Hunting for Wild Mermaids!

Not real hunting, but more like searching for wild Mermaids. I should tell you that I am a non-believer. I do not believe in the actual existence of mermaids, ghosts, witches etc. Now that I have that out of the way, what is a Weeki Wachee? It’s a beautiful river in Florida. The waters are so, so crystal clear, I could see the bottom down 15 feet deep or more, which makes it very easy to spot wild Mermaids, that is, if they’re actually real. Rumor has it that they're several wild Mermaids living on this river and they play tricks on you while paddling down. The water temperature averages in the mid seventies year round and the trip is approximately seven miles long and takes about 3 hours, which is perfect for wild Mermaid hunting. Also, you go with the flow. I like going with the flow.                                                                

I began by paddling down the Weeki Wachee with the family. One thing that I did learn on this trip and that is, “somebody can’t paddle and it’s not me.” Two canoes and only one person that can paddle properly, now that’s an adventure! Oh well, back to the story. I am thinking that wild Mermaid hunting is like Snipe hunting and I don’t want to be holding the bag, if you know what I mean. But I did feel a tug on the back of my shirt while paddling around a bend. Could it have been a wild Mermaid? Nah, probably a limb, and then up ahead I saw a few canoes gathered around an area in the river and I heard the word Mermaid.

My immediate thought was, paddle faster. But it took awhile because I had to help the other canoe. Miss Can’t Paddle At All and Mrs. Can’t Hardly Paddle spent most of their time cleaning and inspecting tree limps or collecting spiders near the bank of the river as most beginning paddlers do. Finely, after much struggle we made it. Dang, there’s no wild Mermaid. Its just some fish. No wait. It’s wild Manatees. Cool, two adults and one smaller manatee. They are just chilling under the water and every once in a while they come up for air. This is nearly as good as seeing Mermaids.

What a great Outdoor Adventure! We finished the trip and we never did see a wild Mermaid, but I can say that I saw wild Manatees, can you? Also, was that tug on my shirt a Mermaid, I may never know? Remember "What’s in your woods, lake, river, or bay?" Get out and find out! LEO.

The Best Fly Fisherman in the world!

That’s right “the best fly fisherman in the world!” This guy or gal has all the latest gear and years of experience. What makes the best fly fisherman? Is it a keen eye, fish knowledge, the best equipment, or the sharpest hooks? It’s likely all of these. I took these pictures of the "World's best Fly Fisherman" at Lemon Bay. It is of a Fish Hawk. One can argue that the Fish Hawk is the best fly fisherman, even better than the Eagle. The Fish Hawk or Osprey as it is better known, is a master flying fisherman. Above the water, the Osprey spots a fish, dives down and hooks the fish with its very sharp talons.

Mmmmmm, fresh sushi for today's lunch. Nothing's better than dining on top of a perch overlooking Lemon Bay. 

Looks like this guy has caught a nice Catfish and is having a meal right on the spot. Often the Osprey will carry its meal head first and land on a perch above the water to have its meal.

Fresh Catfish is good with lemons, I mean Lemon Bay. The Osprey's diet consists of fish.

This fish must be a head turner, checkout how the Osprey has his head. Actually, the Osprey will turn its head about 180 degrees and twist the meat off the fish. As you can see, the Osprey has just about picked this fish to the bone. 

A nice close up of a fisherman who has just finished a fine Catfish lunch. It was talon licking good.

When the Osprey has finished the meal, the fish is pushed off and drops to the  ground where the Crows or Sea Gulls come by and finish off the remains. The Osprey is truly a fly fisherman. 

Venice Rookery

I made it to Florida's Lemon Bay. So far, I have taken a few hundred pictures and the weather is great. I have lots of great photos. Checkout these pictures of birds at the Venice Rookery which is about 10 miles from Lemon Bay. The Rookery has an island in the middle of a small lake. The birds nest on the island for security. Click on pictures to enlarge photo.

A pair of Great Blue Heron's with their chicks. One of the Great Blue Heron's just returned from the Gulf on a fishing trip and will feed the chicks. The adults take turns fishing, feeding and protecting the chicks. The other heron is about to take flight.

Looks like there are three chicks and the adult just finished feeding the chicks.

A better picture of the chicks.

Here is a close-up of the chicks. See the fish tail hanging out of his beak. The other chicks appear to be a little concerned. Did he just eat that huge fish.     

It took a little while before the chick could finish the meal. 

I think this Egret looks like an angel. What do you think?

Great Blue headed back to the Gulf to fish. 

Here you can see other folks taking photo's of the birds. They appear to be professional photographers with very large lenses. They gave me lens envy. More pictures to come. 

Lemonade Bay?

No, it’s Lemon Bay and it’s better than lemonade! We will be heading out on spring break very soon and I hope to smell salt water, coconuts and hear the sound of waves. Lemon Bay is near Englewood Florida where the day time temperatures reach 75-80 degrees. This is one of my treasured outdoor locations so I have painted an old style map of the area.

I plan to post some of my outdoor adventures, including shrimping, bay fishing, and a visit to the rookery. This time of year the rookery is quite crowded with Great Blue Heron, Great Egrets, Anhingas and Night Herons.

Follow along and remember: What's in your woods, river, lake or bay? Adventure Outdoors and find out!

Critter Cam captures picture of Robin Hood in Woods!

Today, I went to retrieve Critter cam, my motion detector camera that I put out in the woods to capture photos of animals that wandered near. The LCD on the camera indicated that 18 new pictures had been taken. Woo hoo, probably 18 pictures of a fox, coyote, bobcat or something really neat. Yes? I eagerly took the digital card back to the house and slapped it in to the laptop. I quickly loaded the pictures into the program, 1^st picture a Robin. Not to fear seventeen to go, 2^nd picture Robin, 3^rd Robin, 4^th Robin, 16^th Robin, 17^th Robin. Dang, seventeen pictures of a camera hog Robin. I can’t believe it. This Robin is messing with me.  Hmmmm, this must be Robin Hood and he is stealing camera time so all the other animals can sneak by Critter cam. Oh well, I'm feeling lucky tomorrow and hopefully Robin Hood will be in another part of Sherwood Forest. Oh yeah, here’s a picture of Robin Hood. 

Remember: What's in your woods!

A Tackle Box Time Capsule!

Every tackle box has a story, some can only be told by their owners and others can only be told by their contents. The year was 1986, Top Gun was the top movie, Ronald Reagan was President, gas was .89 cents/gal, and this tackle box was being used to catch fish. Since then it has been kept in the garage, on a shelf, behind the Christmas wreaths where it has been collecting dust for a number of years. It came into my possession many years ago after my father passed, at too early an age. It’s been a few years since I have opened the box and I don’t really remember what it holds.

I do remember fishing with this tackle box as a kid. Back then it was like opening a fresh box of the best chocolates with all the swirls and shapes tempting me and urging me to try every one. Will it be the same? As I unlatched the golden buckle on the aluminum box, I began to smell a musty odor apparently from being sealed for many years. I lifted the tri-fold, black bins out and peered at the contents. The multi-color lures, hooks, floats, and spit-shots, are beginning to show their age, less colorful, less shiny.

At this moment, I remember the lures that caught the big fish. I even remember some of the fish that we caught, the wonderful meals that we ate, the warmth from the camp fires we built, and that smell of water proofing from our tent. But most of all, I remember the feeling, the feeling of being with family and friends in the great outdoors. It’s true; every tackle box has a story. What’s in your tackle box?

I think I will move this tackle box back into the house. Hope you enjoyed! Oh yeah, if you would love a beautiful decor map of your favorite lake, river, or bay, then check-out my website leolakes.com. Makes a treasured gift for the lake lover!

The Caney Fork River.

The water’s of the Caney Fork River are wonderfully clear and cold. This river slices through the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, making scenic gorges.

My old style map art is of the river from below Center Hill Dam to the Cumberland River. This part of the river is home to Rainbow and Brook Trout. Some say that the Caney Fork is one of the best trout rivers in the state of Tennessee. I have been to the Caney Fork several times, fishing, floating and just viewing its fresh waters. Click map to enlarge or go to my treasured maps website, LeoMaps.com to see beautiful decor maps of your favorite lake river on bay. 

Hey, Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream! Need a great gift for the lake lover? I paint river, lake, and bay decor maps and hide things in the waters. I don't hide snapping turtles, but I do hide a tiny mermaid/fish in the waters of all my lake map paintings that folks love to search for. I call my maps treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure, like the Caney Fork. These maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes maps. If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoMaps.com.

Did you know Tennessee Has GATORS?

Did you say, GATORS? Yep, they've been here for years. These gators are more common than you think and I bet you've seen them too. This photo is not a Tennessee gator but a Florida gator. 

Tennessee Gators are a bit smaller and different than the Florida Gator. Most of the time, you see two or more in the same area and they are near highways or interstates. For some reason you see them more often in warm or hot weather and they lie in wait on the side of roads. You must be careful not to run over them because they can wreak a vehicle. In the picture below, you can see them on the right side of the road. 

They come in all sizes and tread. Did I say tread? Here's a close up photo of two gators along the road. Truck drivers call them ROAD GATORS. 

These road gators are the tire treads that come off 18 wheeler s. So now, every time you see those tire treads on the side of the road you will think Road Gators! You be careful out there and watch out for Road Gators in your state.

Not a Gator, but check-out my beautiful lake, river and bay decor maps. I hid a tiny mermaid in the waters of every map and might even put in a gator if you ask. They make great gifts for the lake lovers, lake house, or fisherman. Big and small maps are available. LeoLakes.com

"May you have fair winds and following seas"