Another side to Blackwater Creek

It’s a well-established fact that launching into Blackwater Creek and paddling from Lake Norris Road up to Lake Norris is one of my favorite paddles. We seldom see other people, it’s different every time we make the trip, and the change from the twisty creek into the open water of the lake is always exciting.  But after experiencing quite literally, another side of Blackwater Creek, I do believe I’m in love!

My friend Cindy has paddled this Seminole State Forest side many times, and ever since I first saw the launch into the Creek that’s in the Forest, I’ve wanted to get my paddle wet there.  I was thrilled when Cindy invited me to paddle it with her, and we decided on an early launch in the hope of seeing bears. SPOILER ALERT: we saw no bears.

Launch morning was foggy and cool. We launched into clear but dark water and enjoyed the sounds of birds and our paddles dipping and lifting. The current was very slight and the water more than wide enough to accommodate us. One of the first things I noticed was that a small snail had stowed away with me. We named her Bridget, enjoying her company until she disembarked somewhere near the end of the trip.

Cindy loves looking up into the trees for owls. We didn’t see owls this day, but we did see lots and lots of tillandsia – both Spanish Moss and Ball Moss.  Ball Moss doesn’t always form a ball, it often looks like a mini pineapple plant (and as bromeliads, they’re related), and when covered in spiderwebs and fog droplets, it’s really lovely.

The spiderwebs are so pretty in the fog. Here’s the only decent picture I managed to get of a nice web.

It’s only February, but clearly Spring has arrived.  The greens were so bright against the flat grey fog. New leaves and pollen were everywhere!

This old cypress tree has left its stump for something new to grow from.  Cindy and I agree that it looks like some sort of forest sprite. It may look more imposing in the dark, but as the fog started to lift and the sky brightened, it looked like it was welcoming us deeper into the Forest.

In addition to the ancient cypress trees, we noticed many very young cypress. That’s a hopeful sight!

After a snack of Cindy’s chocolate fruitcake (possibly the best fruitcake on the planet), we noticed that the fog had completely lifted. We noticed wild violets, which I haven’t seen since I was very young and never expected to see in Florida, and other plants that we could not identify. The paddle back was even easier, since we were moving with the current. We noticed some small alligators and lots of birds.  In fact, a flock of all white birds comprising herons, egrets, ibises and storks played tag with us from our turnaround back to the launch. Neither of us has ever seen anything like this mixed flock.

Now that Steve is in cardiac rehab, we expect to have him back on the water very soon.  We’ve agreed that this will be his first return to his kayak, and I think he’s going to love this magical place as much as I do. There are some underwater obstructions and a little “scooching” is sometimes required, but this side of the creek is much easier to paddle than the Lake Norris side.  I’d feel comfortable bringing someone who has never paddled before to this side.

To get to this spot, you must have a permit issued by the State Forest and pay the parking fee at the Bear Pond entrance to the Forest.  After going through the gate, travel about 2 miles on the hardscrabble road until you see the launch on your left.  There are picnic tables and an interpretive kiosk but no toilet facilities. Parking is very limited so move as far off the road as you can and don’t block the ramp. Only non-motorcraft are allowed on the water. The launch is covered with pebbles, so be mindful and don’t slip!

If you’ve made this trip, what did you think? How would you rate Blackwater Creek? How do you think it compares to the Lake Norris side? And most importantly, when do you want to meet up and do it again?