Merchants Mill Pond Paddle and Camp

Last week we hauled our canoe and tent over to Merchants Millpond State Park and enjoyed some very fine camping and paddling.

One day we paddled east through the millpond, through Lassiter swamp and up Bennett's Creek for about two miles before turning around. The high water this year made the paddle up Bennett's Creek a record setter, beating by far (almost a mile I reckon) our previous attempts. Highlights were lunching on an old, now flatten, beaver lodge and spotting a yellow-crowned night heron.

The next day we put in for the first time at the Gatesville dock/ramp and paddled up the Bennett's Creek Paddle Trail to the Merchants Millpond dam and back. Another great paddle with many beaver lodges, jumping fish, and another great lunch at the turn-around. This paddle trail also has a couple of platforms for canoe-camping.

In the map below, the first paddle is the green line; the second the red line. Our campsite is circled in yellow and the orange X marks our favorite lunch spot.



Hanging out back at camp after a day of paddling.


Fav lunch spot; although this photo was taken while we had only stopped for a snack and leg stretch....Our canoe is barely visible at the water's edge.


We startle a goose.


Near the point where Lassiter Swamp ends and Bennett's Creek begins.


This old remnant of a beaver lodge on the upper section of Bennett's Creek made a perfect lunch spot.


Somewhere up Bennett's Creek.


Second day's lunch spot was at the turnaround; that is, eastern put-in of the paddle trail.


Part of the canoe camping platforms on the Bennett's Creek Paddle Trail.


The Gatesville dock.




And all of the flickr photos are here.

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Back Home

After two uneventful bus rides, and two short flights, we are now back home in Raleigh - trip over. Once again our house survived months without us (thanks Karen and Yates!), and our friends and neighbors have been most helpful getting us back in the swing of Carolina living.
-john and sun-ling

Valladolid

Our last night in Mexico was spent in Valladolid strategically for us located about halfway between Merida and Cancun, and just a 3 hour bus ride to the Cancun airport. By having a beautiful colonial city center, and being less than an hour from the most famous Mayan ruin, Chichen-Itza, Valladolid gets many overnight and tour-grouping-day-tripping tourists - more than we expected to see.

And another tasty noon-time breakfast.


One other attraction of Valladolid is the many cenotes (sinkholes).


The Cathedral.


Late afternoon tour groups.


Murals in a city government building.


Iglesia de la Candelaria


Convent de San Bernardino de Siena.

The Pyramids of Izamal

Izamal is located on the Yucatan Peninsula, about 45 kms east of Merida and uniquely has Mayan pyramids right in the town center, two of which are very large. Also, the Franciscan church and monastery are built on top of a the ruins of a pyramid. Izamal is definitely worth a day-trip from Merida, or an overnight stay (which we did), and it is being considered for UNESCO World Heritage status. The write up for that is here.

Nothing like a tasty breakfast at noon to get one going for the day.


The streets of Izamal.


Convento de San Antonio de Padua was built on top of the destroyed Mayan Acropolis called Ppap Hol Chak.




The view from the top of Pyramid Itzamatul, looking northwest to Pyramid KinichKakMo, the largest of the pyramids.


The view from the top of the great pyramid KinichKakMo. The grassy area below is part of the pyramid which extends to the yellow buildings in the distance. The building with the yellow tower and large courtyard is the Convento of San Antonio de Padua.


And more views of and from KinichKakMo.


The lower grassy area is part of the pyramid.




Our hotel was built on top of and in pyramid Hun Pik Tok.


Pyramid Chaltun Ha is a few blocks outside town.


Sunset view from the Monastery walls.


And the rising moon.


Convento de San Antonio de Padua plus roosting birds.