For those new to the blue trail, there are two official kayak launches along the route. Phillippi Estate Park at the mouth of the creek and Pinecraft Park further inland both offer easy access.

Heading Upstream from Phillippi Estate Park

Phillippi Estate Park Kayak Launch
It’s Salty! No Wait, it’s Fresh!
Subtle Spottings

Adult and baby manatees. Credit: Liz and Matt Sandburg
Mangroves, and Oaks, and Moss, Oh My!
As you move north or inland from the mouth of the creek, the shoreline transitions from mangrove dominated to oak dominated. This provides a wide variety of life and offers stunning views with arching passageways.

Yellow-crowned night heron hiding in the mangroves

Mangrove arches
Spanish Moss, which grows on oaks, cypress, and other trees in our area, is actually not a moss at all, but a flowering plant in the same family as the bromeliads. It gets all of its nutrients through the air rather than through soil, and it has been used in many human products over the years including: building insulation, mulch, packing material, mattress stuffing, and seat padding in cars made during the early1900s.
What Other Cool Things Can I See in Phillippi Creek?
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