The Loxahatchee is a slow moving river that flows through the Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Travelling on it takes one back to pre-historic days. The mangroves and cypress trees provide a canopy and most of the time we saw few signs of civilization. It is easy to imagine early Indians and settlers canoeing on this river. On the trip you can also see osprey, vultures, river otter, herons, alligators, turtles, and even bald eagles.
It takes a little over three hours to make the trip from where the canoes are put in to the Florida Turnpike (one of the few signs of the modern world) and back. At two places where we had to portage the canoes over small dams, but platforms had been built so that the canoes could be pulled up the ramp, across the platform and back down into the river. Because there are ladders and railings to assist those that might need help the trip is really easy. Also along the way are places where you could pull over and enjoy a picnic lunch.
In prior trips when we have encountered "textiles" (people that are addicted to the feel of cloth on their body) they did not mind our being nude even after we offer to "cover up". Once a person (fully dressed in a sweatsuit) did ask me if I was worried about being bitten by mosquitoes. Up until then I had not even thought about that.
The Loxahatchee was named by the Seminole Indians and means River of Turtles. A fitting name for this scenic water with its abundance of wildlife.
(Click here to enlarge photo.)
Behind me is one of the many alligators I came across when I did another canuding trip on the same river in February 2005.
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