Canoe moonlight guided tour

Unlike our day trips, where scenery and animal watching are the main focus, moonlight paddles are more about relaxing, checking out the stars and enjoying good company. But, don't rule out animal observation altogether. Our arrival on the river is usually heralded by a rousing chorus of green tree frogs and cicadas. Before long, as you settle into the quiet pace of the river, you'll slowly become aware of the more subtle creatures of the night.

Focusing your attention on the sky, you might glimpse a bat or a swift working hard to free the world of mosquitoes and other airborn munchables. Occasionally, a pair of barred owls will call out to each other, sometimes from a quarter mile away. With any luck, you'll hear their conversation degenerate from a civil exchange of hoots and hooty-hoo's to a raucous bout of cackling that sounds like a Chihuahua with a duck stuck in it's throat.

During the dark hours there is as much, if not more, wildlife moving around than in the day. With the help of your flashlight, you might see a family of raccoons, rooting armadillos or an occasional deer feeding at the riverside. Fishing spiders perch at the waters edge, dangling a leg in the water waiting to detect an approaching fish on which to jump. Listen and you'll hear owls, frogs, crickets or the eerie call of a limpkin. We also see a beaver or two on many of these moonlight trips.

Northern visitors, who are often giddy at the thought of visiting Orlando's famous, big-eared, lederhosen-clad mouse, aren't so impressed with our beavers. Apparently, these huge rodents are still holding there own in northern regions. But here in Florida, where beavers were wiped out by fur trappers in the 1800's, we celebrate their return in recent decades. They're always quick to announce their return to Florida riverscape with a sudden, loud slap of the tail on the water surface as it dives out of sight. It's a stunt that's intended to startle potential predators, but it's pretty effective on paddlers as well.