It's been a while since I've given you guys some new kayaking info. Here's the low down on the Chassahowitzka River, located about three hours west of the Daytona Beach area. The variety of wildlife makes it worth every mile.
HOMOSASSA-- As soon as I walked up to the Chassahowitkza River I caught sight of an otter swimming in spring-clear water .
I've seen them at the zoo plenty of times, but this was a wild animal I'd been chasing after ever since I started kayaking two years ago. Often times, people I went boating with would spot one and point in a direction, only for it never to reappear again (they can hold their breath for up to eight minutes).
So when I saw it's little head poking out of the water the moment I walked up to the boat dock, I knew this was going to be a special trip.
Many people who've kayaked the Chas note it's abundant wildlife. I got to see a lot of it first hand when I ventured into this nearly pristine and scenic river on April 23 through April 26th.
The Chassahowitzka--don't be afraid, it's pronounced Chassa-wits-kuh-- is located in Citrus County, near Crystal River. (If that doesn't help, its about an hour north of Tampa).
At first glimpse, it seems like an average river, until you realize the clarity and potential that comes with taking an unknown turn. Some times it can feel a little too busy with boaters, but pretending to be a pioneering explorer earns you the view of clandestine springs and some quiet time.
Kayakers and canoeists should be prepared for the usual alligator or three and wading birds, such as the Great Blue Heron. The coolest fauna, in my opinion, are the friendly West Indian manatees that swim right up to your boat and river dolphins. It's a surprising mix to see them in the same river, which is spring fed and winds for 9 miles into the Gulf of Mexico.
Linzy Brown, a friend who has kayaked the Chas several times, had a wild manatee encounter during her first time on a yak. A manatee swam under her, wrapped its flippers around her boat and essentially started "humping it" for a few minutes--nearly knocking Linzy out of the boat. Beware of curious (or seemingly sexual) manatees!
For folks who've got some time to spare, you can take a couple of day trips on the Chas. Spring-wise, I visited at least four mostly clear swimming holes within about a five mile radius.
Several of my friends scattered throughout the state reunited at the Chassahowitzka River Campground, a 40-acre property that's within walking distance of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge that hugs the river. It's nestled real close to development (there's a Publix conveniently located less than a mile from here),
but as soon as you get on that river, you're in nowhere land. And it's awesome. Hardwood cypress trees and nothing but the sounds of birds.
The Citrus County owned campground is relatively inexpensive ($20 a night for two people with electric and water), but it's got a very tight layout that doesn't give you a lot of breathing room when all the spots are occupied on the weekend. Another down side is you can make reservations, but you can't reserve a particular spot. Luckily for us, we camped next to a quiet woman who blogs and lives in her blue Koo Koo Karavan, an ancient Volkswagen hippie van decorated with monkeys.
On the upside, there's an air-conditioned bathroom (WOW!) and its a pretty quiet campground. Hell, we were probably the loudest people there. Most folks go to bed around 11 p.m.
Now, back to the exploring part. If you're bringing your own boat, be sure to get there early. The ramp (which has an honor box for a $2 launch fee) gets busy early on the weekend and parking fills up fast. We made the mistake of launching around 11 and never found a parking spot.
Unlike the private spring parks near High Springs in Alachua County, you don't have to pay big fees to pay to get in the park that leads up to them. The catch is, you're going to need some kind of boat-- be it canoe, kayak or skiff or motorboat.
The first spring you'll encounter is literally in the dock area. You can't swim here because of the boat traffic, but if you head east for a few hundred yards, past the rebel flag and the dudes drinking from beer cans, you'll come across a few spring vents in a beautiful shallow cove. Some of the holes connect, so if you have goggles or snorkeling gear, you can attempt to swim through them.
Then head west back into the main channel. In my unprofessional opinion, the brave and the
curious should pretty much turn off the main river and explore any narrow channel you come across. The manatees seem to congregate in coves and in the deeper springs (such as the one at the boat dock). Look for otters along the banks (and the boat dock) and if you see some thrusting water action, don't be surprised to see dolphins.
When my boyfriend, Tim Pratt, went to the Chas last year, the dolphins swam right up to his yak to check him out. We didn't see any this time around, but I suspect that they were there when I spotted some thrashing in the water.
My favorite place to visit was "The Crack." When launching from the Citrus County dock, go left, past a cove, and make a left at the next channel. You'll go through a narrow waterway (where you'll see a little palm tree island) surrounded by tall grasses for a half mile or so.
The water will become clearer and shallower, so once you can no longer paddle, take a walk up the creek to discover The Crack, a spring that gurgles up through a what appears to be a crack, that some say has considerably filled in by sediment over the years.
Sit on a log to enjoy the scenery.
Or better yet, take a chance on the rope swing (see video below).
Happy paddling!
And for more information on good paddling trails, see this handy Web site, http://www.clubkayak.com/cfkt/trips/chassahowitzka_river.html .