the Indian village of Surruque was located here.
History
During the Civil War, this quiet lagoon took on great importance as a port for importing and exporting goods for the Confederacy. All regular ports were blockaded, so blockade runners made this a regular port of call. Arriving shipments were brought through a small canal to Indian River and from there, a short overland wagon ride brought them to the headwaters of the St. Johns River.
On our exploration, we'll pass near the ghost town of Eldora, a 19th century community which once boasted a population approaching 200. Like so many other early settlements, nature dealt a crippling blow to the citrus trees which were a mainstay of Eldora's economy. In addition, when the Intra-coastal waterway was dug, it routed boat traffic to Mosquito lagoons western shore, opposite Eldora's scenic little bluff on the eastern barrier island. The communities decline was slow, but finally in the 1960's and '70's the last residents moved away.
Wildlife
In the open waters, crossing the lagoon toward the mangrove islands, we often see bottle-nosed dolphins rolling in the surf. Water birds including terns, gulls, egrets, herons, osprey, cormorants and eagles are all common. Birding is good during the migrations, especially in the fall.
As we enter the lagoons and winding passages between islands, we find ourselves in the world of mangroves. Four varieties of mangroves flank our watery trail as we skim between the islands.
Raccoons, can often be seen grubbing around for crustaceans and bivalves among the large "meadows" and saltpans of saltwort and glasswort. On larger islands, oaks, bay, palm and nakedwood trees dominate the over story, while a fantastic variety of shrubs and herbaceous plants cover the forest floor. A number of species reach the northern extent of their range in this park.
Difficulty
This is a quiet, shallow lagoon with little wave action. On windy days, it can be a workout.
Questions or reservations: e-mail - riverguide2000@yahoo.com , or call (386) 454-0611
Description
On this trip, we paddle the quiet lagoons of one of Florida's finest parks. Extensive dunes and a maze of salt marshes, island hammocks and mangrove lagoons are home to nearly 1,045 plant species and 310 birds, not to mention a fine array of mammals, insects and (my favorites) reptiles.
Canaveral National Seashore has more than its share of outstanding and unique natural features. Perhaps the most noteworthy is it's extensive pristine beach, which stretches for nearly 24 miles. The only high-rise building you'll see here is NASA's massive Vehicle Assembly Building (with more open space inside than any other building in the world), but even this architectural behemoth is a mere speck on the horizon. For wildlife viewing and nature study, you're best bet is to get on the backside of the dunes and into the park's extensive marshes and mangrove lagoons. That's where we're paddling on this trip.
Of course, if a picture's worth a thousand words than a webcam shot must be worth a million. So, I'll stop writing and give you a link to a webcam atop Turtle Mound. Very interesting! Our launch site is just a few hundred yards to the north, but trees block the actual ramp from the view of this camera. Turtle Mound webcam: http://virtualvolusia.com/Canaveral3.html
Archaeology
Within the bounds of this amazing preserve, there are over 100 registered archaeological sites. Many are shell middens and burial sites, the silent remains of thousands of years of native occupation. One local site (not in the park) discovered in 1982, known as Windover, has proven to be one of the most significant archaeological sites in the country. Among the remains of over 40 sets of human remains, some dating back 8,000 years, researchers discovered some intact brain tissue.
Another, more obvious site, that is in the park and is along our paddle route, is Turtle Mound. This 35 foot high Indian mound (50 feet when first excavated in the 1800's) is composed of millions of sea shells, discarded as dinner scraps by Timucuan Indians during the period from about 800 to 1400 A.D. Once the highest landmark on Florida's east coast (before being eroded by the forces of man and nature) it was a landmark for early explorers. In the early 1600's, the Indian village of Surruque was located here.
History
During the Civil War, this quiet lagoon took on great importance as a port for importing and exporting goods for the Confederacy. All regular ports were blockaded, so blockade runners made this a regular port of call. Arriving shipments were brought through a small canal to Indian River and from there, a short overland wagon ride brought them to the headwaters of the St. Johns River.
On our exploration, we'll pass near the ghost town of Eldora, a 19th century community which once boasted a population approaching 200. Like so many other early settlements, nature dealt a crippling blow to the citrus trees which were a mainstay of Eldora's economy. In addition, when the Intra-coastal waterway was dug, it routed boat traffic to Mosquito lagoons western shore, opposite Eldora's scenic little bluff on the eastern barrier island. The communities decline was slow, but finally in the 1960's and '70's the last residents moved away.
Wildlife
In the open waters, crossing the lagoon toward the mangrove islands, we often see bottle-nosed dolphins rolling in the surf. Water birds including terns, gulls, egrets, herons, osprey, cormorants and eagles are all common. Birding is good during the migrations, especially in the fall.
As we enter the lagoons and winding passages between islands, we find ourselves in the world of mangroves. Four varieties of mangroves flank our watery trail as we skim between the islands.
Raccoons, can often be seen grubbing around for crustaceans and bivalves among the large "meadows" and saltpans of saltwort and glasswort. On larger islands, oaks, bay, palm and nakedwood trees dominate the over story, while a fantastic variety of shrubs and herbaceous plants cover the forest floor. A number of species reach the northern extent of their range in this park.
Difficulty
This is a quiet, shallow lagoon with little wave action. On windy days, it can be a workout.
Questions or reservations: e-mail - riverguide2000@yahoo.com , or call (386) 454-0611
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