By Peter Clayton

Eight of us enjoyed near perfect conditions, and, for the second consecutive week welcomed a newcomer – Greg Burke. We were in the water by 9:30 heading upstream with a rest stop at the half-way mark just over 2 miles. Didn’t see much wildlife but the Spring bloom on all the trees – especially the cypress – was impressive. 

Haw Creek Preserve is a State Park encompassing 3,061 acres which was created in 1976 on land donated for the specific purpose of protecting its varied landscape which is mostly floodplain swamps, basin marsh and mesic hammock. The creek is named for the haw plant, a flowering shrub found along the banks which produces an apple-like fruit used to make jelly. Bald cypress dominate the shoreline going upstream from Russell’s Landing, our launch site about 10 miles south of Bunnell. The downstream paddle ends at Bull Creek Marina on Dead Lake, a 5.5 mile paddle with limited rest stop options and an often windy slog across the lake to the marina and fish camp.

Photos by Greg Burke