Alto-Santa Fe Canal

The last time I pointed my boat down this canal, it looked to be more trouble than it was worth, especially near sundown. It appeared to be overgrown and thick with ominous shadows. So it was that I was expecting a good, old-fashioned bushwhacking expedition today when I paddled it with some friends. We even brought along a chainsaw and some clippers, but we never got to use these, because the canal is completely navigable all the way through to Little Lake Santa Fe.

First you have to plow through a long carpet of duckweed, but this was no impediment and it felt as if we were paddling across a football field. About a mile down, as we passed under the surprisingly huge bridge at CR1471, we detected the trademark stench of carrion, along with the largest flock of turkey vultures I have ever seen. Whatever it was, we knew from its smell it had to be bigger than a possum. After the trip we hiked a short way through the woods to find out what it was and saw what appeared to be a large deer skeleton.

Water birds love this canal, situated as it is between one largish and two extra large lakes. We were never out of sight of a heron or anhinga. I also had my first sighting of a tri-colored heron. When we broke through to Little Lake Santa Fe we were greeted by a man on a Jet Ski asking about alligators, of which we saw exactly zero. The canal appears well used, as folks before us had clearly done the clearing of it that we came to do.

I love that this canal exists, and it has apparently since 1881. Back then it was wide enough to accommodate steamboats and to encourage commerce between the two lakes. To this day, there remains a world of difference between the two lake communities. Lake Santa Fe is the location of choice for the well-heeled lake dweller, and Alto serves Waldo, a town that after 22 years of living in the area I am still unable to define.


I'm still trying to convince these guys to satisfy our bushwhacking jones on the River Styx, where I know we will have some cutting to do.