The put-in is under the Dunns Creek bridge on Hwy. 17 and 15. There is a seldom used boat ramp at the south side of Dunns Creek and plenty of available parking. After launching your boats, head northwest toward the St. John's River. A short paddle brings you to Murphy Creek, on the south side of Murphy Island. This is where you must decide which direction you are going to transit the island. I usually prefer to go around the island in a clockwise manner because there is only one good place to get out of your boat on the island and it is 2/3 of the way around on the St. John's Riverside.

As you travel westerly on Murphy Creek, take note of the flowering water plants and the leaves on the trees changing color. Murphy Island is owned by the St. John's Water Management District and is available for public recreational activities, including hiking, bicycle riding, bird watching, picnicking, camping and nature study. The wildlife on the island includes gopher, tortoises, Virginia opossums, white-tailed deer, bobcats and foxes. Plus the usual gators and turtles. During my most recent trip, I saw numerous wading birds including little blue herons, great blue herons, great egret, limpkin and white ibis.

We watched osprey dive into the water after fish and fly away shaking their wings violently to get the water off. The anhinga were drying their wings in trees at the edge of the creek. Cormorants often surface close to your boat and flip their catch into the air to swallow it head first.

The kingfishers chatter loudly when approached and fly away to a new perch overlooking the water. Red shouldered hawks call noisily when others enter their area and the ever present buzzards circle in the sky.

Murphy Creek is crooked and for the most part you are out of the wind. The property along both sides of the creek is the Murphy Creek Conservation Area and there are no houses until you near the south end of Muphy Island. There is a water ski slalom course and some fish traps along the wider parts of the creek.

At the south end of Murphy Creek, you will enter the St. John's River. From this point, you can go west to the railroad bridge at Buffalo Bluff or turn east along the northside of Murphy Island. If the wind is very strong, 20+ mph, you might want to return to your starting point by the same route you came.

If you proceed with your trip around the island, follow the shoreline, as you will probably see more wildlife in this area. We usually see a pair of bald eagles at some point along this section of the St. John's River. Approximately 1 mile east of the west end of the island is an old boat landing. This is the best place to get out of your boat to rest and have a snack. It takes about 2 hours to get to this location.

There are hiking trails and primitive camping in this area. Call St. John's River Water Management District at (386) 329-4500 for additional information.

Continuing east after your break, you will find Polly Creek which will take you behind Polly Island. This is a quiet and well-protected creek and I recommend taking this longer more scenic route which will return you to Dunns Creek a few hundred yards from where you entered Murphy Creek.

To the east of the mouth of Dunns Creek is Rat Island. If you want to paddle another 1/2 hour, you can easily go around this island and return to Dunns Creek within sight of the bridge where you started.

This trip will require minimum of 3 or more hours depending on how many side trips you take.

A sit-on-top kayak can be used in warm weather, but if the wind is high, plan on getting wet, so bring a change of clothes or a towel to sit on when you leave.

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