TRIP REPORT:
This was a great weekend! For those of you that could not join us, you missed a grand time.
The trip went as planned with the group - Joe, Steve, Holly, Shannon, Lisa and Soca the dog - meeting Saturday morning at 10 am and paddling Pellicer Creek until 2pm-ish. We then returned to the campsite and enjoyed some cool beer and wine and had a great cookout where Duke, Joyce and their two children, joined us, enjoying a short paddle themselves.
Holly, Shannon, Lisa and Soca camped out over night and had a wonderful evening, complete with a campfire and smores!
The next morning, the group had breakfast, followed by a tour of the park and Plantation house. We then returned to the campsite, and launched our boats for the second day trip adventure. We paddled eastward passing from Pellicer Creek into the Mantanzas River and the Intracoastal waterway, passing some beautiful white pelican flocks along the way. We finished the trip with lunch back at the campsite, then packed our cars and headed home.
Getting ready to launch.
Heading up Pellicer Creek.
Lunch Break.
Paddling back down the Creek towards camp.
Duke, Joyce and their children meet us back at the camp site/cookout.
The Pao's go for a paddle with their children.
Everyone enjoys a great cookout.
The Day Trippers depart. Now it's just campers; Holly, Shannon, Lisa and Soca.
We reach the Intracoastal.
Exploring the Islands that separate Pellicer Creek and the Intracoastal.
Turn into to Pellicer Creek at Red 92.
Campsite, sweet Campsite. Our paddle trip is over.
Soca says it best.........time for a nap.
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This is a unique trip in that it has multi-trip possibilities. Essentially, there are two different day trip options and an overnight trip with one or two days of paddling!
A cookout will be held at 3 pm on Saturday for paddlers and non-paddlers alike! Also, the marsh extends in and around the campsite, so Fishermen, bring you rods to try to catch some Redfish, Trout, or Flounder. Dads and Moms bring some rods for the little ones to teach them to fish!
This is a terrific site to bring the whole family....they can tour the homestead and take a walk in the woods and meet you at the cookout after your paddle, or better yet, they can join the paddle.
This is also a great place to spend a night under the stars, camping with your entire family.
Date: Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21, 2007
Time: 9 am
Level: Intermediate/Moderate
Length of Trip: 4 to 36+ hours
Trip Leader: Lisa Beardsley
Costs: Free. There are no fees for launching kayaks or camping at this time.
Gear: Be sure to bring plenty of Fluids, Sun Screen, Bug Spray and Binoculars. Also be sure to have your Coast Guard required PFD and whistle (and flashlight if you are camping and going on the night paddle).
Cookout: We will have a cookout following the first day paddle on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm at the launch/campsite at Dock #2. We will bring our grill, charcoal, and hot dogs. You bring a side dish to share and what ever else you may want to grill, eat and drink! You don't have to participate in the paddle to join us! You may also want to bring some lawn chairs. There are some picnic tables at the site.
TRIP INFORMATION:
Tentative Plan = We will be paddling Saturday in the Pellicer Creek Preserve, camping out Saturday night, and paddling the Matanzas River Sunday.
You are welcome to join us for all or any portion of this trip.
The park is a little confusing to navigate, so for first day trippers and overnight campers, we can meet at the large fruit stand on US 1 just north of the I-95 overpass at 9am on October 20th (Saturday). (If you come via I-95 it is the fruit stand off of exit 298.)We will then car pool to the campsite/launch site at Dock #2, unload and be ready to launch by 10 am. We will then paddle out into the Pellicer Creek Aquatic Preserve, following the creek upstream and westward, returning to the launch site/camp site by 3 pm for the cookout.
Day trippers will need to be out of the park by closing at 6 pm when the gates close.
For the overnight campers, we may be able to go back out into the preserve for a night paddle if anyone is interested.
The next morning we will have breakfast, and meet up with any second day trippers by 9:30 am, then have another day to paddle out into the Matanzas River, knocking off around 2 pm so we can have lunch back at the campsite and be out of the park by 6 pm.
If you are interested in doing only the second day trip option, into the Matanzas River, please be at the camp site (Dock 2 or D2 on the map) by 9:00 am or earlier.
Park gates open at 7 am. We will start the paddle at 9:30 am.
You may access a map of the park at the following website:http://www.flaglerparks.com/princess/preserve.
KAYAK RENTALS:
Rental kayaks are available on site from Tropical Kayaks. Call ahead to reserve a kayak: 386-445-0506.
They have one tandem, one sit on top and two sit inside kayaks available. If you rent kayaks from Tropical, a short portage is necessary and we can use my truck to haul them to the launch site.
Prices are as follows:
Tandem = $50 for all day and $60 for 24 hours.
Singles = $35 for all day and $40 for 24 hours.
Rental kayaks are also available from Aqua East (see the blog post). You will have to transport the kayak from Neptune Beach to the park.
ADDITIONAL GEAR FOR CAMPERS:
Families Welcome! One is never too young or too old to go camping.
You will need all of your own gear/supplies, food and drinks. (Rental Gear Available) The campsite is a primitive tent-only site so, this means there are no restrooms or showers, however, there is a port-a-potty, which I must say, is Very Clean and Tidy and Does Not Stink.
We will have access to our cars from the campsite. So pack a cooler with all kinds of goodies! Shannon will bring his charcoal grill, to cookout - so be sure to pack some items to grill for the cookout and the second day lunch, if you wish! I will also set up a shower station so we can go to sleep refreshed and clean (don't tell the Rangers). It will be a fun night.
(If you want to give camping a try, but are unsure if this is for you, contact Lisa at backcountrykayakadventures@yahoo.com)
CAMPING GEAR RENTAL:
Gear rental is available from GITTO (Get InTo The Outdoors), a new company! E-mail them at Gear@gogitto.com
A photo of the camp site.
SITE FACTS/INFORMATION:
Princes Place Preserve is one of the Flagler County Parks. It is encompassed by the Pellicer Creek Aquatic Preserve which covers approximately 505 acres, and is adjacent to the Matanzas River.
Wild, serene and beautiful, the Princess Place is the crown jewel in Flagler County’s setting of parks. Home to nesting bald eagles and situated on a knoll overlooking the confluence of Pellicer Creek and the Intracoastal Waterway, the estate was once home to a Russian Prince. It was built as a hunting lodge in 1886 by Henry Cutting and is the oldest standing structure in the county. After his death, Cutting’s wife Angela, married Boris Sherbatof a Prince in the Russian royal family and she became known as the Princess and the home as the Princess' Place.
This area is considered one of the most pristine estuarine/riverine systems along Florida's east coast and should prove to be an excellent trip.
Location: 2500 Princess Place Road.
Approximately 16 miles south of St. Augustine.
DIRECTIONS:
From I-95.
Take I-95 Exit 298 (Old Exit 92) to US 1 south. (if you plan on meeting the group at the Fruit Stand it is US 1 North). Take US 1 south into Flagler County and to Old Kings Road (approximately 1.5 miles). Old Kings Road is an unpaved grade road and is well marked on US 1. Turn left on to Old Kings Road. Old Kings Road to Princess Place Road (approximately 1.5 miles). Turn left on to Princess Place Road. Continue straight until you see a small wooden bridge. The road to the campsite is to the left, just before the bridge. Follow the campsite road to the end, arriving at Dock #2.
From A1A.
Take A1A South through Ponte Vedra Beach. At the intersection of A1A and US 1 in St. Augustine, head south on US 1. (stop at the Fruit Stand just north of the I-95 overpass to meet the group, or continue straight) Pass under the I-95 overpass. Old Kings Road is ahead on the right and is an unpaved grade road and well marked on US 1. Turn left on to Old Kings Road. Old Kings Road to Princess Place Road (approximately 1.5 mines). Turn left on to Princess Place Road. Continue straight until you see a small wooden bridge. The road to the campsite is to the left, just before the bridge. Follow the campsite road to the end, arriving at Dock #2.
The Dock at the Launch site -- we do not launch from the dock, but from shore
Please click on "comment" and leave a message if you are interested in participating.
See you on the water!
