From this point the Wacissa broadens rapidly and magnificently , and the sight of that wide water , teeming with life yet crowned by stillness , seems to recall some primeval memory of wilderness and awe .
BELOW : Alligators are abundant along both the Wakulla and Wacissa - and pose little to no threat to the watchful and respectful kayaker .
Two of the most wonderful things about the Wacissa – though there are many things very wonderful about it – are the birds and the blue holes . Rare wading birds such as the elusive , curve-billed limpkin and the strange , red-eyed night herons , which call even in the day with ferocious rasps , are found easily here , especially in the morning time or at sundown . Deep , deep , beautiful blue holes – really the mouths of underground caves , hollows in the limestone , openings into the aquifer , sources of water – are scattered among the tributaries and coves of the Wacissa for half a mile on either side . There are 12 significant blue holes here , the largest of which would swallow a house . The sensation of drifting across that abyssal opening into the earth , of peering down into its wordless depths , escapes description . For some they make excellent swimming holes , though not for me .
The Wacissa is somewhat more challenging for a beginner than the Wakulla . From WRCR , one launches into a swamp crowded with trees and undergrowth – though this may be avoided by requesting a shuttle to the boat ramp – and one begins the paddle going downstream , with the current , so that one must paddle against the current upon return . There is no simple goal to venture towards , as is the case with the Wakulla , and the paddler must decide on their own where to venture and when to turn around . There are also no manatees in the Wacissa , because its source is not accessible to them from the ocean . The rewards of this river are many – and for a very short trip , say of one or two hours , I much prefer it to the Wakulla – but decide for yourself where your energy will be best spent , and under which conditions you might learn the art of moving on the waters with greater ease .
70 MoultrieScene JUNE 2023