Saturday, May 21, 2011

Sturgeon Hunting and Water Under The Bridge

This morning, when I launched my kayak at Manatee Springs, I had a nice surprise.
One of my former students and his Mom were preparing to go kayaking too and they had a little black pup along.



Meet "Bridge", so named because he was part of a litter found under a bridge at Cedar Key.
He's pretty Labbydelicious, and when I remarked on that, they commented that he might have some chow in him too ... he's got a black tongue after all.
Whatever the recipe, he's pretty scrumptious.

The sturgeon were leaping again, but not quite as much as last weekend. The morning river was very calm and pretty clear for the ice tea colored Suwannee. Those plants in the photo above are about 10 feet below the surface.
It was neat to think that beneath me somewhere, hundreds of sturgeon were holding in the current, just waiting for whatever the stimulus is that sends them leaping sky high out of the comforting water.

I waited.
They leaped.
I missed shots.

There WERE other  things to see of course, gators, hawks, other fish in the clear water, people, etc.

They were nice distractions ... especially that bignificent gator on the far bank, but I was here for a singular purpose.
Sturgeon.

Eventually, one leaped into my viewfinder, but even this one confounded my Sony as it desperately tried to expose for the dark tree line while presented with the counter shaded white belly of a six foot Gulf Sturgeon.
I"ll take it.

I'm getting closer and eventually, I am going to get that sharp, close-up, correctly exposed sturgeon photo.

I'll save today's gators for another post.

13 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Awwww that puppy is so cute. He is having the time of his life getting to go kayaking. Those fish are amazing. Great shot despite not being perfect.

threecollie said...

I would certainly think it was a keeper! great job and nice pup

Anonymous said...

Ya know I subscribed to the local paper down there and read today where a woman was injured when one of those guys smashed through the windshield of her boat! Will be down sometime Sat and returning to ATL on Sunday. Dinner in Cedar Key? My sister and Brother-in-law are making the overnight trip with us!

Suzan said...

NICE!!
Manatee Springs, a black pup, and a kayak!! What more could you ask for ---- except a sturgeon in your lap :-}}}

jean said...

Wait, that fish is 6 feet long? Wow.

Cute puppy too!

Ericka said...

why do they do that?

Pablo said...

Sweetened or unsweetened iced tea colored water?

Sayre said...

I think your photo is awesome. I would never catch anything like that on "film"... too slow.

Love the puppy. I wonder if they'll graduate to a two-seater when Bridge gets older?

Anonymous said...

Tadah! Great sturgeon leaping photo!

I love Kayaking at Loxahatchee in Palm Beach with my hubby - "real" Florida with so much wildlife and silence (except when we get to a little rapid!)

The kayaking doggie is the best!
Thanks for sharing -
Happy Sunday-
Linda (Beachside Cottage)

Deb said...

Cool sturgeon!

Miz S said...

Ooooh! Gators! Bring 'em on!

Unknown said...

I'm in love with it just by looking at the pictures!


Tires Florida

Dan Johnson said...

I thought of your article when I read this about a womans leg getting broken by a flying sturgeon....

http://www.ocala.com/article/20110531/articles/110539952