Monday September 25th 2023

The operative word about today’s weather is HUMID. The temperature remained in the high eighties, but it didn’t take much activity to be drenched in sweat. Unfortunately it was a moving day which meant outside activity was a necessary element. The day got progressively more cloudy as I finished getting ready to travel. It was an overcast day threatening rain when I pulled out of Lake Manatee State Park a little after 12:45PM.

Traffic cooperated for the most part on the drive south to Myakka River State Park. The eight miles west to Interstate 75 on Florida route 64 was probably the worst traffic on the journey. On my first visit to the state park in 2016 the road was a narrow lazy road most of the way. Now it is four lanes wide with two dreaded “roundabouts” most of the way with more development happening near the park. The trip back east at the southern end of my journey on Florida route 72 isn’t as bad yet, but it has a lot of development going on and they have already added two of the dreaded “roundabouts” to this road as well.

I arrived at Myakka River State Park about 1:30PM. After checking in at the rangers station I was greeted by some of the local wildlife residents on my way to my site. Three deer were on the side of the road watching me go by. I was watching them to make sure they didn’t have any suicidal tendencies. The last thing I need is deer damage to my RV home. I suspect I will see them again. The river level is high and the amount of dry ground is limited.

I got setup and did a little exploring after I dried off all of my dripping sweat. The standing water level in the area behind my site is only about a foot to eighteen inches below the site level. Some of the sites in this camping loop were reported to be under water two weeks ago. My walk of exploration took me over to the Myakka river near the water level gauge. The water level was very high and you could see where it was even higher. Technically, it is below flood stage now. Two weeks ago it was a little above flood stage. The level gauge was at 14.4. During my last visit in April it was at 9.4. That is a full five foot difference.

I didn’t see any alligators on my walk this afternoon. The water level limits the amount of bank space for them to occupy. Tomorrow I will explore the area via car. I don’t want to make the mile long walk to the bridge over the Myakka river where the gators hang out until I know how the water level might impact my journey.