Exploring the Spring

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blog 02-23-18 Exploring the Spring

After we walked Watson't legs off we put him in the camper and left for the spring. The 1/3 mile board walk does not allow dogs so Watson had to stay in the motorhome.

The weather has been very warm lately, in the mid 80s, so we were happy the walk was shady. The board walk was elevated so we felt like we were walking up high getting a bird's eye view over the swampy area below. The hammock smelled earthy and some flowers had started to bloom so there was a sweet smell every once in a while. We wound around some trees and came to a sheltered area where there was a sign explaining the spring and the underground aqufers. I have included a picture of the sign that explains the process.

The spring itself is facinating. Walking along the boardwalk the spring run was visible the whole time but when you get to the end it's clear to see the water boils up out of a slit in the ground. It must have been a real mystery when the first humans saw this. It is not just a trickle, there are 100,000,000 (that's billion) gallons of water pouring out of that hole in the ground each day, every day. The water is crystal clear but has a blue appearance from a distance. Pictures.

We walked back and had lunch then decided to rent a canoe and explore on our own a little. It was 2 pm by the time we got to the waterfront and we had to be back by 4 so we thought 2 hours would be enough. Off we went up river heading to an oxbow where the water is quiet and there is little boat traffic. We paddled amoung the huge lilly pads and past the beautiful birds. We passed a boat coming the other way and they warned us about all the allegators that were out there. We didn't see one. We heard a limpkin call, a hawk cry and the hoot of an owl. It was really special being down on the water, up close and personal with the wildlife and plants.

After an hour and a half we decided to head back so we hit the main river and took advantage of the current to get to the beach. What a great trip, we felt tired but exhilerated.

We headed back to the camper and relaxed for a while til we headed out for dinner. The lucky restaurant that got our business was Woody's Bar B Q. We each had the daily special, ribs, corn bread and 2 choices. Dee chose an okra and tomato dish that was really good.

Back home we watched the Olympics and crashed.

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