LOXAHATCHEE
RIVER CANOEING & KAYAKING Canoe & Kayak Trips From River Bend Park In Jupiter, Florida
Pictures & Information Page 3 of 4
Welcome to Palm Beach Boating Guide's Loxahatchee River
Canoeing & Kayaking web site. Thank you for visiting.
This is one of several pages that provide a "virtual tour" of
the
Loxahatchee River. Click here if you
would like to start viewing the virtual tour from page 1.
> CAUTION: ALLIGATORS: Alligators
are sometimes
seen swimming or sunning themselves along
the river banks. You should not feed them, taunt them or attempt
to get near
them. Generally speaking
alligators will leave you alone if you leave them alone.
Alligators have a natural fear of humans. However, you should use
caution when in the area. Keep your arms and legs inside your
boat and
stay our of the water. Alligators are unpredictable wild
animals that
can attack with incredible speed.
The reason you shouldn't feed alligators is that you don't want
them to associate people with food. Alligators lose their natural fear of humans
when we feed them. Alligators
that have been fed by humans may approach you in the hopes you
will feed them. This is scary
and something you don't want to happen in the tight confines and remote
location of the Loxahatchee River! Do not, under any circumstances, feed
alligators! Alligators that become too "friendly" with
humans will be destroyed. Feeding wild alligators in Florida is
illegal.
Alligators are most dangerous to humans when they are protecting
their
young or they feel threatened. Sick, injured or distressed
alligators
may attack people without cause. Alligators are most abundant and
threatening in the spring (mating season). April and November are
months when alligators are very active. Alligators also appear
more
abundant when river water levels are low (it forces the alligators to
congregate near the main channel instead of tributaries.) Water
levels
are typically low in the spring (the end of the dry season, which runs
October-May.)
Fear of alligators shouldn't keep you from
visiting the Loxahatchee River. Hundreds of people paddle here
each week. Problems with alligators are rare, but they do
happen. Click
here for more information on dealing with alligators in
recreational area. Click
here for information on avoiding alligator attacks.
> CAUTION: DO NOT SWIM IN
THE LOXAHATCHEE RIVER:
Alligators can rest on the river bottom unseen by swimmers.
Alligators
are attracted by splashing and the smell of prey in the water.
They
attack with lightning speed. They easily maul and drown their
victims. Help is difficult to summons on the Loxahatchee River
and
fast emergency medical transportation may be impossible from the area. A boy swimmer was
killed by an alligator near Trapper Nelson's. Some
scouting organizations no longer allow their members to swim in the
Loxahatchee River.
There are no warning signs posted. Don't let the lack of
an official
advisory comfort you. The Loxahatchee is a "wild and scenic
river."
It's no place to be swimming with wild alligators.
Down the river, Jonathan Dickinson State Park has an officially
designated swimming beach (near its canoe dock.) The park deems
it
safe to swim in this location.
Long canoes or kayaks are harder to
maneuver than short
ones. The Loxahatchee River has many tight S turns and
cypress
knees. There are submerged logs and low vegetation. The
current can get hold of a long boat and push it around. It's not
hard to use a long canoe on the Loxahatchee (most people do), but know
that it can be a little more challenging to maneuver than a short one
person kayak.
You're going to bump into
things. It's nearly impossible to
avoid hitting cypress knees, underwater logs and low lying
vegetation. It's okay. None of these things will cause you
significant problems. If you contact lilly pads spiders and other
bugs will get on your boat.
If you are coming up on low lying vegetation, place your paddle
so it's parallel with your boat. If you paddle is placed
perpendicular it might get caught in the vegetation and hit you in the
face. (This happened to me on the Loxahatchee and I cracked two
teeth.) Vegetation is generally not a problem until after you
pass the second dam.
Note:
This page contains several high resolution, large size
photographs. These pictures were taken to be instructive and give
you the best possible feel for canoe and kayak trips on the Loxahatchee
River. As such this these
pictures may take extra time to download, especially with a dial-up
internet connection.
The First Dam on the
Loxahatchee River. River water level was relatively high when
this
picture was taken.
At this point it has been about about 15-20 minutes since
you left the canoe launch area at River Bend Park. You've passed
the Indiantown Road bridge and formerly entered Jonathan Dickinson
State Park. You have now arrive at the first major landmark along
the river--the First Dam.
The dam is made of several large logs. When water levels
are high it is possible to canoe over the dam and "shoot the rapids" on
the other sides.
First time visitors should use the canoe pull though. You
can also ask other paddlers if the dam falls are passable with a large
canoe.
Picture of canoe/kayak
"pull-through" to the side of the First Dam
As you kayak down the river, pull up to the dock and
"pull-through" ramp located on the side of the First Dam. Pull
your boat up and over the dam. Relaunch on the other side.
Picture of the down river side
of the First Dam
On the left of this picture you see the "relaunch" ramp on the
down river side of the First Dam. You also the the "rapids" on
the righthand side of the photo. Current picks up pace for a few
hundred feet after the dam.
Before continuing down river, first
time visitors should assess how they feel about paddling the
river. If you're feeling fatigued
or "in over your head", plan
to stop here. Rest and enjoy the scenery. The cypress trees and vegetation
near this dam are
spectacular, much like they will be on the way to the second
dam. There is no shame in stopping to enjoy the scenery here and
heading back to the launch site at River Bend Park. You will have
a great feel for the river and won't put yourself at risk.
If you feel about paddling, it's time to continue our trip further down
the Loxahatchee River. The leg between the First Dam and the
Second Dam is the most scenic and memorable.
It will take you about 45-60 minutes to travel downstream from
the First Dam to the Second Dam. You will see large numbers of
magnificent cypress trees. There will be hammocks of palm
trees. You'll see stands of ferns and lush, tropical plant
life. You're also more likely to encounter an alligator along
this stretch.
You will be paddling along in through a mixture of wide. slow
moving parts of the river (like the one pictured above) and tight,
twisty turns. You will paddle in the shade of the cypress trees.
You will come upon sections where the river narrows and makes a
sequence of tight "S turns." These S turns are encountered
shortly
after departing the First Dam. This area is incredibly
picturesque
and lush. It is also a difficult place to paddle because the
current forces your canoe into trees and cypress knees. This is
the most difficult part of the river to navigate. You're only
dealing with these conditions for about 10 minutes. It's
generally smooth sailing after the S turns until you reach the Second
Dam.
Despite the thick tropical vegetation, occasionally you will get a
glimpse of the beautiful clouds and sky.
The cypress
form a canopy that's like a roof above your head. Winds rustle
through the trees. Leaves gently fall from the trees and touch
down in the calm waters.
Pictures don't do the Loxahatchee justice. It's hard to
have a full appreciation of this scenic river until you've sat at water
level and glided amongst the trees. Sunlight filters through the
leaves. Deep, rich colors and texture surround you. The
smell of fresh, running water is in the air. There's
stillness and a great awareness of life around you.
During the trip it's important
that boat handling not take center stage. "Stop to smell the
roses." The scenery around you will be quite remarkable.
Take it in. You can pull you canoe off on a tributary and just
relax. Look at the vegetation and see if you can spot
wildlife. Plan to stop at one of the dams and enjoy the setting.
Continue your journey by clicking here.
Next are pictures of the Second Dam and the mangrove estuaries of
Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
******
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