The Many-finned Leviathan

I pounded down the oyster trails this afternoon until I made it to the birding platform overlooking the Round Marsh. The weather is perfect today--probably one of the last coolish days before the crush of the Florida summer arrives in full. I saw the usual amazing array of wildlife, including a number of beautiful blue-tailed mole skinks. There were herons and egrets stalking prey in a robust tide, and one huge redfish that was just causing a ruckus right beneath me. This fellow was a monster, and he had a school of mud minnows on the run.

It was a pretty thrilling sight.

I often find myself out on the kayak in deep water. I used to jump off the boat and swim a little in the Intracoastal--that was until I started reading up on all the species of sharks that frequent those waters. I recall one afternoon when Jeanne and I had a pod of dolphins swim up within inches of our boats. Awesome stuff.

But at any rate, I see animals tailing around out there all the time when I'm out under the Dames Point Bridge. It can be a little intimidating when you see shadows passing just underneath you in the water. But to get into the big ones, you have to go where they live. 

I've seen lots of fish out there in the Round Marsh over the years, but that fellow I saw today had to take the cake. Man, makes me want to get the boat in the water. 

Instead, we're taking Lyla out for ribs, and then off to the Springing the Blues Blues Festival at JAX Beach. 

In totally unrelated news (we call that a non sequitor in rhetoric class), if you like seafood you've got to try Tobago Key's Coral Ridge Dipping Sauce. I eat this stuff almost every day. It's hot, and man is it good on a big ol' hamburger!