9/21/2008  It’s a cloudy, lazy Sunday morning at camp St. Andrews.  The campground is nearly full, but surprisingly quiet. 

Yesterday I spent a day with Noel and Christy Davis of Furled Sails sailing podcast.  The highlight of the day was a paddle of the Wakulla river with Noel.  This river is, without a doubt my favorite paddling river so far in Florida.  Its intimate proportions, striking beauty and absence of speeding boats is most engaging.  I felt at home with the other paddlers and the few boats creeping along the river. Here are some pictures including the most manatees I have ever seen in one place.

Noel Davis paddling his Klepper double.

Gigantic cypress trees were plentiful

By chance we found the home of the only electric SeaPearl, ever made. It is powered by a 48 volt Ray Electric motor system.  The deck mold was unique to this one boat.  It is an ideal craft for this river.  Pity more were not built. 

The magnificence of these gentle giants is hard to capture in a still picture as they swim near and under my diminutive paddling craft.  I should have done a movie.  Oh, for presence of mind at such an exciting moment of encounter. 

Again, pictures do not do justice to the intimacy and overwhelming beauty of this magic river.