Hernando Beach Day Trip | SouthernPaddler.com

Hernando Beach Day Trip

FlaMike

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2007
624
2
Spring Hill, FL
www.ptponds.com
It's been a while since I've done much outside, but now that I've collected way too much camping gear, I
thought I'd start scouting some camping spots. I've seen some interesting looking places while using
Google Earth but the images I was working with were kind of old, from 1994.
Hernando Beach is an interesting little community just a few minutes North of where I live. And they
have a public boat ramp with plenty of parking.

Here's a satelite view of where I'm talking about:

HB01.jpg


It's a long channel getting out there:

HB02.jpg


And my little boat looks kind of lost in it!

HB03.jpg


Since I'm out there during the week, the whole trip was done without seeing any other boats under
weigh. The next group of pictures were all taken from one place, indicated on the satellite view (First Pics.)

HB05.jpg
.

HB06.jpg


HB07.jpg


HB08.jpg


The next pic is of the Island I checked out:

HB09.jpg


All the water seen in the above pic is only 1 to 2 feet deep. Mostly closer to 1 foot or less, actually. There
is a deeper area about 20 feet from the beach, about 4 feet deep or so. In fact, the majority of the
water was a foot deep or less, except in the channel I left from. Once I got out of the channel and into the
mangroves, a paddle wasn't practical. All push pole.

OK, now the Island:

HB10.jpg


Signs of Life! The little beach area was covered with raccoon tracks. Might make camping here a little "interesting."

Now a quick look up and down the beach:

HB11.jpg


HB12.jpg


And here, wood bleached as white as bone:

HB13.jpg


And of course, what will probably keep this island off of my list of camp sites:

HB14.jpg


And their fire pit, complete with more empty cans:

HB15.jpg


But there IS more to this island, maybe I can find a better spot, next time I come here:

HB16.jpg


I went towards the out-lying island, which was my original objective. You'll notice on the first image, it's
labeled, "Future Recon Site." It seems the 15mph wind was blowing directly from the island and I was
running out of upper body strength at this point. I got about half way there and decided to call it a day.

Must have been more tired than I thought, as it never occurred to me to take a picture of that island!
The trip back way pretty easy, mostly down wind. When I got home, both shoulders were warning me
that the next day might not be a good one. . .

Even though I didn't accomplish all I set out to, I did go out and back solo, and got away with it, once

again! It was nice getting out on the water with the Glade Skiff again. And not a bad day, considering it
came at the tail end of January!

Next trip will be another locale, and probably in the Pit Pan, too. And this time, it will be next week, NOT
a couple of months down the road. Got to find a couple of good spots, as I want to get some over-nighters in next.

Almost forgot! Here's some numbers, just in case anyone is interested:

Begin about 09:30
Centipede Bay first pics @ 1.64 Mi.
1st island @ 2.09 miles.
Turn back short of 2nd island @ 2.81 Mi.
End @ 5.02 mi. about 13:45

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL
 

FlaMike

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2007
624
2
Spring Hill, FL
www.ptponds.com
Yes sir, Uncle Jack! She certainly is!

Texastom,

Funny you should say that (That's a lot of push poling.) I'd been told, but I really didn't believe it until I started seriously using the push pole. When the conditions are right, mostly the water not being too deep for the pole, I can cover a LOT more distance with the push pole while expending much less energy that I would have with a paddle. (Double or single blade.) And I hardly ever use a double blade, these days.

Oh, and I hope nobody was fatally bored with my post. . . :D

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL
 

FlaMike

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2007
624
2
Spring Hill, FL
www.ptponds.com
Just noticed that the Google Earth picture I thought was from 1994, was actually from Dec. of 2013. The earlier date is of the previous version. Once you find a place Google Earth, you can look at the earlier images to see the changes over time. All things considered, I am frankly amazed that I can get a satellite view like that, even if it was from late last year. I consider that to be part of my "tax dollars at work" that was well spent!

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
I like Google Earth and there maps , they are the idea resource for checking out a place before you go there or just to determine if you want to go there. :D

For road trips to get to a specified area there are ideal. You pull up the map and then switch over to pictures and find the road then take a Google ride down it to the turn off part so you know what it will look like when you get there.
I did that for the entrance to the Mike Ross Gold Head State Park in Keystone Heights , Fl.

Locally it is a good way to locate stores in these shopping malls before you leave the house.