85 miles on the Suwannee - Technical Information (draft)

85 miles on the Suwannee - Tech Talk

A week of springs, smiles, fun, and a lot of memories.

Editor's note.  I am going to post this but will revise it later by adding graphics and pictures and more information including resources...

Prologue

Please note, as you have already noticed, I am very wordy but I hope that our trip will help many others on future trips.  Get a strong cup of coffee and enjoy our trip.  There will also be a video version of this as well....sometime soon.  Also, in order to help with those that may use this blog as a reference for their trip, I am going to produce a separate, more condensed version on this blog with more technical information on it that may not be included in here.

General Information: 

• River Camp
• Each sleeping shelter has (total of 5):
• two "tables" with bench at opposite corners of the shelter.  The handicapped shelter has one.  There is a wood framing member that goes around the interior perimeter of the cabin that doubles as a nice shelf for miscellaneous small items.
• Ceiling fan/light combination - make sure they both work via switch by door.  We had one that we didn't find out until later in the evening.
• Two outlets that allow for plugging in electric devices like phone chargers and MP3 players
• Outside light.  Sometimes the switch was on the outside, sometimes on the inside.
• Screen around shelter.  Make sure it is intact.  We had one that was missing a section and didn't notice until later.
• Outdoor picnic table
• Outdoor fire place and/or grille.  Check before claiming due to some being unusable.
• Varies at each shelter:
• Hooks for hanging hammocks.  These varied GREATLY by shelter (even within the same camp).  Check to make sure your needs are met.  Some have one common hook for two hammocks.  We used Atlas Straps from Eno.  This provided enough flexibility to make the longer and shorter distances work.  We had one set of regular straps as well.  High recommend having a set of Atlas straps for each hammock.
• Misc hooks for hanging personal items and clothes.
• Some had rope to dry clothes but there were not many.
• Campground Amenities:
• Restroom facilities 
• Permanent structure - concrete block structure with Men's/Women's designated sides.  One shower in each side.  Cleanup sink for washing dishes, etc.  Water was free of sulphur smell.  Due to size of facility, mud didn't seem to easily collect on floor.
• Portable structure - Elevated, portable building.  Two total, one building has two restrooms for individuals (1 toilet/sink/shower) combo.  The other side is handicapped accessible.  All use instantaneous water heaters which provided uneven hot water.  Cleanup sink was a laundry utility sink type setup.  Water had a heavy sulphur smell.  Due to small size of room, dirt/mud on the floor was common.
• Large covered shelter that has 4 picnic tables.  This is where you are supposed to cook (not in your sleeping shelter).
• Large group size grille for cooking.
• Large group size fire ring
• Primitive campsites (5 total)
• Other notes:
• I know we are outside but we had multiple issues with wood roaches.  I ended up spraying Deep Woods Off as a repellant after killing about two dozen at one shelter.  They come up from between the cracks in the floors.  Being in a hammock gave me peace of mind but my kids were sleeping on the floor.  You may want to bring a can of roach killer for peace of mind.  Spraying before you set up will let it air out as well.
• I listed if there was a host available.  This varies due to seasons.  In general, the are hosts throughout the spring/winter/fall months.  Hit or miss during the summer months.  
• A host being present also appears to affect if a cart is available.
• Firewood can be purchased from an available host
• There is talk that ice will be available at each camp in the near future.  May want to call ??? to inquire about this.
• We brought two 5 gallon buckets of small sized wood for kindling.  Besides fires, we were using the wood for our Biolite stove.  Typically, Florida State Parks do not allow the gathering of wood from the ground.  You can pick up wood from other places as you go down the river but that seemed to be a lot more work than bring it.
• There are many, many boat ramps along the river.  Some are well known, others are hidden gems (not heavily used).  I did not locate all of the ramps, just the ones that we may need or are near a point of interest.
• We used a Lowrance Elite-5 along with the phone app (Back Country Navigator).  My wife setup all of the waypoints in Google Earth, and then I imported those into the Lowrance using these utilities [link???].  The phone app was the premium version but was only $10.  Having two sources of information was helpful, especially since I was just learning how to use the Lowrance.

Day 1 

Stephen Foster State Park (SFSP???[name]) to Woods Ferry River Camp (WFRC)

Woods Ferry River Camp (WFRC)

River Information

• River is very windy and fun
• Eddies at turns in river are powerful
• Numerous sand bars for breaks
• Not populated
• Watch for widow makers in trees

River Camp Information

• Access type and description - Long, long ramp up to camp.  Path is paved from boardwalk to bathroom and to the handicapped shelter.  
• Host - yes
• Cart available - yes
• Restroom type - permanent concrete structure
• Cell phone service
• Verizon - appeared to be 3G
• Metro - non-existant
• Information format
• Start & End
• Temps
• Total time
• River time
• Distance traveled
• Water level (White Springs)
• misc notes - Even though there was a host on site, the campground was in rough shape.  The large grilles at the shelter needed to be cleaned out.  Disappointing because it had rained and water was trapped inside the grille as well.  I would think the host would clear these out on days of high use (Friday - Sunday).  We had the handicapped shelter, last one available, and the grille outside was broken and unusable.  Restrooms were clean.  

Day 2 

Woods Ferry River Camp to Holton Creek River Camp (HCRC)

River Information

• River is very windy and fun
• Eddies at turns in river are powerful
• Numerous sand bars for breaks
• Not populated
• Watch for widow makers in trees & bridges

River Camp Information

• Access type and description - Long stairs.  Path is paved from boardwalk through camp to bathroom.  4 of 5 shelters are on paved path.  
• Host - no
• Cart available - yes
• Restroom type - portable structure
• Cell phone service
• Verizon - appeared to be 3G
• Metro - non-existant
• Information format
• Start & End
• Temps
• Total time
• River time
• Distance traveled
• Water level (White Springs)
• misc notes - Site was in good shape but had some mechanical problems.  Dripping faucet at main shelter and our sleeping shelter was missing a screen.  Did see three wood roaches in our shelter.

85 miles on the Suwannee River - Wrap up (draft)

Epic-logue

Editor's note.  I am going to post this but will revise it later by adding graphics and pictures.....

While sitting down at Little River Springs, Maria mentioned that she wasn't ready to stop paddling.  She didn't want to see her kayak on a trailer.  It should be free, and in the water.  Then she teared up.

Maria was the one who struggled the most on this trip.  She also cheered on the kids through their physical challenges and mechanical breakdowns.  She worked hard, carrying gear and waking up early with me.  Washing clothes in the tub wasn't in the plan but had to be done because the washing machine wasn't working at the same times her legs had failed her.  Even though there was a learning curve, she slept in a hammock for the first time.   

Maria dove head first going under the land bridge of Perry Springs??? and watched her kids try a rope swing or jump off a high platform into the water of Royal Springs.  She floated out to the sunken boat at Troy Springs seeing way more detail than I noticed. 

She suffered greatly but still wanted to go further.  I admire her for that.

My Kids?  Well, they are 13 and 11 young ladies and would have preferred to have a vacation somewhere else, actually, anywhere else.  They worked hard, and played even harder.  They made a lot of memories that I am sure, when they look back on this trip and tell their kids about it, will have gained a respect for what they had accomplished.  Anytime they travel Interstate 75 and cross the Suwannee River, they will have a smile on their face.  They will turn to ever is in the car with them and say, "Did I ever tell you when I was on a kayak below this bridge...?".  Currently, they are both telling me that this was not a vacation though.  Only time will tell if/when they feel different later.

For Angelia, her first priority was to get a shower when ever we got to camp. Of course, the camps with the portable bathrooms were not to her liking.  She had a tough day in the sun but gutted it out and  recovered in a days time.  Her run ins with the bugs were funny to us but stressful to her.  I am proud of how she was able to keep up with the group.  And to see her jump into Royal Springs, TWICE, well, I stand in awe of her courage. 

Savannah kept it lively throughout the trip.  She was all over the place as far as order in line goes.  Blowing bubbles has got to be an everlasting memory for me on this trip.  Never will I look at bubbles the same.  They floated and fluttered in the wind.  Sometimes bouncing off of the water.  Such a magical moment.  Speaking of magical, she conquered the rope swing.  Rope swings take tenacity since you have to jump from the ground, hold on to the rope, and then the hardest part...letting go.

For me?  Well, it was a lot of work but there were so many great, unforgettable moments.  Starting the trip early that morning with nothing but anticipation knowing that you are finally there, floating down the historical Suwannee River.  With every stop at a river camp, they were new to us but familiar, and we knew that they would be a great place for our overnight home.  The cabins at the state parks were awesome as well but, due to scheduling, I would have loved to stay there much, much longer.

Besides spending an extended amount of time with my brother and sister-in-law, the springs were the things that kept our interest.  There were ??? in all, and they were unique in many ways.  Small and big; deep and shallow; opaque green and deep blue.  Swimming all of them produced that first shock at how cold the water was but I was able to adapt pretty fast.

I had some disappointments too but that was centered around my gadgets like the video camera setup issues and depth finder.  It all worked out in the end though since I left it all at the bottom of the river...kidding.

To get some video of the scenery, I had anticipated at being up near the front of the line so I could get clear shots of the scenery.  I ended up being in the back though, mostly as a back stop to keep my kids moving forward and other times dealing with gear.  I wouldn't trade that for anything though.  I was able to see everyone do there own thing (Shawn and Debi sprinting; Savannah speeding around and blowing bubbles; Maria paddling and enjoying it all, then watch as the came together for something else like help others or to have a water fight.

When I went camping in Boy Scouts, it seems that the first thing I would tell my mom was about the food.  Good food = great trip apparently, at least to a growing boy.  Gong by that dynamic??? alone, then this would have been a great trip.  We ate like kings, when I remembered the food that is.  And still had plenty left over.  I equated the snacks we had to stocking stuffers since the kids didn't know what we had until the final days up to the trip.

That shows how much of an impact a trip like this makes on you.  There may be days you will struggle but others will be there to help you.  There will also be days where you help others.  You can anticipate this trip for months, but there is nothing like actually being there...and doing it.

On our last night, we were asked to rate this trip on a scale of 10.  There were several 9s (Maria and Debi), Casey said an 8, while Shawn said 8.5.  I gave it a 7 for various reasons.  Looking back on that moment, I was being a little harsh and probably suffering from last night blues.  I would have to give it an 8.5 as well.

Prior to the trip, Shawn told me he wanted this trip to be epic.  I think we met that expectation and then some.

Hidden Spring

[name]??? was a small spring that had a short, maybe 1/4 mile run to go up.  When first looking at the [convergence]??? with the river, it looked over grown.  After a little discussion, I decided to go into it and see what it was like.

I squeezed through the small opening and, surprisingly, the water way appeared to open up.  I had plenty of room to peddle to the spring opening.  While there, I shot some video to allow the others to see it.  I made my way back while constantly staying in radio contact with everyone.

This spring was a good one for the group to miss though.

My Lists – Thoughts and Ideas

De Ja Vu (If I was to this trip again)

• Have an off day.  Not sure where though but probably a state park. 
• Have video gear running correctly by testing it out weeks before the trip.  Not while on the trip.
• Find [walk to no where] spring ???
• See Peacock Spring

Critter Count: Honestly surprised by the lack of wildlife

• *Alligators (2)
• Multiple birds (king fisher, hawks, herons, ???)
• Armadillo (2)
• *Sturgeon (6)???
*not seen by me

Miles (Do I really need to post this again? Okay, I will):

• Day 1: 6
• Day 2: 6
• Day 3:
• Day 4:
• Day 5:
• Day 6:
• Day 7:
• Day 8:
• Total River Miles: 

Cravings (as silly as it sounds, when you get away from “it all” you miss certain things like…):

None that I can recall since I got to have an ice cream sandwich

Medical (general physical condition of this blogger and family during the trip):

• Maria - Sore legs, bruising and blister due to seat support, pulled "something" in her back on the last day
• Angelia - sunburn on 3rd??? day
• Savannah - legs cut up from walk to ??? Spring that we didn't find
• Ken - feet were messed up due to being in water shoes the entire week.  Blisters were the norm.

Next time… (things I’d like to do differently)

• Easy, less stuff! Not that hard really, just some honest whittling down of gear would make things much less tiring. 
• Better organization of gear.  It would save a lot of hassle knowing where the little things were.  All part of planning.

Links:

·         Shawn’s Blog

·         Debi’s Blog

·         Florida Trails

Trail names - names are given, and earned, from other members of the group.  You cannot give yourself a trail name.

• Debi - Pocohantas: due to her sitting pose in the front seat of the canoe.  She did paddle a lot, and likes going fast at times.
• Shawn - John Smith: Pocohontas' rear seat escort in the canoe.  DUH.
• Angelia - Survivor: she survived many trials on the trip and we are all proud of her for doing so.  She even went outside of her comfort zone on more than one occasion.
• Savannah - BubbleBee: she would race around in her kayak blowing bubbles.  This lifted our spirits on long days.
• Maria - Pooter:  because she made a lot of gas noises due to the pads she was using for protection on her hips.  At first, several of us thought it was real and were very concerned.  This lead to A LOT of laughter.
• Ken - Gadget: he had all kinds of toys on the trip which seemed to give him fits for the majority of the trip.
• Casey -  Expert: has a lot of experience and confidence on the river.  Willing to attempt almost anything.

Definitions -

• Boat - used here to describe both canoes and kayaks and, of course, regular boats.
• Eddies - swirling action in the water usually where there is a sudden bend in the river.  Causes momentum loss as well as a sudden change in course.  It affect boats differently depending on the type of craft and where the boat enters the eddie.  
• Mile...Mile & a Half - the estimated distance to a destination.  The term was taken from the movie Mile...Mile & a Half.  If you haven't seen this backpacking movie do yourself a favor and see it.  Even if you aren't into backpacking, it has a great story and incredible scenery.  It is available on demand and Netflix.
• Professional Canoer/Kayaker - someone who spends so much time in their boat that they pee in it rather than stopping.  Not aware of anyone on this trip earning this title though.
• Rivermortis - being stiff or soar in spots while traveling on the river, see rigarmortis???.
• Salmon - boat going upstream.
• Shoals - 
• Slough - 
• Sturgeon - 
• Towmotion - being pulled by another boat but still making progress forward.
• Trail Magic - an item left behind on the trail that someone else can use.
• Vacation
• Vitamin I - name for pain medication Ibuprofen
• Widowmaker - a large object located in a way that it could fall without notice.  If it falls, it could potentially kill someone.  Some examples are large branches stuck high up in a tree or bridge structure..
• Yoga Turtles - turtles with their feet stretched out on an object like a log or rock sunning themselves 

Equipment - just major equipment used on trip

• kayaks
• 2006 Hobie Mirage Adventure (16', papaya, Ken)
• 2012 Hobie Mirage Outback (12', red, Maria)
• 2012 Hobie Mirage Outback (12', red, Angelia)
• 2013 Hobie Mirage Revolution (11', papaya, Savannah)
• Cameras
• Fugifilm X ??? (Maria)
• Fugifilm X ??? (Angelia)
• Fugifilm X ??? (Savannah)
• Gopro Hero 4 Black (Ken)
• Gopro Hero (Ken)
• Stove  - Biolite, we brought two buckets of kindling for the stove and fires
• Hammocks - 2 ENO doublenest
• GPS - Lowrance Elite 5

Resources

• Paddle boarding girls 
• videos
• blog
• SWRT
• Water Levels
• Guys old blog
• Shawn's telephone App
• Google Earth
• Google Maps
• Conversion of Google Earth to GPS

Misc

• "access for all" - handicapped shelters and RR but how do they go up the stairs from the river?  not sure how many wheelchair bound people are out kayaking and staying overnight at these places.  common sense is dead.
• Ice experience before we stopped.  Machine had no bags.
• When choosing a shelter check for:
• working lights
• working fans (if important)
• screens in place
• usable metal eyelets/hooks if hammock hanging.  We found some very random locations.  Sometimes, you would have to use the same 
• One GIANT circle
• Our second, unintended, adventure - the quest for the lost video card.  Remember back at Holton Creek River Camp when I dried out my Gopro gear?  Well several days later, I realized that the camera card that was with the gear was missing.  It must have dropped to the floor and I didn't notice.  I used micro SD cards and they are smaller than a fingernail.  Well, at first, I wasn't too concerned about the footage on that card but the more I thought about it, I wanted that card just encase it had something of importance.  We had some extra time on the way home since we were waiting for a library to open up at 2.  After looking at the GPS and phone, we hatched a plan to get to the camp.  The problem is that this camp isn't on any maps.  I did find a set of GPS coordinates to go by.  So I entered those into the Garmin and off we went.
• With the depthfinder on his boat, Ken was often asked how deep is the water.  I gladly would yell out the depth, or say it over the radio.  What I kept forgetting was that Debi doesn't like the dark water so knowing how deep it was, just gave her more to be concerned with.

85 miles on the Suwannee River - Day 8 (draft)

Day 8 - We Don't Want to Go Home

Okay, most of us.

Editor's note.  I am going to post this but will revise it later by adding graphics and pictures.....

Adams Tract River Camp to Branford, FL (Patrician Oaks boat ramp)

Water Level:

Last day is always bitter sweet.  Okay, mostly bitter.  While still in the moment you know that it is going to end...soon.  This causes the inevitable trying to stretch the trip out.  Today we were only going 8??? miles.  On stops today were to be fantastic if the water was clear.  We had great results on prior days and we were not expecting anything different on our last day.

Troy Springs

Early on, this spring was one of the highlights of the trip.  There was supposed to be the remnants of paddleboat??? in the water.  When the water is clear, you are supposed to be able to see it.

We arrived to the park with barely anyone else there.  It was a Saturday morning, but I guess people were sleeping in.  There was a floating dock to park our kayaks at, not really all that easy due to the height of it but we managed.  While walking towards the spring, there was a small building that had a sign on it that caught Shawn's eye...free coffee!  

We took the detour for the coffee.  It was in a small building that they had some displays in it.  From the open door, one of the rangers mentioned the ship and the water being clear today.  They pointed out the window but, honestly, I wasn't seeing anything significant.

The ship was a paddle boat used as a store during the Civil War.  When the Union soldiers got closer to the spring, the owner decided to scuttle the ship and raise it after the war was over.  I guess, at sometime, it was burned to the water line instead.  So much for plans.

I decided to make my way to the spring to find this boat.  After all of the normal acclimations to the cold water, I began to swim over the springs videoing as I went.  The springs are quite large here and the depth is really nice.  But, honestly, I wasn't here for a swim, I was here for a boat.

On the way to the boat, it was like swimming in a large aquarium: . fish and turtles everywhere..  I saw a lot of turtles and fish in the water.  Being the first swimmers of the day, they hadn't been scared off yet. The water depth got shallower as I approached the area of where the boat was at.  And then I saw it.

Well, there was more to see than I had thought there would be.  The bottom of the boat had a lot of the timbers still there.  It wasn't hard to imagine that this was a large boat, not something small in size.  It was maybe 50 wide by 100 feet long???  There were plenty of parts that could still be made out as well.  ???

Little River Springs

According to research, this was a very heavily used spring by the locals.  It is accessible by boat and by vehicle and is a favorite of divers.

We pulled up to the sandy beach area and I already liked what I was seeing: a nice size swimming area with paved spots to sit and relax or eat.  Did someone mention food?  Lunch was a clearing house of anything that was there to eat.  bacon, crackers with salami, chips, soda, etc were devoured with last day sadness.  

The last spring on our last day didn't disappoint either.  The water was clear and had a lot of different depths to it.  The rock formation had several a ridge creating two "ravines" with the deeper one leading into the spring head.  In the spring head, I could see light coming from a diver, who was probably doing a stop to allow the gases to escape his body to prevent the bends.  There was a school of a dozen fish swimming around.  Sometimes separating into two groups to avoid swimmers.

When looking back at this time, it was such a beautiful moment.  The weather was perfect and the place wasn't crowded.  There were kids running around making joyful noises while playing in the water.

The Final Miles

As we left Little River Springs, there was a sadness in the air.  We didn't have far to go to our next destination, but this destination was not a spring, nor a place of interest.  It was just an unmarked boat ramp that did mark our last stop on the river.

We didn't go on the way into Branford due to our canoe livery (Suwannee River Rendevous) saying that the boat traffic is bad in Branford.  That was a good choice because we got a small taste while leaving Little River Springs.  Several boats passed us, one didn't slow down.  

As we approached the ramp, I would call out the miles....one mile left....3/4s....1/2....  When we arrived, Maria, not surprisingly, was the last one.  She actually turned around and went into salmon mode.  We got the joke but knew she would go far.  And then we were all on land, done with our trip.

85 miles on the Suwannee River - Day 7 (draft)

Day 7 - the Spring Fling

It is a wonderful thing!

Editor's note.  I am going to post this but will revise it later by adding graphics and pictures.....

Peacock Slough River Camp (PSRC) to Adams Tract River Camp

Fancy Breakfast

This morning's breakfast was going to be hot, and made to order.  I was not going to cook it though.  There was plenty of motivation in the morning to get packed up and on the river since breakfast was 4 miles away at Suwannee River Rendevous.  There was so much motivation that my family actually beat Casey in packing their boats.  That was a major feat believe me.

Spring ???

The Old Railroad Bridge

This is always a curious sight: an old early 1900s???) bridge for a railroad, turned not parallel or perpendicular with the shoreline,  but at an angle of 45 degrees or so.  The railroad was only in operation for several years before going out of business.  The eddies on the downstream side of the turntable are quite intense so I warned the group about this.  On the bridge itself, there are several trees growing.  They seem to have established themselves pretty good.  There are also some neat details on the bridge like the gear mechanism used to turn the bridge to allow for the river boats by.

Just as we were approaching the bridge, and being mindful of the powerful eddies, Savannah's drive came loose.  The previous repair that I had made on it finally failed.  I attempted an on the water swap out of my drive for hers but that didn't work.  Once we got beyond the bridge, we put Mara's drive in since she wasn't using hers due to her legs being sore.

Bathtub Spring ???

On our previous trip in the spring, one of my brothers had seen indications of this spring (rock line at the rivers edge).  We found it but couldn't get to it due to the low water levels in the river.  It was small, and we were hungry anyways so we pressed on.

Breakfast at Last

Okay, we over did it.  We order a lot for breakfast and ended up waiting a while for it to be made (new people in the kitchen apparently).  The waiting was worth it.  The water was nice, so we ate breakfast on picnic tables that overlooked Convict Springs.  We didn't explore this spring today because we have done this one before.  It was also noted that the tree next to us was the lynching tree used for when these grounds were a prison camp (Convict Springs, get it?).  Yes, that caused some to have a quick pause while eating breakfast.

Please wait while we Pause

Shawn had come up with an idea the day before that since we were stopping at SRR, we should go get his vehicle and give the ladies a break at the pool.  I thought it was a great idea.  So we piled into my van, dropped off the ladies, and off we went towards SFSP.  

After making a stop at Publix for some minor supplies, we headed back to SRR.  Took about 2 1/2 hours.  We unloaded some unwanted/unneeded items from our boats and we were back on the river.  That ride seemed so out of place.  We had been on the river for a week now.  While driving I had this feeling that I just needed to be back on the river.  Odd to say the least.  

Shawn later said he wished we hadn't picked up the truck because it broke up the day.  I kind of agree with him but it made our last day much more relaxed which was really nice.

Royal Springs

With a name like that, it has to be worthy.  And it is.  This spring is 45 feet deep, with a platform to jump off of at about 15 feet up from the water.  The spring is a clear, deep blue pool of refreshment.  The jumping platform was so inviting, that Shawn took the plunge even though the water was it's typically cold self.  Casey also tested the water.

Before Shawn went, Angelia jumped.  Later, she told me that to jump was crazy, to do it again was just stupid.???  Well, I guess she is stupid because she jumped a second time!

Maria also jumped several times.  I took multiple plunges later on with the Gopro.  There were even a couple of locals jumping into the water from locations other than the platform: a rail on an intermediate platform else where (he had to clear a bunch of rocks) and from about 40 feet high up in a tree!

What an amazing location.  You can see that this is a local favorite with the multiple picnic tables and the cluster of chemical toilets.  I would like to come back to this place in the winter/early spring.

Spring to No Where

This spring would be a little different than the others.  We were to hike from the river to find it.  Shawn, Debi, and Casey went on to camp.  They wanted to get a shelter before the Adimaral Farragut group got theirs.

The first thing we noticed that the trail wasn't that easy to find since it wasn't used that often,  After several false leads we searched and found.....nothing.  We knew it was back there but i wasn't prepared for this hike (no radio, phone, compass, water, etc).  It was already 15 - 20 minutes in and we couldn't find it.   To make things worse, while on our way out, Savannah kicked a branch and got scrapped up on her foot.  

My guess is that we should have turned near the beginning of the trail.  Oh well, maybe next time.

Mearson Spring

After the search to no where, we were eager to get back into the kayaks.  There was one last spring to explore before camp and no hiking was involved.  We were all kind of tired from the hike so we weren't planning on getting out to play.  At first, It didn't look like much but I took the kayak over the top of it to get a better view.  I shot video in the water and what I could see it seemed really nice.

Adams Tract River Camp

Throughout the last two days, we dreaded this camp but not for what you might think:  sadly, it was our last night on the river.  Yes, we had some more places to explore in the morning but we knew the clock was ticking down to the end of this adventure.

This camp, again, had the portable bathroom cluster.  It was also full again, with the same groups from Peacock Slough.  After getting some gear put away it was time for dinner.

While getting the stove going, someone from the Boy Scout Troop came over and offered their left overs.  It appeared to be chicken & craisins mixed in with Stove Top stuffing.  It looked good but I had my meals already planned out ???  and ???.  To make things easier, I took all of the meals that I would need for the trip, and put them in a container.  I ended up leaving all of the extras back at the vehicle the day before.  When I reached into the pail for tonight's dinners, I suddenly realized something: i had no dinner!  I had forgotten to pull dinner out of the kayaks and put it in the bucket.  We ended up eating the meal from the scouts and it was very good.  God is good.

We also had desert.  The two packages are what probably through me off Rasberry Crumble (my favorite dessert on the trail) and Apple Crisp which seems to be fairly new.  I think it was unanimous in that the Crumble won hands down.  I liked the Crisp as well.

The last night was the best night of sleep that i had gotten.  It started to rain in the early morning but didn't keep me from sleeping.

Daily Digest

We ha

• River Camp Write up:
• Access type: Stairs and ramp.  Paved to the restroom area and handicapped shelter
• Cart available: none
• Restroom type: Temporary structures.  One with HC restroom and shower, one with two individual restroom/shower combos.
•  type: treated with heavy sulfur smell
• Host: none
• General condition:  Shelter we were in (first one on right, had no working ceiling fan or light).  Electricity was working though
• misc notes

85 miles on the Suwannee River - Day 6 (draft)

Day 6 - Short and Sweet

Clever subtitle???

Editor's note.  I am going to post this but will revise it later by adding graphics and pictures.....

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park (LBSSP) to Peacock Slough River Camp (PSRC)

Always start off the day....

Omelets with ham in them again for breakfast  After eating and packing, we spent some time exploring and swimming in the springs at the park.  Gorgeous.  There was a land bridge similar to Charles Springs??? but much, much wider.  The swimming hole was much larger as well.  We videoed it several ways with the Gopro, dropping the camera into the deep water.  It appeared to be about 20 feet deep but looked much deeper since it was so dark.  After swimming with the girls, we headed for our boats.  When we approached the boat ramp, a bus with teenagers pulled up from Admiral Farragut Academy.  Later on, we found out they were on the river as part of a Biology class studying water clarity or something like that.

Spring???

With a short day, less than 10 miles, we got an intentionally late start.  When we arrived at our first shore excursion, it was lunch time.  It was a smaller spring with private property on both sides.  The house to the west was quite large and for sale. It was interesting because it was not only crystal clear but had some interesting rocks in the water acting as a barricade for larger boats.  Those rocks have large holes in them.  After pondering what the portholes size openings were for, Shawn figured they may have been used for anchoring larger boats way back when.  I can live with that.

After lunch we crossed under ??? bridge.  This was of note to us since this is where we started our spring float down the river and inspired this week long trip.  The blue suspension bridge stands in stark contrast to the other bridges that we have gone under previously.  Besides the color and support type, we have gone over this bridge multiple times and would continue to do so.  This is the road we take to get to Suwannee River Rendevous (SRR), the site of our yearly reunion and where are eventual stopping point is.

Spring ???

Shortly after the bridge we stopped at ??? Spring.  On our previous trip, the water level was about ??? higher and we didn't even know this spring was here.  It wouldn't have mattered much since it would have been covered in the tanic waters of the Suwannee anyway.

The spring is maybe 100 feet from the river.  The rock formations were ???.  It was a very nice location, so nice that we took our group photo at this spot.  It is also the location of the water fight that happened shortly after that picture was taken.

Water you say?

I was warned there would be water guns on this trip since Shawn's bailer is more like a large water gun.  As a former Boy Scout, I am always prepared.

River Camp: Peacock Slough River Camp

(slough - definition ???)

The saying familiarity breeds contempt was put into reality at this location for multiple reasons.  First, I was coming in pretty fast and within 20 feet of shore, I hit something in the water...hard.  Hard enough that my boat was tipping and I had to make a decision, fast.  Either tip the entire kayak and spill the gear on top into the water or get wet.  I chose the latter but paid a small fee in the amount of pain.  The straining wrenched my back enough to be an annoyance the rest of the trip but i didn't hinder me too much.  What I hit was a large, flat rock submerged less than a foot from the surface of the water.  After floating the kayak to shore, I decided to jump into the deep water between shore and the rock.  That deep water ended up being only 3 feet or so deep!  I gave Shawn, Debi, and Casey a scare for sure but it all worked out. 

The second part of familarity that got me was the condition of this camp:.it was awful.  This was the river camp that inspired this trip.  There was no camp ground host, the grass was high, and it, again, needed a through cleaning.  The facilities were like the first camp, Woods Ferry River Camp: regular restrooms and no sulfur smell to the water. 

This camp was also the beginning of having full river camps again.  There was another Boy Scout Troop (from Chattanooga, Tennessee) this time.  They were on their fall break, paddling almost the same length we were doing.  There was also a group from Admiral Farragut military school in St Pete.  They were on a biology class field trip studying water clarity.  Both groups, were quite well behaved.  

For dinner, it was the beginning of our dehydrated dinner meals from Mountain House.  We had been eating the breakfast meals throughout the week.  I cooked two different meals so the ladies could taste both and decide what they liked.  Once choices were known, I would portion out the meals equally, giving me what wasn't liked.  First up was Beef stroganoff and Chicken with Fried Rice.  Thankfully, they liked both but I gave Savannah more of the stroganoff.  I had intended on doing a dessert but we had some snacks over at Shawn and Debi's place that hit the spot.

Daily Digest

We ha

• River Camp write-up: Another full camp.  A Boy Scout troop took 2 shelters while another group from a military school took another.  We took two as well.  No camp ground host and it showed.  Place needed some cleanup with the high grass.  Restrooms were just about out of toilet paper but a ranger stopped later with firewood for us and had to go back to get keys for the paper supplies.  This camp looked gorgeous in the spring but now needed some work.  Sad really.  Bath house was similar to WFRC.  Needed a major scrubbing though.  Cell phone service (Verizon) was ???
• 
  
• Slough - definition
• River Camp Write up:
• Access type: short stairs.  Paved to the restroom area???
• Cart available: none
• Restroom type: permanent structure
• Water type: treated
• Host: none
• General condition:
• misc notes

85 miles on the Suwannee River - Day 5 (draft)

Day 5 - Short Day

But not short on fun

Editor's note.  I am going to post this but will revise it later by adding graphics and pictures.....

Dowling Park River Camp to Lafayette Blue Springs State Park (LBSSP)

Back in the water but not so fast.

The plan was to load up the boats and to leave my family at camp to play in the water while we floated 1/4 mile down the river and used a boat ramp to go resupply at a convenience store.  While we were packing Savannah was where she basically lived: playing in the water.  Shawn was already loaded and just looking out for Sturgeon when he spotted something in the water slowing coming our way.  At first he thought it was a beaver but later identified it as the common alligator.  Out of water Savannah came as a precaution.  The gator never even got close to us.  Once it spotted us onshore, it did an about face and headed away from us.

At the store, we stocked up.  I bought ice, sodas, and ice cream sandwiches.  The kids hated the fact that I made them eat ice cream in the morning but they did obey my wishes.  Okay, only part of that sentence is true, I will let you decide the part.  A couple of weeks later, Maria said that was the best ice cream sandwich ever.  Not because the taste, but where she was eating it.  She also said that she will always think of that moment when ever she eats another ice cream sandwich.

Side trips???

Cabin in the Woods (pt 2)

This was another state park that we stayed in cabins.  It was very similar to the first but the porch overlooked the woods (and river if the trees weren't there).  Even though the appliances were different, everything else was the same.  Except the ice maker.  

I opened up freezer and the ice bin was litterally running over.  There was so much ice that I had a HUGE smile on my face.  I emptied the bin into several pots to let the ice maker do its thing overnight.  It did not disappoint.  There was just enough ice to fill the one cooler that we had consolidated all of our food down into.  Yes, God is good.

We also has some unexpected guests on our porch: Shawn, Debi, and Casey.  They had planned on finding a spot outside to camp but there were too many ants.  Shawn asked if they could camp out on the porch and I was happy to say yes.  It was almost no different than one of the shelters at a river camp but they used their tents, partially for privacy, also to air them out for later use.

For dinner, my goal was to get rid of some lingering food supplies.  We were consolidating the coolers so this would help on space.  So, I figured custom hamburgers would due the trick.  I took the hamburger meat added some egg and potato chips as a filler.  Cooked up the rest of the canned corn and beans as well.  That ended up way better than expected.

After dinner, my family went down to explore the springs.  Maria and Savannah had already been down there earlier in the evening before dinner.  By the looks of it, I knew this would be a great place to swim in the morning.

Daily Digest

This was probably my favorite evening of the trip.  Staying in the cabin was great.  Having Shawn and the gang on the porch seemed to make it even better.

85 miles on the Suwannee River - Day 4 (draft)

Day 4 - The sun will come out, and burn you badly

Sponsored by the makers of sunscreen and sun shades.  Special thanks goes to the lovely shade provided by the trees on the river.

Editor's note.  I am going to post this but will revise it later by adding graphics and pictures.....

Suwannee River State Park to Dowling Park River Camp (DPRC)

River straightens out and gets wider.

[4.1] Most Important Meal

What can I say, I love making a big breakfast.  Being in a cabin, makes food prep that much easier.  We had omelets with ham in them and leftover steak.  My mouth waters just thinking about it. To make things easier, I had broken up the eggs and put them in a 1/2 gallon OJ container when at home.  Easy storage in a cooler.

Be Careful of What You  Ask For

Well, i wish we could take it back.  We asked for it, and it came.  The sun, with all of it's splendid glory, was unfettered in its attempt to make us like bacon.  Some survived relatively unscorched.  Others, not so much.  Angelia bore the brunt of the sun's might changing her legs to a nice medium well.  We added plenty of sun screen to her legs, then eventually she had her wear some leggins???.  Even though she was uncomfortable, she hang in there.  Thankfully, she seemed to recover by the next morning.

Today's Surprise

Today was going to be an adventure.  There were several spots on the the river that we wanted to explore.   We also knew the river was going to change from narrow and winding to wider and less bends.  As we left, we came across where the North Withlacoochee River merges with the Suwannee.  We knew there was a small spring just a little ways up the river so some of us went to explore it while Maria and the kids went down stream.  Going up stream wasn't that difficult but the spring was very powerful.  It was fast moving enough that when you went by it, it gave you a really good push.  As I entered back in to the Suwannee, I radioed Maria to tell her we were on our way.  Estimating we were 10 minutes behind her, it wouldn't take very long to catch-up to her and the kids.  She didn't radio back but I figured she probably didn't have her radio on.  When I got closer I could see she had kindly pulled over to wait for us.  Closer yet, and she started yelling at me get over there now.  Looking further down stream I could see why she was waiting for us and in a panic: rapids!

We had completely forgotten about Little Shoals.  The water level had been up enough that we thought it wouldn't be a factor.  So much so, that we thought we had already passed it the day before.  My wife and kids had been staring at them for 10 minutes or so before we got there.  I went just down stream of them to help calm them (didn't help much honestly) and to help them so they didn't have to keep clutching onto something, anything, on the shoreline.  Shawn, Debi, and Casey went to the otherside (left) of the river and scouted out a path from there.  We were in radio contact discussing what we were going to do.

I have done rapids before in rafts and small ones in a canoe before.  I was more than comfortable with going down these but I knew the Hobie kayaks with their mirage drives and rudders could take a beating on the rocks.  We pulled the drives out completely but left their leashes connected just encase.  After figuring our best path was to hug the shoreline on the right side we waited trying to calm the kids nerves.  While waiting, Casey left to shoot his rapids.  After going through, he said that it wasn't that big of a deal really.  That was news to my ears because that is what I thought too...as long as there weren't any hidden rocks.

After Shawn and Debi floated through unharmed, it was our turn.  We said a prayer (seriously) and off we went.  Savannah trailed me while Angelia trailed Maria.  I called out behind me directions on which side to paddle.  I didn't want to look behind me too much because that would affect my direction of travel as well.  When I saw Savannah, she was screaming because she was scared and her boat was going sideways at some points.  Honestly, the rest is a blur but we all got through it safely.  Later one night, Maria was describing this portion of the trip to her mom.  She said Savannah was scared half to death.  Savannah responded it was more like three quarters!

Perry Springs (spring with cave/bridge)

This was the first clear spring that would visit.  We were anticipating a very nice spring with clear water.  Suwannee Springs was a disappointment because it was still had the dark river water in it which made exploring it impossible.  This did not disappoint us.  We first stopped at where the spring water dumped into the river.  We were greeted with gorgeous views and crisp, clear water.  After playing in the area we started to go to the picnic area for lunch.  Before that, a USGS boat pulled up to us to talk.

They were able to give us some history of the area (the two ramps across from each other were used for a ferry for traffic.  This was for a road that stretched from St Augustine to Tallahassee).  We were able to inquire about the large red bouys that we had seen near the shoreline with USGS on them.  They were sonar bouys used to track tagged Sturgeon.  When the left, we paddled over to the ramp so we could get to picnic tables for lunch.

The kids, lovers of all things water, quickly ate their lunch and headed off to the springs.  Soon, Savannah came back telling that we just had to see the springs and when are we coming to swim.  Once we ate,we went down to see the springs.  What we saw is difficult to describe: 3 pools of water that got larger as they went down stream.  The pools were separated by rock formations that had a connecting tunnel to each pool.  Breath taking.

After several attempts I was able to film going through the first tunnel underwater.  Didn't try the second one since I know my limits.  Casey, however, was able to do that with no problem.  Maria dove into the first hole and had no problem making it through either.  Angelia said it was her favorite spring ever.  That means a lot because she loves Kelly Park/Rock Springs in Apopka. We swam and splashed some more before heading out knowing we had another spot to explore.

A Hidden Treasure

Maria had done some extensive research for this trip.  She studied aerial views of the river looking for hidden gems.  This abandoned  rock quarry was one of them.  To passersby, it would have looked like a small river dumping into the Suwannee, but we knew it was the gateway for some exploring.  With a little paddling/peddling upstream we entered a lake about an acre ??? in size.  While most disembarked their boats, Casey and I pushed further.  On the back side, there was a cut that allowed access to another lake about an acre ??? in size.  After taking in the scenery that looked like we were not in Florida anymore, we adventured further.  

The next cut was difficult to paddle/peddle due to the amount of water flowing through it.  After fighting it (Casey ended up breaking his paddle), we emerged into a lake about 2 acres??? in size.  Amazing.  Casey pushed further up another cut but I stayed back due to fatigue from the swimming and paddling.  I did note the depth of the water: 22 feet!  That depth seemed to be pretty consistent throughout the abandoned quarry.  I had to wonder what kind of fish were in there.  Wish I had turned on the fishfinder!  The water was dark like the Suwannee but since the limestone had been mined out, it was deeper than most parts of the river.  

Going back out the cutouts was fun due to the swiftness of the water flowing through them.  Not sure when operations stopped here but we were glad that it was left for us to explore.  This is an area that I would love to explore again.

Unexpected Fun

As mentioned before, there was a lot of research spent going into this trip.  Once Maria got excited, information came in abundance.  There are somethings that you cannot plan on that end up being another highlight: an isolated rope swing.

Shawn and Debi found a sand bar just upstream from where our camp was.  Just a short walk down the shoreline there was a rope swing just begging to be used.  I am sure I have been on one before but it had to be a long time ago.

(verify) Shawn started off by swinging way out but not falling into the water.  He faked us out several times, knowing that the kids wanted him to get into the cold water.  Casey and I also had our go at it.  We all ended up going with the Gopro on our heads, attaching a float to the straps just encase it came off.

Savannah wanted her try and after some instructions, and several attempts she was swinging out towards the water.  With her eyes as big as saucers, we all yelled "Let Go!" and she dropped into the water.  Very proud of her for trying that!

After a lot of laughter and chills from the water we were off to camp.  We were quite tired from all of the activities on the water today but what we saw next was a cause of concern to most.

Stairway of Hell?

There it was staring at us, and mocking us.  The words Dowling Park in state park brown above it.  What it was, was a set of stairs like nothing else.  Five flights of stairs to get to the top.  The thoughts of lugging our gear up and down those ultimate Stairmasters, was disconcerting to the group behind me.  They asked if that was the entrance to the park and I nodded yes.  Maria figured she would just overnight in her kayak,  After lots of grumbling from behind I informed them that it wasn't our destination since our destination was around the bend and on the right.  Yes, cruel but really, really funny.

Improvised Dinner

When planning this trip, I had several surprises built in for my family.  Dowling Park River Camp was one of those.  There is a small town in Dowling Park that has a small restaurant to eat dinner at.  The problem is that they close at 5pm.  I figured we would have to make good time to camp in order to get to dinner in a reasonable amount of time.  I didn't know exactly where the restaurant was located at, nor the best way to get there.  What I knew was that it was gong to require some walking.  Due to the physical difficulties that Maria had experienced the days before, and the overall lack of energy in the kids, I realized that this was something that I may have to change.  After talking with Maria, and then explaining to the kids what my plans were, it was decided to abandoned this sidebar and eat dinner at camp.  But what to eat?

While floating down the river and mulling over my options, I had several ideas.  We could have a combination of peanut butter and jelly wraps (no bread on the trip) or ham and cheese wraps.  We also had plenty of snacks on hand as well.  Then I had an idea: Quesadillas. 

The ladies love quesadillas.  We had the tortillas with several choices for fillings: several types of cheese, bacon, and left over steak.  I used some butter for the pan and viola!  That was a great meal!  It was also fun to make since Maria and I were able to sit a table and talk while each one was made.  It was a nice, relaxing dinner for a change.

Stop Bugging Me

This camp's shelters were on stilts, at least 10 feet off of the ground but probably more.  Since we were the only group there, Angelia setup her own shelter.  While I was taking a shower, she apparently had a run in with several insects: a millepede and wood roaches.  Her uncle Shawn, pest control man extraordinaire, quickly dispatched of them to her liking.

Later that night, with the adults around the campfire and the kids in bed, we heard a noise of her door opening.  Soon after that, here comes Angelia dragging her air mattress telling us that there were more bugs up there and she was staying with us and Savannah.  We all chuckled at her sudden departure from her abode.

Daily Digest

Fun, fun day.  Even though we got beat down by the sun, we enjoyed our day.  Dinner that night and sitting by the fire made it even better.  Just a great day really.