Paddling Pasco Trip # 8 - Eagle Point Park to Green Key, Saturday, November 3

Paddling Pasco Trip #8, a sunset paddle, is planned for Saturday November 3rd from Eagle Point Park to Robert Rees Memorial Park (AKA Green Key) with a bonfire on the beach at sunset. Boats will need to be dropped off at Eagle Point Park between 3:30 and 4pm and vehicles will need to park at Green Key - a shuttle will return you to your boat for a launch at 4:30pm promptly. The trip is scheduled to be about 2 to 2.5 hours along the mangrove shoreline to include some mangrove tunnels in the park. Sea life and sea birds in this area is abundant and winter sunsets can be spectacular. Eagle Point Park is located at the western end of Trouble Creek Road and Green Key is located at the western end of Green Key Road - both roads are off US 19 in New Port Richey.

Things to consider bringing other than boat, paddle, PFD and whistle:  drinks, snacks, camera, flashlight or head light, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellant, chair for around the fire and towel. If you want to register for this trip please contact us at fbuckman@pascocountyfl.net or 813-929-2760 with names and contact information including email and phone number. This will allow us to prepare properly. We will ask those attending to read and sign a simple liability waiver on site before we launch. Cost will be $2 for parking.

Paddling Pasco Trip #8 - Upper Withlacoochee River, Sunday, October 28

Paddling Pasco Trip #7 on the upper Withlacoochee River, Sunday October 28, 9am to about 11:30am.

Please meet at the kayak launch on the river in Pasco County’s Withlacoochee River Park. Once we all gather, we will access this launch location and may move to a nearby boat ramp for easier access. A local guide in the area, Marty Warburton, will lead the paddle. The water level is high and there will be river current, but it should be manageable in kayaks. We hope to go up river into the Green Swamp area. Hopefully there will be opportunities to see and take pictures of wildlife and wild lands.

All paddlers will need to wear a PFD while on the river and sign a waiver on site.

This trip will be unlike any of the others done along the coast, although the trip on the upper Cotee River did go through some of Old Florida wild lands. The trip is planned to be approximately 2 to 2.5 hours on the water. If we launch in the park, there will be a $2 fee.

To register or if you have any questions, please contact the Pasco County Parks & Recreation office at 813-929-2760.

Note: The park is hosting a Native American Indian Pow-Wow this weekend, so you might want to stay a bit to take in this event. For more information on this event please contact Withlacoochee River Park at 352-567-0264 or 352-521-4104.

CANCELED - Paddling Pasco Trip #6 - Green Key

This trip has been canceled 

due to possible inclement weather. 

 

Paddling Pasco Trip #6

Green Key (Robert Rees Memorial Park) to Eagle Point Park

This trip will start out on Sunday, August 26th with boat drop off at Green Key after 7 am and parking your vehicles at Eagle Point Park. Shuttles will bring you back to the launch point so we can launch at 8 am on the high tide. The last shuttle will leave Eagle Point Park at approximately 7:30 am.

This trip is planned to be approximately 1.5 to 2 hours on the water. We plan to paddle from the park east along the shore into the mangrove forests between the Park and Gulf Harbors, then work our way out along Gulf Harbor’s north channel and south around this development to Eagle Point Park. Hopefully we will have some time to explore the park waterways before we exit.

During past scouting trips I have seen mangrove tunnels which were navigable at high tide, many seabirds, and a lot of sea life in the shallow waters. Oysters and rocks will be obstacles to avoid and there will be some locations which may be very shallow in the mangrove forest. I will do another scouting trip at high tide before we go as a group.

All paddlers will need to sign the waiver at the launch location and pay the $2 parking/user fee at Eagle Point Park if you park a vehicle at this location, unless you have an annual pass. There is a nice walking/exercise trail and there are picnic shelters at Eagle Point Park, if you would like to get in a lower body workout or eat an early lunch.

You will need to bring your own boat or rent one from a local vendor. Some potential contacts include Windsong in Pasco, Osprey Bay in Clearwater and Wet Dog Adventures in Oldsmar.

If you have questions or want to register for this trip, please contact us with your name(s), number of paddlers, email and phone number. This will help us with the shuttle logistics and preparation in other ways. Our phone # is 813-929-2760 or 727-834-3278 – email is fbuckman@pascocountyfl.net
If you register, we will be in touch a few days before the trip with further details. Hope you can make it and share the experience with others – Pasco’s coast is beautiful and from the water even more so.

Paddling Pasco Trip #5, Sunday, June 10, 2012, 8am to 11am

To Pasco Paddlers,

The Paddling Pasco program was created by the Pasco County Parks and Recreation system to encourage the public to get out and enjoy the great outdoors and the wonderful blueways of Pasco County. It is a series of trips planned and lead along the coast and coastal rivers; the goal is to paddle all the coastal blueways in Pasco County. Paddling is very good low impact exercise and this program offers the chance to meet others of all ages and abilities participating in the same activity. On each trip we try to incorporate a little more than only paddling, to enhance the experience and the memories.  As part of this program we offer the 5^th trip in the series.

Paddling Pasco Trip #5, Sunday, June 10, 2012, 8am to 11am

 This trip will be in partnership with the Werner Boyce Salt Springs State Park citizen service organization (CSO), The Salt Springs Alliance. Here is the itinerary:

The trip will be from the state park to a small island called Durney Key just off the mouth of the Cotee River and then back to the state park, with about 1 hour on the island. Plan is to paddle along the coast to the mouth of the river and then head west to the island. Trip back will be more direct.

Low tide is at 1 pm. Winds in the morning should be light and may gain some speed as the day warms up. If you are a member of the CSO there is no cost, if not there is a $5 launch fee – money going to support the CSO and state park programs. The entire trip is scheduled to be about 3 hours with about 2 hours in the water, to and from the island.

This is a short trip, but visiting this small island is truly a great outing. On the way out we will travel in shallow water and look for sea life and wildlife along the mangrove shoreline. Scouting trips have experienced lots of rays, various species of fish, porpoises and several species of sea birds. You can explore the island, take some wonderful pictures, swim and snorkel in shallow water and grass flats or lounge in a beach chair and visit with others. One other option is to test paddle some of the variety of boats, if fellow paddlers would like to allow the opportunity. If you have not been to this island, I believe you will really enjoy the short visit and probably visit again on your own.

To register please call the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department at 813-929-2760, provide the  number of paddlers and provide contact information (email and phone).

Other:

·        For those that were on the last trip – it ended up a little longer and difficult than expected mostly because of the wind (I apologize for that). This is a shorter trip and there may be some wind coming back in, but this is a trip most should be able to handle. Please do not let the last trip keep you from participating in this one.

·        There will be a waiver that each participant must sign on the day of the trip at the launch location.

·        Please bring the appropriate launch fee.

·        Consider bringing sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, camera (water proofed), snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, water shoes, towel, beach chair, and snorkel and mask (we will bring a dive flag, if you have one bring one also).

·        Paddling Pasco shirts may be available for sale. We need to re-order and if the order is in, we will have some. Funds from shirt sales go to a donation account to pay for the shirts and to support this program.

·        After the trip we would like to meet at a local restaurant on the water to discuss the development of an official volunteer paddling club to help plan future trips and events. There have been some preliminary discussions pertaining to doing a fundraising paddle to support cancer research similar to the land based events, and the potential of planning a day or maybe two of paddling programs to include recreational paddling trips, races, fishing contest, education and training classes, etc. Goal would be to have a variety of paddling related activities based out of one of the coastal parks such as Anclote Gulf Park. If you are interested in participating or listening in on the discussion, please let us know.

·        Launch location – It is at the northern terminus of Old Post Road in Port Richey. Take Bay Blvd. off US 19 west to Old Post Road. Go north on Old Post Road. At the end of pavement, continue straight through the fence onto a dirt road to the launch location.

·        Any questions on any of the above, please contact us at 813-929-2760.

·        Please keep an eye out for email updates.

Paddling Pasco - Trip #4 - Aripeka to Sunwest Park

The next trip (Trip #4) as part of the Paddling Pasco program is scheduled for Sunday, April 15th from Aripeka (Aripeka Road - Norfleet’s Fish Camp) south to the future Sunwest Park (see location on Google Maps or property appraiser’s website – southernmost blue lakes along the Hudson coast). We will give a first hand look at some of the plans for this project which encompasses restoration of an old lime rock mine.


High tide in this area is at 10:45am, therefore we will be launching between 9:45am and 10am. Please drop boats off at Norfleet’s Fish Camp ($2.50 to launch) no later than 9:15am and park cars at the future Sunwest Park site. Last shuttle will leave the future Sunwest Park site between 9:30am and 9:45am. Trip is scheduled to be about 2 hours on the water.


This trip will cover some shallow water (10 to 12 inches) and areas with rocks and oysters. The coast is nearly all mangroves and inlets and bayous. During the scouting trip, we saw dolphins, lots of bird life and paddled up one creek that was FULL of fish. Once we get to the future park site we may have some time to play in one of the lakes and perhaps allow each other to test out each others boats to see what we might be missing! Also, please consider bringing a chair and lunch (we plan to cook hotdogs) to hang out for a bit after the paddle.

· To register please call with the following information: number of paddlers, provide contact information (email and phone) and how many will need to be shuttled. Please contact the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department at 727-834-3278 or 813-929-2760.

Other:

· This will not be a difficult trip unless there is a lot of wind.

· Please bring a completed waiver with you on the day of the trip.

· Please be prepared to pay the launch fee ($2.50).

· Consider bringing sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, sunglasses, camera (water proof), snacks and water, water shoes, towel, chair and lunch. We plan to cook some hot-dogs.

· We still have few paddling shirts available for $10.  Please advise us of size when you register. We are out of some of the sizes, but will consider another order if needed. We can order long sleeve also, but cost will go up. Funds go into a donation account to support this program.

· Rentals may be available if there is enough interest by calling Down South Kite and Paddle at 727-771-5484 or Windsong at 727-859-0213. All arrangements must be made with these two outfitters.

Paddling Pasco - Trip #3 - Sunday, February 19, 2012

The next Paddling Pasco kayak and canoe trip is now planned for Sunday, February 19th. We will be launching at Oelsner Park again and this time going up river all the way to Grey’s Preserve on Plathe Road. The trip should take between 2.25 to 2.75 hours and we may take a short stop at Sims Park to stretch. First part of the trip we will discuss some history of the area and see a variety of life styles along the river. Once we get to Francis Avenue Park nature tries to take over and we will be viewing a bit of old Florida and hopefully some wildlife.


Itinerary: Drop boats off at Oelsner Park by 8:30 am and drive to Grey’s Preserve and park your vehicle. Last shuttle will leave Grey’s Preserve, going to Oelsner Park at 9 am. We plan to launch by 9:30 am.

To register please call the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department at 727-834-3278 or 813-929-2760 with the following information: interest and level of commitment, number of paddlers, provide contact # and email, how many will be riding the shuttle (logistics is a big issue if a lot of paddlers register).

Other:

· Please bring a completed waiver with you on the day of the trip and turn it in.

· Look for emails on the Thursday or Friday before the trip for important information, such as cancellation due to severe weather.

· We still have some Paddling Pasco T-shirts with logo on front and logo and map on the back for $10. Please advise if you want one when you register. Funds go into a donation account to support this program.

· Rentals may be available if there is a significant interest by calling Down South Kite and Paddle at 727-771-5484 or Windsong at 727-859-0213. All arrangements must be made with these two outfitters.

· Any questions, please let us know.