Loxahatchee River - Jonathan Dickinson State Park - Trapper Nelson Interpretive Center

Diane and I had GREAT day on the Loxahatchee River! It didn't go the way we expected - we arrived at 9 am (which means we were up at 6 am and on the road by 7 am) to hear the Captian of the River Queen explaining to the 10 people standing by the river that the 9 am tour was cancelled due to mechanical problems. That took the wind out of our sails for a few minutes.

Then it came to light that we could rent a little skiff for the same price as the tour. We got our key and loaded into the boat and tried to get the motor going. The Captain stopped tinkering on the big pontoon boat and came over to us.

He asked if we knew what we were doing. Diane and I said "No" in unison so he got in the boat and started the engine. We were happy! Diane took over at the engine and I cast off the lines. Into reverse we go, point up river and the engine dies. The Captian looked a bit dismayed on the dock. But a couple pulls and it started again. A few minutes later we were putt putting up the Loxahatchee River without a guide. We had a map and had been told to stick to the main river... OK?!

The main river was a little hard to discern a few times but we pretty much followed the visable flow of the water and made very few sidetrips, of which all always led back to the 'main'. Several islands divided the channel and we did our best... there were no signs until 50 feet before we arrived at the interpretive site.

The river is like a mirror and the spanish moss draped from the trees looked so exotic. Osprey and turtles were everywhere. We even saw an alligator swimming up river.

The Trapper Nelson Interperetive Center has been restored to it's original state and gave a great feeling for how he lived, what his rustic wildlife zoo had been like and the abundant way things grow here in Florida. He had almond, orange, lemon and apple trees, pineapple plants as well as a vegetable garden! We'd only rented the skiff for 2 hrs so we had to miss the Ranger's talk and head back down river.

Again we loaded into the boat and again we could not get it started! Diane pulled until her arms wouldn't let her anymore. Then I tried until we could smell gas. So we figure it is flooded and sit in the boat contemplating our situation. About that time two men and a boy pull up to the dock in kayaks, unload and head up the path to the center. Disappointed that there wasn't any offer to help we tried starting the engine again ourselves. No luck. But then we hear a voice saying, "I'll be back in a minute - I'm going to see if I can give those ladies a hand." Music to our ears! Evidently the choke only needs to be out the very first time you start an outboard motor. We had tried it both ways with no luck but it started for him on the second pull! We waved as he went back up the trail and Diane proceeded to get us out of the slip with an unique three point turn technique.

Once we had made our 90 degree turn we proceeded to putt slowly but steadily towards the opposite shore. "Watch your head." Sis says coolly as she drives us beneath the huge, spanish moss covered tree branch directly across the river from the interpretive site and runs us up on the bank. I have to admit I don't know what Diane was doing with the engine... I was fixated on the bank coming closer and closer - and crouching down so I wasn't knocked out of the boat by the branch! After bumping the bank the sound of the engine changed and the skiff backed slowly out from beneath the spanish moss shrouded branch.

"Well, now I know you have to HOLD the lever when you want to go in reverse." Capt. Dee said as we began our trip down river. My offer to 'drive' was declined so I continued in my role as photographer snapping pictures of the osprey, turtles, a fishermen with his Tarpin, panama trees, and the alligator that swam by!

Our trip ran a little longer than the hour and a half that is given for the trip... other then our starting challenges the only delays we experienced was when we chopped up some salad for the fish in one area while navigating to get a good picture of the big green turtles on a log! Although a passing kayaker offered to give us a push out of the clump of water vegetation Capt. Dee had us backed up and in the main channel before they were finished making the offer. She's got that gig down!

We opted for the morning tour because they said it would be the best time to see the most wildlife but we definately saw more on our way back to the park dock. We also came across alot of other boaters! They were coming up river in kayaks, canoes, and skiffs! It became absolutally congested when the big River Queen came around the bend towards us with the 11 o'clock tour group. As they passed the Captain announced to the passengers, " And there are our first timers!" I think he was relieved to find us on our way back!

The tide had gone out when we pulled back into the park slip so it was great that a young man was there to aide us in tieing the skiff on and climb up onto the dock. We turned in our life vests and the key to the tempermental outboard motor feeling very pleased with our self guided tour!

Diane put the top down on the little Dodge Shadow and we headed home with the wind in our hair and smiles on our faces feeling closer to sixteen then sixty!

We made one more stop while in the park which we were tickled that we did when we got to see 10 baby alligators with two adults. At the same gator viewing spot in the park that Jack and I had seen our first alligator in the wild a couple of weeks ago Diane pulled over and we walked to the spot were I'd taken my pictures that day. It looked like the exact same very-dark alligator was there (how could one be sure?) but this time there were baby alligators on the bank and in the water around her. With there being more water than before the second alligator was able to lie nearly completely submerged wit only eyes, nostrils and the top of his head showing. A fellow photographer said there were 11 babies but Diane and I could only find 10!

So went our day at the Loxahatchee River! Sharing adventures with your sister can be even more fun at 50+ than when kids!