Day 8 - Dead River to Bolts Creek

Well the roost was vacant by sun up, all the birds flew the coop!

Not sure, but I could swear I heard a boat slowly motoring by about 4 am this morning.  I got up but too late to confirm. By that time the sound was distant and out of my sight.  

The alligators were talking to each other again this morning. One has to be within a 100' but I could not see him, the other was across the channel.  I did go online and verify the eery sound, see link below and click on the first one in the list, that is exactly what I am hearing:

                                   Alligator Calling Sounds

I am going to take it easy this morning, make a late breakfast/brunch and consider my last few moves. I like this spot and except for the boat last night which I'm not certain of, it has been very quiet here, very pleasant. Cool enough to wear my flannel shirt and vest this morning with all the windows closed up.  Had coffee and heated up my two muffins from yesterday and had those with some melted butter on top.  Very good!  

The day is fair, with lots of blue sky.  No breeze yet so it may get warm.

Made breakfast, cheesy hash browns, topped with more fresh cheese, bacon bits, and two eggs.  Toast w/PB on the side with plenty of OJ.  Great food!

Sat out on deck and read my book for a while took a pic of a smaller critter while sitting on the deck.

Gotta give time to the smaller lizards too!

  
All was quiet until a fishing boat came by. Decided that was my que to move. Put the boat in order and got underway. Difficult backing out, I was pretty stuck but not as bad as the other day. The motor still had to cut a lot of weed.

Tracked north up the Dead River, so named I believe because it dead ends!

Dang that ear itches!

Got back onto the St. Johns River and headed up to one of my former hidey holes on Bolts Creek.  Thought I saw just a little bit of the top of a gator sticking up in the weeds, he was pretty submerged. I turned back to see if I could get a pic but he dove under. Not sure if he was the big one I saw the other day.  I called that one 9-10 feet but I may have been conservative. They say adults are about 14' and can reach 17' in Florida.  The splash of this one just did not indicate the biggy.  I did not see him in his last known spot either.  A fisherman followed me in but kept going after I turned off to the south for my spot.

The bird book indicates this is a little Blue Heron

Pretty sure this is a sandhill crane.
The red hair cap is tell tale

Found my spot and got parked. Had a quick cold beer and sat on the deck.  Took a picture of my last night's parking spot for the trip:

Last night's spot for the night

Okay, I gave my last effort in fairness to the smaller lizard variety. I favor those gators, but you've got to be fair!

Can you see me, okay can you see me now?

The bag under his chin inflates and is a colorful orange but unfortunately a weed got in the way and the camera focused on the weed and not the lizard!

This is a Limpkin

  
Enough, decided to go back inside to finish this post, have a glass of wine and contemplate my last dinner aboard. 

Today's track is below:

                           Day 8 - Dead River to Bolts Creek

Click to Enlarge

For dinner I baked Red Lobster cheesy baked biscuits to go with chicken pasta, served with white wine of course!

The "last supper", chicken alfredo pasta, Red Lobster
cheesy biscuits and white wine.  Desert
was chocolates with red wine.

While eating dinner I looked out the window and saw two big eyes looking at me. I checked quickly to confirm it was an alligator, this time a bigger one.  No time to take a picture I was eating, and the way he eyed me, he was contemplating the same thing!  I looked away, and when I looked again he was gone.

After dinner I finished up dishes and set up the shower. I had an extra long hot shower figuring it was my last on-board and I had plenty of water. 

The last hour I usually have my desert (chocolate covered almonds) with red wine on the fore deck and watch the evening unfold.  Very enjoyable.  Weather is still fair, with little or no wind. Some clouds. Though warm today, it is pleasant this eve. 

Tomorrow I plan to stop for breakfast at the bridge (Shady Oak Restaurant); I stopped there previously. After breakfast it will be a short leisurely leg to the marina and the start of my return to Minnesota.

As I was finishing up the last of my wine I turned out the lamp and the moon was up full and right out my window. What a great view for the last eve with all of the night sounds clamoring outside.  A great last eve!

Oh by the way, here are the typical night sounds on the St. Johns backwaters:

                          Could you sleep with this racket?