A Quick Trip at Haulover

I had some time this afternoon and decided to run over to Haulover Canal for a quick paddle.

(view in Google Earth)

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I started from the large landing area at the west end of the canal.

Took the canal east under the bridge and out into open water for a short way.

  The water’s eroded small sea-caves in the bank, visible at low tide.

There appeared to be a single manatee at the observation platform, but it was very close to shore, so no good pictures.  But once onto open water, you have to ask yourself: Is there a better place to be on a Florida afternoon?

Outside the shelter of the canal, the wind was just a little east of south, so had a full six-mile fetch to work up the waves.

So after about a mile of paddling straight into the wind, I turned around and headed back to the canal.  Is it a bad sign when the buzzards start circling your boat?

Back in the canal, still no good manatee pictures, but I did find a dolphin enjoying himself.

And churning up quite a wake from under the surface.

And managed to get a little bit of video of him:

Since I had to be home by eight, it was time to pull the boat out and head back.  At an hour one way to get there from my house, I spent more time in the car than on the water … it’s a fair trade.