Rock springs run and Wekiva to the St. Johns

[whitecaps]

Did rock spring run, wekiva, and part of St. Johns river. This is a super trip, whether you do all or part.

Spent 1st. day an night at Kelly park. This is a super camp ground to stay. You can use tent or camper.

Had to run turkeys off of my site. Had half a day and night to kill before my partner met me. Seen a bunch of turkeys and two deer just walking around Kelly park. Seen were rock springs comes out of the ground. Water super clear. Cooked sausage and hoping john for supper. YUM

Put boats in about ¼ mile from Kelly park. 1st. day seen lot of birds, gators and one deer. checked out State campsites. Very nice. Could not get permit for site that we wanted. (Yes I will go anyway and stealth camp on state property.)

Spent the night on an island in lower wekevia. Took forever to find a place to stay. All of the river banks are very hard to find any kind of place to stay or land.

Went from rock springs run to where the wekiva starts. This is all super river country. Seen many wild turkeys and some very changing river. Goes from creek in the woods to open sloughs that are very wide. On the lower wekiva to the St. Johns is my favorite. This is the absolute best of the trip. So many turkeys and gators. I am not very impressed with gators but this section had my interests with big gators. Finished about 6 miles south of where wekiva river hits the St. Johns. Near I-4.

Average speed on rivers less than 2mi.hr.. Going up the St.. Johns I ran into a tree stump in about 4ft. of water and got stuck so bad I had to get my buddy to push me off. Thought I was going to break my boat trying to get out of the V shaped stump I was trapped in. This was embarrassing.

Cons. only three legal camping spots that I know of. Tried to get a launch area on the St. Johns to let us leave a truck overnight. No go. Offered the guy three times his launch fee. Could launch a trailer boat there and leave it overnight but could not just leave a truck there for any price. No outfitter on this run except for a short run down rock springs. (Maybe Lazy River Guy wants to expand.)

pros. good friend, no skeeters, great weather and lovely rivers. YES.

We both used differnt meals for our one night stay. my buddy used a meal that you just added water to make it heat up. Called heater meals. we were both inpressed. Box got scarey hot quick. I used mountain house meal where you add. boiling water. neither one of us was unhappy. We did have our old stand by's just in case. Try some of these. toby

 

[bearridge]

Friend toby,

Thanks. I hope ta see them rivers myownself someday. Since ya (like me) dont camera, I went ta youtube 'n seen some nice video of the spring 'n the river.....with some big ass gators. I didnt see a heap a places ta pull over 'n pitch camp above the gator line.

regards
bearridge

Now the thing we didn’t put up with then was dawdling service, and as you can see, we still don’t....put up with it. Now, could I have a fresh glass please? Augustus McCrae

 

[whitecaps]

yea i got pictures. Just can not figure how to post them. Real new at this. will learn soon. Dumb a@@ cracker. toby

 

[bearridge]

Friend toby,

Dont figger it out too quick. That would be a sign ya dont belong. :wink: :wink:

regards
bearridge

Men are born ignorant, not stupid; they are make stupid by education. Bertrand Russell

 

[oldsparkey]

AS you read this keep in mind it has been two years since I paddled Rock Springs Run and about 10 years on the lower Wekiwa River.

Rock Springs run has two campsites on it for canoes , One is Big Buck on the river right , right after you go threw the narrows and shallow water with all the reeds along each side.
Then Indian Mound is just down river on the river left at a bend with a oak tree sticking out over the river.

There is one more on the river right just after Indian Mound on the river right but it is not a designated campsite.

Down the Wekiva , past the Marina ( which burned down . now a snack and bait shop) The wide area that is cleared off on the right side of the river just past the bridge that goes nowhere. Sometimes you can camp there. Further down river there are two spots set up by the park folks for camping. Or slip up the little wekiva to a landing on the right side and sneak camp in there.

Use to be one across from Wekiva falls near the RR Bridge , one at the falls ( private Property and they charge) or across at a small sand landing. Next stop would be the old Katies landing past SR 46 bridge on the right side , a little further down another one at the fish camp at the sharp bend.

From there to the St.Johns ... Might find a spot up Blackwater Creek and there is a good area on the left where the Wekiva meets the St Johns , about two bends before the St.Johns.

As far as posting pictures ..... http://www.neilbank.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1033

Chuck.