Daddy-Daughter Adventure Time

Elizabeth moving down the Wakulla toward St. Marks

We could have gone to see a movie together, but that's an indoor activity and we like to be outside...so when my oldest daughter was home from college for the Thanksgiving break, it didn't take much to talk her into taking the kayaks down to the Wakulla River to navigate a portion of the river I had yet to do and really could only do with someone driving my 4Runner with the kayak trailer to our terminus at the St. Marks landing.  My wife graciously agreed to be our driver and we were set.  I intentionally took us to our put-in point at intersection of the Wakulla River and Highway 98.  For the $5 fee, you get a nice clean and convenient spot to put-in.  A cloudlees morning greeted us and a nice Fall temperature of 55 degrees as we pushed off and headed downstream.  I immediately began scanning the waters for manatees.  The water was clear and the bottom only 3-4 feet deep in places, but no sign of the manatees. 

Beautiful cypress tree adorning the Wakulla River

In a matter of 300 yards the river widens significantly and we just couldn't find them.  The sun shown brightly in our eyes and the wind picked up as we moved along.  With a flannel shirt on top of another long-sleeve shirt and a life-vest on top of that, it didn't take long for her to heat up enough that we had a make a mid-river stop to remove the flannel.  For such a beautiful morning I was surprised that it took 45 minutes until we saw our first boat.  Unadvisedly, I cautioned Elizabeth that if we saw an alligator that she should just keep paddling forward as the gator was as afraid of us as we were of it.  That advice wasn't received too well and I was advised not to tell her younger sister the same thing should she ever honor me with a trip together.  We passed several make-shift marinas and came to the junction of the Wakulla and St. Marks Rivers.  The fishing must have been great in this area as a number of boats were gathered there working it over.  We hugged the shoreline and coasted up to the landing.  And just like a pro she is out of her boat, on dry land and pulling the kayak up the hill to complete the trip.  It took us exactly one hour.  She confessed halfway along the route that she was getting sore, but when it was all said and done-no problem.  So this one is in the books.  Great photos and great memories of our first kayaking trip together.