Today’s journey on the St. John’s will be from Hwy 50 up the seldom travelled east river quadrant thru to Hwy 46.
This hidden secluded area with its labyrinth of tangled tributaries many so narrow the giant maiden cane brush you
on your way thru. All the lakes, Ruth, Clarke, Loughman, Silver and Salt are all connected by these beautiful twisted passageways.
Nowhere on the St Johns are there more sloughs. Some you can throw a stone across and others a half mile in length.
The main river channel is narrow at just thirty to forty feet, half that on low water. Last February (see Feb 25th-2023 trip)
we paddled through here in low water and encountered over 100 gators in just three hours many 10-12 feet, a few bulls over 12 feet.
Today with high water there are no banks for the gators to sun. They mat down the reeds to lay on and slip in ahead of us.
We see only a couple dozen all day. For the same reason the water is too deep for the wading birds to forage.
Even the white pelicans that winter here, that we were hoping to see have headed back north.
We see only one loner in two days, probably too old or maybe injured to make the trip home.
Last year we counted 150 white pelicans in one slough and due to the low water levels the wading birds were everywhere.
At the end of a narrow tributary coming into another slough we surprise a flock of 200 greater and lesser yellow legs.
Even though both trips were in February, a year apart, the animal life is minimal on this paddle.
Although the journey is disappointing as far as wildlife sightings, just being in this magical place is reward enough.
The main consideration on this trip was to transverse east to west to Orange Mound – an ancient Indian midden that I am familiar with.
This midden like all the middens on the St. John’s are the refuge mounds of the indigenous tribes who lived and prospered
along the St. John’s for 10,000 years. They greeted the Spanish in the early 16th century and by the time Spain traded Florida
to England for Cuba in 1763 the Spanish left with the last hundred of these ancient people in bondage.
In 250 years, the Spanish had decimated Florida’s indigenous peoples thru war, disease and slavery.
I’ve been exploring the Upper St Johns (hwy 60 to 46-130 miles) for many years and have not heard or know of anyone
going this east to west transit before. I always like the challenge and adventure of exploring someplace I haven’t been.
We make our way across another maze of tributaries and sloughs to Orange Mound and spend an incredible night and morning
in this hallowed place. The symphony at night is beyond description with millions of insects taking center stage. The decibel level fluctuates
starting with a clamor of a few increasing exponentially until the roar is deafening. Then not to be outdone the other creatures of the night
who share this amazing vanishing ecosystem all chime in with their songs and stories and an indescribable chorus of life permeates the dark.
To be this remote with only wildlife to embrace you, only the stars for light and in all its beauty and awe the only thing I’m missing is my son.
The morning greets us in its usual calm and quiet. The roar of the night has been replaced by just a few voices. A Barred Owl
in the wee morning hours lets the world know the night is waning. The morning finally comes and a Cardinal the first bird of song
breaks the still.
We have a good five hours to 46 where we’ve staged a vehicle to load our boats. The peace and solitude with nature in the early morning hours
is rejuvenating and we revel in the serenity. After a breakfast of oatmeal toast and coffee we get under way and head to Heifer Mound,
about 2 hours. In two days, Orange and Heifer Mounds are the only places we can get out of our boats and stretch our legs
Like everywhere in this section of river the maze of channels can seem daunting and confusing, in low water Puzzle Lake can be just that.
Before cell coverage, navigation could be a challenge. Although cell coverage can still be spotty, it’s a far cry better than my old flip maps.
By early afternoon we’re in Puzzle Lake on our last leg. The winds have picked up, as expected gusting to 25 mph. The white caps
are pushing us on our last stretch home. With Ernie Green.
Mark Nathan
St Johns River Explorer
