Ocklawaha Drawdown 2026
In early March of this year, I kayaked from Silver Springs to the Kirkpatrick Dam during the most recent drawdown of the Rodman reservoir. I had kayaked parts of the reservoir during previous drawdowns, paddling in January 2016 from Kenwood boat ramp down the original river channel through what is known as the boneyard to where it joins the main barge canal before heading back more directly to the boat ramp. Then two months later I kayaked from Eureka to Cannon Springs & back.
Before recounting this recent kayak trip, I want to let my local readers know that I will be at the Florida Wildflower and Garden Festival again in DeLand on Saturday, March 28. See the Wild Florida Photo events page for details.
This year’s trip was instigated by my friend Paul Haydt who very much wanted to kayak while the water levels were exposing some springs that were normally hidden beneath the reservoir. When he also mentioned that he had not done any paddling on the Ocklawaha, I suggested also including the river from the Silver River to Eureka, which I consider one of the most beautiful paddles in Florida.
As it turned out we ended up starting at Silver Springs State Park and paddled around the spring basin before heading on our way down the run. One of the most dramatic aspects of this adventure was the wide variety of wildlife that we saw on both the spring run and the river, starting with many birds. There were the beautiful male wood ducks, which was a treat since most times I had paddled in this area I would only see females and ducklings. We also passed a manatee that was barely visible beneath the surface. Wildflowers along the run included butterweed as can be seen in this photo.
Butterweed along the Silver River
Where the Silver River joined the Ocklawaha River we paused in the middle of the junction to take in the dramatic view that presented itself below where the clear water of the Silver River on the left side of our kayaks met the tannin-colored water of the Ocklawaha on the right side. I had seen this phenomenon before, but it is not always evident.
We had not seen any of the monkeys that are sometimes present along the Silver River, but after traveling a ways down the Ocklawaha, there were several at one place where they were scampering around on the ground and in the trees.
We finally reached a nice camping spot that I at first thought was Osceola Landing, one of the places the old steamboats would stop to resupply wood for their boiler. As it turned out we were a bit short of that location, and instead set up camp at a place that was near Driscoe Landing.
Kayak pulled up between cypress knees at dusk
The other Paul relaxing in camp at the end of our first day paddling.
Paul H. in the first evening’s camp
The next morning I was awakened by birdsong of Carolina wren, cardinal and tufted titmouse. During the 3-day trip we saw at least 22 species of birds.
Me enjoying a morning cup of coffee in camp (photo by Paul Haydt)
Day two was our longest day of paddling, about 18 miles, taking breaks at Sunday Bluff and at what was marked as 40 Foot Bluff on our map. We chatted with a local that stopped by on a four-wheeler who told us that most people just called that spot Sandy Beach.
Finally reaching Cannon Springs, we decided to camp there for the night. Paul set up his tent and I my hammock before cooling off in the spring.
Camp at Cannon Springs
As we continued on, now in the lowered Rodman Reservoir with exposed lakebed to the sides of the river channel.
Crushed trees and various shells buried in the exposed lakebed
We had to have seen well over a hundred alligators, which got larger the farther downstream we went. Shortly after passing a couple of sandhill cranes walking along the bank and watching a pair of bald eagles soaring in the sky, I photographed a pair of alligators.
Our first stop of the day was at the Tobacco Patch spring run. We got out and Paul walked up to look at the spring while I took some photos.
Spanish moss draped cypress tree
There were many snail shells on the ground, both the apple snails and some called pointed campeloma.
Pointed campeloma shell
Showing opening of pointed campeloma shell
After paddling through some vegetation, I noticed a number of very small snails on my kayak, these apparently were oval ambersnails.
Oval ambersnail on my kayak deck dry box
After paddling down a long straight portion of the main barge canal, we entered what is known as the boneyard where the original river channel passes between many tree stumps that are completely underwater at normal reservoir levels, but now towered above us on both sides. At one point we passed an osprey feasting on a fish on top of one of the tall stumps.
Osprey in the boneyard
There were a few light showers as we paddled through the boneyard, and then we were treated to a rainbow.
Rainbow over Rodman Reservoir during drawdown.
As we left the boneyard the winds came up requiring us to paddle hard the last three miles of the trip as we approached the dam where we took out, ending a fantastic Florida adventure.
There are many Floridians who have been working to get the dam breeched and return the Ocklawaha River back to its natural state. This year the efforts got close to starting that process, however the Florida Senate failed to take a floor vote on the The Northeast Florida Rivers, Springs, and Community Investment Act (SB 1066), even though it had already passed the house and all necessary Senate committtees.
For more information and photos of the Ocklawaha River and the Rodman Reservoir check out the following pages at my Wild Florida Photo website.
Ocklawaha River and a brief history of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal
Previous Rodman Reservoir drawdowns
Reunite the Rivers at the Paul Rebmann Nature Photography blog
Rodman Reservoir Drawdown at the Paul Rebmann Nature Photography blog
Ocklawaha River at the Paul Rebmann Nature Photography blog
Thank you, and I hope that you enjoy my photography.
Paul Rebmann
Wild Florida Photo
paul-rebmann.pixels.com
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Two alligators on the bank