Wakulla River in Florida

Trip Overview

I put my Liquidlogic Sylva kayak in at the public boat ramp next to the bridge that crosses the river on Hwy 98. This boat ramp is separated only by a fence from the ramp at TNT Hideaway, a canoe and kayak rental place. The folks there are very nice and if you are reading this with the thought of renting a boat for a day trip, they are closed on Wednesdays.

If you go to the left when leaving the boat ramp, which is downstream, you will be going toward the Gulf of Mexico. The farther downstream you go from this point, the more the current is affected by tidal activity. If you dont time it right and are returning upstream to the boat ramp while the tide is going out, it could make for difficult paddling. Therefore, I always go right, starting my trip in the upstream direction.

The water was its typical crystal clear condition. This water clarity is one of the things that make this river so perfect for paddling, with its great views of underwater activity. Another advantage of this river is that from April to October it is home to manatees, and out of consideration of these gentle giants, the entire river from the ramp at the bridge to the end, about four miles upstream at the springs, is a no-wake zone. So while a sunny Saturday will bring out motor-powered boats of all sizes, they are not going fast enough to produce either a wake or excessive noise.

When you first leave the ramp and go under the bridge, you are in a very wide area of river, with trees and small islands sticking up here and there. The bottom in this area is almost entirely covered with wide aquatic reeds and other underwater plants, which wave gently in the current. On this day the water was high enough that none of these plants reached the surface. Other parts of the river bottom farther upstream consist of only sandy gravel and submerged tree trunks and limbs.

There are always turtles to be seen sunning themselves on half-buried logs along the rivers edgessometimes many of them lined up in rows, occasionally with smaller ones sitting atop larger ones. Today was no exception. For the most part they are rather shy and will quietly slip into the water as you approach. If you look carefully along the waters surface near the bank, you can sometimes spot just a head poking out as the turtle swims to a new sunning location. The mullet were jumping high as usual, and my entire trip was accompanied by the sound of them splashing back down all around me after their jumps. Its amazing how high they can propel themselves out of the water.

This river, lined on both sides with trees and underbrush on land and aquatic plants in the water, is surprisingly bug-free regardless of the season, aside from the harmless dragonflies that will join you on your trip . I have only very rarely encountered any biting insects, and even then no more than one at any time. If you take insect repellent along, you may want to wait to see if it is needed before coating yourself with it.

About 30 minutes into the trip, I came to the island in the middle of the river. At this point you can follow the main river as it passes the island to the right, or you can go around the island to the left. I prefer the route to the left, which takes you down a very forest primeval-looking channel before it rejoins the river past the island. On previous trips I have seen manatee feeding in this out-of-the-way area, as well as an alligator stretched out on the bank (if you get out to walk around here, then check the ground area first!). On another trip, a snake was spotted curled up in the joint of a tree limb that extended out over the water.

The river is lined with private docks and decks in various states of repair, from new ones with roofs and ceiling fans to those in such dilapidated condition I doubt they would support a persons weight. There were surprisingly few people enjoying the view on them on this sunny and relatively cool Saturday.

The river narrows about an hour or a little more into the paddle (though it is still more than roomy enough for easy passage) and the private docks and decks become fewer and farther apart. The river is also shallower here, making for great viewing of fish swimming by or the occasional manatee. The landscape on either side also seems to become less dense in this area, with fewer trees and more marsh grass and low shrub growth. There is a brown duck-like bird that hangs around in the grasses on either side of the river in this areaI see it on almost every trip. It crosses the river back and forth in front of me but by the time I get close enough to snap a picture, it has always retreated in the grass and disappeared from view.

I generally turn around and head back downstream toward the boat ramp a little past the large private dock at Mysterious Waters (not labeled as such, but you cant miss it on the left). I have also continued to the end of the river (you cant get to the springs at the park. The river narrows considerably and the current picks up as you approach the conclusion of the journey and ultimately ends at a very anticlimactic wire fence near a bridge), but I had put in too late to travel any farther today. There is a sandy boat ramp at the upper end, a great place to get out and stretch, or take a swim in warm weather.

It took a little over three hours to paddle upstream to my turnaround point and then drift leisurely back.

Accommodations:

No overnight or picnic accommodations, restrooms available at canoe livery adjacent to the public boat ramp.

Fees:

No ramp fees or permits required for paddling this river.

Directions:

Highway 98 between Newport and Medart, Florida. Boat ramp is under the HWY 98 Bridge that crosses the Wakulla River, look for the T 'n' T Hideaway boat rental sign.