About 3 or 4 months ago Ken and Maria were talking about planning a kayak trip down the Suwannee river. They said we could go ( i may or maynot of invited us ) . Ken said it was going to be a week long and that there was some great shelters to stay in, Debi and I were very excited, I invited Rich ( my best freind in Louisiana ) and my buddy Casey. Rich had to back out the last week so that was a big bummer. And a super busy week before the trip with work and jury duty. We had to get a lot of gear and food and we had been getting stuff for a while so it was always on our mind and couldnt wait to get there. Thursday night we had last minute things to get and still needed to finish packing but we got it done.
Friday morning we got ready then picked Casey up, stopped by the bulk ice machine got ice, started rolling the brand new cooler to the truck, one of the wheels falls off the cooler. All I could do is shake my head, then it started to sprinkle.......all I could think was i hope this isnt how the week is going to go!
We made it to Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs, Florida ( all the areas are in Florida ), i was in aw, this place is so pretty. The buildings, and tower were just awsome. The rangers were very nice. We got to our campsite around noon, there was a camper in the next site over which is Ken and his families site. No worries, Ken was running late so there was time for the camper to leave. Well that didnt happen, Ken showed up and the camper was still there. Well it turned out that the camper was in the wrong spot, so basically Ken had them evicted for squatting. ( well kind of ) .
After all that drama, we still needing to drop the boats off and drive Kens van about a hour away at the Suwannee River Rendezvous , so thats 2 hours round trip. Then Ken opened his van up, and my jaw hit the ground when i saw all the stuff they had. And now i need to help unload. I didnt know how he was going to be able to fit all that stuff in, even Maria had doubts on how they were going to do it. Not a problem for today, they did a dry run and most of it went in the boats.
After unloading the gear and dropping the van off, it was time to get on to relaxing. Dinner was going to be AMAZING, good ole surf and turf. We brought salmon and Ken brought the steak and charcoal. Ken and I went to get the cooler with the steaks and we noticed they were frozen solid, all i could do is laugh. " Well it looks like we are eating salmon only tonight" lol. No problem there was plenty of fish for everyone. While we were gone Debi set up our campsite, Maria and the girls helped Ken get his ginormus ( yes thats a word means bigger than big ) and Casey got his set up, we knew it was going to be a early morning. We headed to bed early. IT WAS ALMOST HERE !!!!!!!
 |
| on the road |
 |
| Debi relaxing |
 |
| Ken and families gear |
 |
| All our boats ( not the aluminum boats in back) |
 |
| Casey |
 |
| Me and Casey joking about something |
 |
| Ken loaded up |
 |
| Moving Debis and My boat |
 |
| Caseys tent |
 |
| Our gear |
 |
| our tent |
 |
| Maria |
We knew we had a lot to load in/on the boats, so Ken,Casey,Debi and Me woke up early to get started. I had to drink my coffee and so did Casey, Maria woke up also to my surprise, we knew it would take a 2 trips with the truck to get the gear down there including mine and debis stuff. So we went to the boats and got them to the water first, then Casey, Ken and me stated unloading Kens gear so he could be loading while we got the rest of the stuff. Ken needed to take down his tent and leave it in the truck while we were floating. So it would be 3 trips back to the campsite, no problem. I went back to get more gear, Maria, Savannah, and Angelia had already taken the tent down which saved a lot of time for Ken. Debi had us packed and ready, and Casey wasnt far behind us getting ready.
We werent far from getting in the water, By now im getting antsey to be floating and Debi is bouncing saying " Lets go Lets go". She couldnt wait. Finally around 10 am we were floating!!!! The trip has begun.
 |
| Loaded ready to go |
 |
| Starting with some fun Maria and Debi in the front seat |
 |
| Water level |
 |
| Ken still loading |
 |
| And were OFF!! |
There as a group of boyscouts that were going to the same river camp we were, we knew it could be busy due to starting on Saturday. They passed us up while we were waiting for Ken but we were in no hurry its vacation time.
I think the first surprise on the water was the current, it was stiffer than we were used to, and for Debi it was how dark the water is. We are very confident in a canoe so that wasnt a issue. Getting the balance right was at first due to the extra gear, we didnt have as much as Ken and the family but we had a lot. We had a red bag that was being used for food that was throwing our balance off. Casey said he could handle it and that it would make it better for his balance anyways, he also had a cooler for Ken. It worked out well for everyone, I think.
Another surprise for me and Debi was a small waterfall, yes in Florida a water fall. Now i know its not much but we will take it! It was about 3 ft up and the sound was awesome. Then we saw a couple more. We arent used to seeing rock walls, let alone water coming from them.
The weather wasnt great, It was cloudy and breezy so Debi was freezing. The frog togg raingear was a great windbreaker, she also wore her sweatshirt. I felt bad for her for the entire day. The sun didnt shine at all!
As we were going a long we would just look around in amazement at all the rock cliffs, again that isnt anything were used to. Then we saw a creek with fast water running out of if. Limestone surrounded the creek but it was wide, i would guess 30 ft wide give or take. I asked Debi if she wanted to go upstream and see what it was like in there, she was game, we paddled hard, got shoved right then left then we got straight. Were in the current, paddling hard, im encouraging Debi to keep paddling, surrounded by limestone cliffs about 20 ft tall, i see a small left bend then a hard right turn. I figured we could get to a small sandbar straight ahead of us then see what was coming up. I felt the current grab us again and saw us getting closer to the rock wall behind us. I looked behind us to the left and there was Casey trying to fight the current also. I got a little worried about the safety of us and our gear. I didnt want to risk capsizing on the first day of this long trip, nor did i want to crash in the rock wall and risk damaging our boat. I told Debi were going to back out, Maria and the Girls were just about to start upstream as i hollard " Were coming out!" . We got out with no issues, Casey went up a little more then turned around and came back to the Suwannee. Later I looked up the creek name and found the name to be Swift Creek, and its very long, so there was no spring close to see. Im glad we turned around when we did. It was fun, but maybe a bad idea to go in.
We got to camp around 4 oclock. And we saw some kayaks tied up, and the boy scout canoes on the boat racks. The kayaks were from a group of 4 people ( 3 men 1 lady ) that were going 48 miles in 2 days. They were taking a break before they headed off to do 10 more miles. We gave the lady a cigarette, she ran out that morning. We talked to them for a few minutes and there section paddling the river every year until they complete it. They went through Big Shoals 2 of them rolled, the woman and 1 of the men stayed upright. What a great adventure!
We got our gear to our shelter and got set up, took a few trips, we used the buggy they had there but we had way to much gear and the ramp was very long. The boyscouts had 3 shelters and we had the other 2. We gave Ken and family the closer shelter, Casey sharred our shelter. Angelia couldnt wait to take a shower, We couldnt wait for dinner!
The place was kind of loud due to the boys running around, but they were well behaved. I didnt know that the scouts were aloud to have so many luxuries while camping. No ruffing it for them, They brought a trailer in slap full of gear and food! Ken was saying his scout leader would have killed them if that had that much stuff.
Dinner time was interesting, we all shared the picnic pavilion area and the scout leaders were VERY VERY jealous of our dinner, they looked at our steaks and drooled everytime they walked by the grill. Ken did a great job with the now thawed out steaks, Debi ate hot dogs.
Was a early morning so off to bed early, gotta get ready for our longest day!!!!!
 |
| 1 of the water falls |
 |
| rules to the river camps |
 |
| boy scouts around there fire |
 |
| Ken fixing a Hobie Drive |
 |
| our gear on the cart |
 |
| Debi in the shelter |
 |
| Woods Ferry River Camp " ramp" |
 |
| Day 1 stats |
Day 2 Woods Ferry River Camp to Holten Creek River Camp
After a good nights sleep ( not great but good ), got up around 6 drank some much needed coffee, we got ready to leave on a long day. This would be our longest day of the trip, so every minute was needed. We knew that with a average speed of 3.6 mph and 18 miles to go we couldnt waste much time.
My biggest "fear" on the trip was head winds, and the longest day , yeah we were in for it. Seems that the hard was going to get harder. There were a few things that were planned for the day, so i was excited to see what the rest of the day would hold. It still was cloudy and cool, and Debi was freezing still. I got a chill a few times, were both freeze babies so long sleeves and frog toggs were a must for us.
We came across our first stop.. Suwannee Springs , i recognized the rock wall surrounding it from you tube, but when you see it in real life you know that you stepped back in time. My first thought when i say it was WOW looks like a small military fort like in St Augistine. I realized that it wasnt built the same when we walked around and saw the inside, but still a neat site to see. Savannah and Angelia ran past me and Debi yelling it stinks BAD.... it smelled of sulfer pretty bad , and honestly wasnt all that pretty ( the water wasnt pretty). Ken was on the edge of the water wanting Maria to film him jumping in the water. I knew i wasnt going in that cold water at all. We hung around there for about 30 minutes to take in the views and enjoy a break.
Just after the spring we went under a old bridge and then a newer bridge. I spoke to a man at the spring he told me it was old CR 129 ( closed to any traffic ) and the new bridge. This would be the first of the bridges that we would go under. Debi wasnt thrilled to go under bridges at all so we would speed up a little to pass them fast.
We havent really seen any wild life including birds so far, i was looking forward to seeing King Fishers one of my favorite birds on the water. Then all of a sudden a sturgeon jumped out of the water, the first one of the trip, it was small about 30 or 40 lbs i guess. We were happy to see the ugly thing.
I found myself starring at the rock walls amazed but the tiny caves ( for a lack of another term ) that they have through out them, then I saw a baby gator about 2 to 3 foot, curled up in a cave camoed out and hard to see. I radioed back to the group to let them know it was there. Casey saw it and Maria thinks she saw it. So we are finally starting to see some wild life!
We have been getting into some strong eddies along the way which is something Debi and I arent real used to. The biggest thing was how to go through them without using up all our energy, they would really take us off course. So we tried going around them, that didnt work as well as we would like. I thought maybe just get our speed up just before we hit the eddy we could let the boat do the work. So we see a eddy coming up me and Debi kick it into high gear,( we can get the boat really moving) then the eddy GRABS the bow of the boat, snatching us hard right, causing Debi to lean hard then me shortly after. The rail of the boat is very close to the water, the last thing we need to do is roll. We both holler " WOOOOOO" that was a little to close. Maria watched us as we were fighting the water and told us she has no idea on how we stayed upright. To be honest we have no idea either. It was fun and freaky all at the same time. Even Debi got a laugh out of it.
We took our lunch break at Suwannee Music Park. The girls took every advantage of a break on a sandbar or any area to swim, it was great to watch them swim and play and laugh as i knew it was a hard trip for them. Lunch was were we all got to talk and laugh about everything. We were all in aw by the river, the cliffs, the sandbars, and most of all ( well for me and Debi the most ) the quiet. All you could hear was our paddles hitting the water and laughter. No phones no horns honking, not even a text.
We knew we were doing good on time, we were trying to not stop as much as the day before. we would "drift break" if needed. So we could keep moving even if it was slower. This worked out pretty well for everyone. Me and Debi seemed to always spin sideways, which was a strange feeling, but it worked for a while.
The clouds would clear up a little bit then as soon as Debi would take her jacket off the sun would go back behind the clouds and the breeze would blow then she would freeze again. We would get a giggle out of it but i know she was miserable. How could you love where your at but your freezing at the same time? I dont know but Debi did.
We saw a canoe paddling upstream ( we call them salmon ) and it was a 3 adults ,1 toddler and a dog in the boat. I was surprised that they would go upstream, and wondered where they were going. Come to find out they were Florida Trail workers ( volunteers ) and they were just out enjoying the water. They jokingly yelled at us that we missed the river camp by about a mile, we knew better.We got to talk to the younger couple that next morning and they have been out in the woods for about a month, they are from the north ( dont know where) and they are helping the FT workers. Dogs name was strawberry. The other workers have been out there for a week or so.
We made it to camp around 5, a long day on the river had come to a end. But we couldnt wait to get back on the water the next day. We would all rush to see what the shelters would look like almost as soon as we would land. I have to say this was a pretty area! There wasnt a campground host, and it was a much shorter walk to the shelters from the boats. We asked the others that were there if they were in the shelters. Come to find out that they were all primitive camping and the shelters were all ours. Ken and Maria got there own, Angelia and Savannah got one , Casey got one , Debi and I got the other. I was glad due to me waking up so early all the time ( 5:30 almost every morning). Debi would wake with me because she sleeps so light.
Dinner was Burgers, not just burgers, bacon cheddar burgers on the grill. Debi had a chicken burger. We had 2 extra burgers because Rich didnt come so Ken and the girls ate them with there beanie weanies.
The night was very quiet, no boy scouts, the only thing i heard was the dog in the morning and the baby 1 time i think......
 |
| Suwannee Spring river view |
 |
| Debi and bridge |
 |
| Ken and Angelia |
 |
| A rock wall |
 |
| LIFE! |
 |
| Shelters |
 |
| our shelter |
 |
| boat racks |
 |
| The beach at Holton Creek |
 |
| Walk up to shelters and camp |
Day 3 Holton Creek River Camp to Suwannee River State Park
Rain all night made for a good sleep, except for the Hickory Nuts falling on the roof every so often. They mad a sound on the roof like a wooden screen door slamming. I kept wondering who or what was coming into the shelter. After the long day Ken wanted to let the girls and Maria sleep in if they could so there was no big hurry to get ready. Me and Debi drank a couple of pots of coffee, then Casey helped finish off the last pot. Ken was making breakfast for his family, Debi got to try dehydrated eggs ( i dont know what was in it ), she liked it so that was a plus. By the empty plates, it seemed that Angelia and Savannah liked them also.
The walk to the boats wasnt far, so it didnt take long to get the gear loaded for Debi and me, Ken seemed to have a harder time. They had so much stuff, so we understood. Packing in the rain wasnt all that much fun but it was a different experience for us. Really wasnt a big deal due to our gear being in dry bags and us having our rain gear.
The cliffs really made up for being cold, i couldnt stop looking at them. Most of them had 3 different colors, and very defined lines. They were all the same but all looked different, some shorter than others, some with trees growing out of the middle of them also. The roots that were going threw them were all twisted and tangled down into the water, i was amazed at how the trees could grow threw the rocks. I know the rocks are soft, but still amazed.
The river started getting a straighter so the sandbars were getting fewer. This means the girls have less play areas. It was great to watch them jumping in the water and splashing around. I dont know how they didnt freeze, the water was so cold, and the sky was very cloudy, and still a breeze with some gust. Debi still stayed bundled up as much as she could.
Ken had all the "gadgets" he could possibly get on his boat, and was having problems with the go pro battery. It seemed that every time he would get in his boat he had to fix something. I would look back it there he was about 1/4 mile behind messing with something ( remember this point more on it later )
Even though the weather wasnt great, there was always "happy" around us. If it wasnt the girls playing in the water, it was us laughing at someone or something. The other thing that put a smile on my face was Savannah blowing bubbles, Angelia was blowing them also, but it was almost none stop with Savannah. She had big bubbles and small. Some would bounce off the water and some would float as high as the trees. What a site to see while floating down the dark water of the Suwannee.
Angelia would come up and keep us company also with talks of a shower and her dictionary. I still dont understand reading that much, im sure google has all that stuff on it. Or theres a movie about the book. Fast and easy.
Me and Debi were in the lead most of the time, not for any real reason, we just were. It had some advantages, like first to see wildlife. We were going along at a slow pace around a bend in the river, then we saw this little head and a back and then a tail. It was a otter, he took off fast, so no one else saw him. At first we thought maybe it wasnt one but the more we talked about it were sure it was.We both love those mean little critters.
At lunch the girls got to play and we got to stretch our legs. The talking wasnt always about the river or what is coming up, it was just talk. I really dont know what was being said but all of a sudden a big splash, and everyone yelled "I saw it!" it was a big sturgeon saying hello. Kinda scarred the girls out of the water, once they knew what it was they went back in.
We headed back out after lunch, not to far down the river Angelias seat broke. Thats not good i thought. Were not to far in our trip, and it seems that things are not going good for Kens family and gear. He has been fighting his batteries for his cameras and other stuff, one of his Hobie Drives ( foot peddles ) broke the other day ( but got fixed), and now a seat. Ken repaired it after a while so it worked out again.
While the seat was being fixed I noticed Maria struggling a little, we have done a lot of miles in a few days so this is expected. I heard Savannah tell her she would pull her, but Maria is to strong headed for that. I told Debi that were going to go back and get her, we really didnt give her a choice. I hooked her to the back of our boat, and told her to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. There is no shame in getting pulled at all, i would NEVER pick on anyone for being pulled. Her legs had given out and she needed the break. We pulled her for about a mile or so then she was ready to paddle herself. She had also had problems with her hips rubbing her seat so we gave her our knee pads, they seamed to help a good bit.
We got to Suwannee River State Park earlier than expected, Ken had called ahead due to them closing around 5 ( we thought ). They left the cabins unlocked and the key on a table. When we noticed we were that early Ken found a park ranger. He asked her if there was someone that had a golf cart we could rent to unload our gear. "No but i could bring my truck down to help with the coolers if you would like" she said. What a blessing. The boat ramp was far away, and carrying all that gear with all that weight wasnt fun at all.
I gave dad a call just to check in, there hasnt been any cell service and wanted him to know all was good with us. While i was on the phone with dad (very fast phone call) i saw Maria carrying gear to to the cabin. I took a fast picture, then i realized the poor thing was hurting BAD. I really had no idea she was in that bad of pain. I stopped to talk to her and try to help her. I think she got dehydrated and needed to drink water and relax in the tub. One thing i will say about both Maria and Debi there is NO quit in there body. Ive felt that pain and Maria was still going. I think this was the first time i saw how "tough" she is!
The cabins are really nice, not fancy, nice. The first thing i saw was the front porch, then inside the coffee pot! Debi started coffee as i went down to see if i could help Ken with gear, and to grab the last little bit of our stuff. After everything was out of the boats and everyone was relaxing i got a cup of coffee........ AWWWW that was good! Kens ice maker in the room was broken, and/or not hooked up. He asked if ours was working, i walked over to our cabin to look. Opened the freezer door and found our first " trail magic", a 20lb bag of ice and a full ice tray. Wow we needed that ice, Ken still needed it for food. We werent in bad need of it but was nice to have.
Dinner was great also, Debi made tacos before we left then froze it. She heated it up in the cabin and WOW i guess i was hungry, i ate 5 tacos Casey ate about the same. We sat outside in the porch most of the night, the temps were just a little cool. Debi turned the heater on in the cabin so it was warm in there all night. There was also a "fireplace", it was electric and put off little heat, so drying clothes and other things wasnt going to happen fast.
It was nice to take a shower ( I suppose ), which isnt something were used to while backpacking/camping. I have gone this long without a shower, i guess i was overdue. Still refused to use deodorant! Somethings just need to be left alone out there!
Thanks Ken and Maria for the cabin! It was great!
Travelled 13.7 miles
average speed 4 mph
max speed 8.9 mph
moving time 3hrs 25 mins
Day 4 Suwannee River State Park to Dowling Park river camp
We slept in a little bit, we got up around 6 am (when i say we i mean Debi and I ). Debi did a great job at keeping pretty much everything together and/or packed. I was outside enjoying my morning coffee and the quiet out there. I kept a eye out for deer, but i didnt see any. Casey woke around the same time and came out to join us. All of us were excited to get back on the water and see what the day had to offer. I was still concerned for Maria hoping she got a good night sleep. After a while i found out she slept pretty well.
It was a little bit chilly in the morning and i left my long sleeve shirts on the boat. Debi had a long sleeve that she didnt like wearing so i grabbed it to wear for a short time. I really have no shame when it comes to being outdoors, the shirt was pink... real pink. I didnt care at all, the girls thought it was funny. I figured why not add a cape to the mix! My vacation I can dress like i want!
After a few laughs and giggles it was time to load the boat. I got down to the boat and there was a man looking at our boats, mostly curious about how long we have been floating and where we were going. I think the questions made Angelia nervous because she mentioned it to Ken. Ken explained to her that it was very normal for people to ask questions like that not to worry.
We are getting faster at packing so we started our day around 9 am. We have had some funny things being said out there. We were all talking about being sore, Maria still very sore but geting better, I dont know who said it but being sore was now known as " RIVER MORTIS". There was plenty of vitamin I ( ibuprofen ) being passed around. We would start most days on a slow pace to "warm" up our bodies. Ken was pulling Maria and Debi says look shes in "Tow Motion" another great "trail" phrase.
Not long downstream we got to another spring, Anderson spring. Maria had done some reading on this area and read that the sturgeon hang around this area when they come upstream. TO be honest we really couldnt see the spring. Ken found it with his depth finder and we were "parked" in it LOL. The time we took there was needed, our bodies needed the break, and the girls wanted to swim with Ken.
A little while down the stream we hear a call out on the radio, it was Maria calling for Ken. We were behind them, and evidently the little shoals were right there. The girls were NOT HAPPY about this at all. I looked up and saw the rocks sticking out of the water, i could also hear the sound of the water cutting threw the rocks. This wasnt a "rapid" but for us Floridians this was as close as we have been in the boat. I decided it was probably best for me and Debi to cross the river to give Ken and Maria some space to calm the girls. But it also looked "better" on the other side. Debi is real nervous now we are getting closer to the "edge". The current grabbed us so we had to paddle harder to cross. The bank was very rocky so landing was a challenge. I wanted to look at the river and see where to go, Casey was following us so i told him to paddle hard to fight the current. He did, maybe a little too hard and smacked a small bolder with the bow of the boat. No damage to the boat, but a nice scratch to his paint. Me and Debi walked to the area where we were going to go down, i showed her that it wasnt that bad. She was still very very nervous, the tears came out. She walked away to try to gather herself. All she could think about was the other group that rolled in the Big Shoals.
I took a small video of Casey going down the shoals and it was no big deal at all, he even said " that was disappointing". He wanted to go first to show Debi and the girls its nothing. I dont know if it helped but it was our turn to go. We took off and went through with no problem. Debi finally relaxed. We crossed the river to help in anyway we could. We could hear Ken talking the girls down, Savannah was really having a hard time, but she toughed it out! Everyone made it through with no problem. I was very proud of the girls for getting through that and still paddling later!
We looked for another spring, but couldnt find it, now were on the lookout for a rock quarry. My thought was this should be a wide channel and easy to find. Well i was half right, easy to find but not wide. What i wasnt expecting was the current coming out of it, it was fast! Me and Debi kicked in high gear to get up in there. Everyone followed right after. Finding a place to land was very hard. The water was deep and ended in rocks. Debi and me landed, Savannah, Angelia, and Maria came in right behind us. Casey and Ken decided to go explore. Debi and I were a little tired so we stayed behind. About 30 minutes or so later Ken and Casey came back. They had gone about a mile or so in, they thought it was awesome back there. Casey cracked a paddle going into a strong stream. Debi and the girls were taking pictures of the scenery. I found a nice peice of drift wood that we kept.
Maria was doing good resting her legs, she was paddling. She said she really didnt need the hobie drive, i said me neither i have a "Debi Drive" we all got a kick out of our new term.
We were getting close to camp, but we saw a nice sandbar with a rope swing on it. We werent pressed for time and the sun was trying to come out. So why not let everyone play. The girls were playing on the rope, then Ken got involved. I havent been on a rope swing in years, i swung out on the rope but didnt let go, I HATE COLD WATER. Everyone was laughing at me, but i really wanted to go. So i took off my hat and grabbed the rope. I figured why not, Ill suck it up for the girls. They didnt think i would do it ( no one else did either, even i had doubts ). I let go heard everyone gasp and cheer, then i felt the cold. IT WAS COLD!!! Casey also went on the rope, Savannah went too.
I was freezing and it was time to get to camp, we came around a bend and there was a huge ramp on the left. We all said NO WAY, Ken started laughing and told us it wasnt it. We all were very happy we didnt have to climb that ramp with all our gear. A 1/4 mile downstream we found the camp with a great sandbar/beach. We walked up, i hollard "Hello" and someone answered back to my surprise. It was Dave, the camp host. I introduced us and told him we had reservations. He didnt know we were coming, but not a problem we were the only ones there. I bought some wood from him, Casey went and got it. Maria and Ken took the handicap shelter so Maria didnt have to climb stairs. We gave the girls the next shelter we took the other then Casey got one. They were all on stilts about 15 ft up. I really needed to change into something dry, and of course i wanted some coffee.
We sat around the camp fire for a while chit chatting, and heard a door shut then a dragging sound, hmmm i thought. Then around the corner came Angelia dragging her air mattress to Kens shelter. She had enough of the bugs in her shelter. It was a great laugh. Then when me and Debi went to "bed" i saw some movement by our mattresses and it was carpenter ants on the wall. I was really to tired to care. So i moved us to the middle of the shelter and slept like a log.
Rain all night made for a good sleep, except for the Hickory Nuts falling on the roof every so often. They mad a sound on the roof like a wooden screen door slamming. I kept wondering who or what was coming into the shelter. After the long day Ken wanted to let the girls and Maria sleep in if they could so there was no big hurry to get ready. Me and Debi drank a couple of pots of coffee, then Casey helped finish off the last pot. Ken was making breakfast for his family, Debi got to try dehydrated eggs ( i dont know what was in it ), she liked it so that was a plus. By the empty plates, it seemed that Angelia and Savannah liked them also.
The walk to the boats wasnt far, so it didnt take long to get the gear loaded for Debi and me, Ken seemed to have a harder time. They had so much stuff, so we understood. Packing in the rain wasnt all that much fun but it was a different experience for us. Really wasnt a big deal due to our gear being in dry bags and us having our rain gear.
The cliffs really made up for being cold, i couldnt stop looking at them. Most of them had 3 different colors, and very defined lines. They were all the same but all looked different, some shorter than others, some with trees growing out of the middle of them also. The roots that were going threw them were all twisted and tangled down into the water, i was amazed at how the trees could grow threw the rocks. I know the rocks are soft, but still amazed.
The river started getting a straighter so the sandbars were getting fewer. This means the girls have less play areas. It was great to watch them jumping in the water and splashing around. I dont know how they didnt freeze, the water was so cold, and the sky was very cloudy, and still a breeze with some gust. Debi still stayed bundled up as much as she could.
Ken had all the "gadgets" he could possibly get on his boat, and was having problems with the go pro battery. It seemed that every time he would get in his boat he had to fix something. I would look back it there he was about 1/4 mile behind messing with something ( remember this point more on it later )
Even though the weather wasnt great, there was always "happy" around us. If it wasnt the girls playing in the water, it was us laughing at someone or something. The other thing that put a smile on my face was Savannah blowing bubbles, Angelia was blowing them also, but it was almost none stop with Savannah. She had big bubbles and small. Some would bounce off the water and some would float as high as the trees. What a site to see while floating down the dark water of the Suwannee.
Angelia would come up and keep us company also with talks of a shower and her dictionary. I still dont understand reading that much, im sure google has all that stuff on it. Or theres a movie about the book. Fast and easy.
Me and Debi were in the lead most of the time, not for any real reason, we just were. It had some advantages, like first to see wildlife. We were going along at a slow pace around a bend in the river, then we saw this little head and a back and then a tail. It was a otter, he took off fast, so no one else saw him. At first we thought maybe it wasnt one but the more we talked about it were sure it was.We both love those mean little critters.
At lunch the girls got to play and we got to stretch our legs. The talking wasnt always about the river or what is coming up, it was just talk. I really dont know what was being said but all of a sudden a big splash, and everyone yelled "I saw it!" it was a big sturgeon saying hello. Kinda scarred the girls out of the water, once they knew what it was they went back in.
We headed back out after lunch, not to far down the river Angelias seat broke. Thats not good i thought. Were not to far in our trip, and it seems that things are not going good for Kens family and gear. He has been fighting his batteries for his cameras and other stuff, one of his Hobie Drives ( foot peddles ) broke the other day ( but got fixed), and now a seat. Ken repaired it after a while so it worked out again.
While the seat was being fixed I noticed Maria struggling a little, we have done a lot of miles in a few days so this is expected. I heard Savannah tell her she would pull her, but Maria is to strong headed for that. I told Debi that were going to go back and get her, we really didnt give her a choice. I hooked her to the back of our boat, and told her to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. There is no shame in getting pulled at all, i would NEVER pick on anyone for being pulled. Her legs had given out and she needed the break. We pulled her for about a mile or so then she was ready to paddle herself. She had also had problems with her hips rubbing her seat so we gave her our knee pads, they seamed to help a good bit.
We got to Suwannee River State Park earlier than expected, Ken had called ahead due to them closing around 5 ( we thought ). They left the cabins unlocked and the key on a table. When we noticed we were that early Ken found a park ranger. He asked her if there was someone that had a golf cart we could rent to unload our gear. "No but i could bring my truck down to help with the coolers if you would like" she said. What a blessing. The boat ramp was far away, and carrying all that gear with all that weight wasnt fun at all.
I gave dad a call just to check in, there hasnt been any cell service and wanted him to know all was good with us. While i was on the phone with dad (very fast phone call) i saw Maria carrying gear to to the cabin. I took a fast picture, then i realized the poor thing was hurting BAD. I really had no idea she was in that bad of pain. I stopped to talk to her and try to help her. I think she got dehydrated and needed to drink water and relax in the tub. One thing i will say about both Maria and Debi there is NO quit in there body. Ive felt that pain and Maria was still going. I think this was the first time i saw how "tough" she is!
The cabins are really nice, not fancy, nice. The first thing i saw was the front porch, then inside the coffee pot! Debi started coffee as i went down to see if i could help Ken with gear, and to grab the last little bit of our stuff. After everything was out of the boats and everyone was relaxing i got a cup of coffee........ AWWWW that was good! Kens ice maker in the room was broken, and/or not hooked up. He asked if ours was working, i walked over to our cabin to look. Opened the freezer door and found our first " trail magic", a 20lb bag of ice and a full ice tray. Wow we needed that ice, Ken still needed it for food. We werent in bad need of it but was nice to have.
Dinner was great also, Debi made tacos before we left then froze it. She heated it up in the cabin and WOW i guess i was hungry, i ate 5 tacos Casey ate about the same. We sat outside in the porch most of the night, the temps were just a little cool. Debi turned the heater on in the cabin so it was warm in there all night. There was also a "fireplace", it was electric and put off little heat, so drying clothes and other things wasnt going to happen fast.
It was nice to take a shower ( I suppose ), which isnt something were used to while backpacking/camping. I have gone this long without a shower, i guess i was overdue. Still refused to use deodorant! Somethings just need to be left alone out there!
Thanks Ken and Maria for the cabin! It was great!
 |
| Trees growing out of the rocks |
 |
| Savannah blowing bubbles |
 |
| The trooper Maria |
 |
| see the coffee pot in the kitchen |
Travelled 13.7 miles
average speed 4 mph
max speed 8.9 mph
moving time 3hrs 25 mins
Day 4 Suwannee River State Park to Dowling Park river camp
We slept in a little bit, we got up around 6 am (when i say we i mean Debi and I ). Debi did a great job at keeping pretty much everything together and/or packed. I was outside enjoying my morning coffee and the quiet out there. I kept a eye out for deer, but i didnt see any. Casey woke around the same time and came out to join us. All of us were excited to get back on the water and see what the day had to offer. I was still concerned for Maria hoping she got a good night sleep. After a while i found out she slept pretty well.
It was a little bit chilly in the morning and i left my long sleeve shirts on the boat. Debi had a long sleeve that she didnt like wearing so i grabbed it to wear for a short time. I really have no shame when it comes to being outdoors, the shirt was pink... real pink. I didnt care at all, the girls thought it was funny. I figured why not add a cape to the mix! My vacation I can dress like i want!
After a few laughs and giggles it was time to load the boat. I got down to the boat and there was a man looking at our boats, mostly curious about how long we have been floating and where we were going. I think the questions made Angelia nervous because she mentioned it to Ken. Ken explained to her that it was very normal for people to ask questions like that not to worry.
We are getting faster at packing so we started our day around 9 am. We have had some funny things being said out there. We were all talking about being sore, Maria still very sore but geting better, I dont know who said it but being sore was now known as " RIVER MORTIS". There was plenty of vitamin I ( ibuprofen ) being passed around. We would start most days on a slow pace to "warm" up our bodies. Ken was pulling Maria and Debi says look shes in "Tow Motion" another great "trail" phrase.
Not long downstream we got to another spring, Anderson spring. Maria had done some reading on this area and read that the sturgeon hang around this area when they come upstream. TO be honest we really couldnt see the spring. Ken found it with his depth finder and we were "parked" in it LOL. The time we took there was needed, our bodies needed the break, and the girls wanted to swim with Ken.
A little while down the stream we hear a call out on the radio, it was Maria calling for Ken. We were behind them, and evidently the little shoals were right there. The girls were NOT HAPPY about this at all. I looked up and saw the rocks sticking out of the water, i could also hear the sound of the water cutting threw the rocks. This wasnt a "rapid" but for us Floridians this was as close as we have been in the boat. I decided it was probably best for me and Debi to cross the river to give Ken and Maria some space to calm the girls. But it also looked "better" on the other side. Debi is real nervous now we are getting closer to the "edge". The current grabbed us so we had to paddle harder to cross. The bank was very rocky so landing was a challenge. I wanted to look at the river and see where to go, Casey was following us so i told him to paddle hard to fight the current. He did, maybe a little too hard and smacked a small bolder with the bow of the boat. No damage to the boat, but a nice scratch to his paint. Me and Debi walked to the area where we were going to go down, i showed her that it wasnt that bad. She was still very very nervous, the tears came out. She walked away to try to gather herself. All she could think about was the other group that rolled in the Big Shoals.
I took a small video of Casey going down the shoals and it was no big deal at all, he even said " that was disappointing". He wanted to go first to show Debi and the girls its nothing. I dont know if it helped but it was our turn to go. We took off and went through with no problem. Debi finally relaxed. We crossed the river to help in anyway we could. We could hear Ken talking the girls down, Savannah was really having a hard time, but she toughed it out! Everyone made it through with no problem. I was very proud of the girls for getting through that and still paddling later!
We looked for another spring, but couldnt find it, now were on the lookout for a rock quarry. My thought was this should be a wide channel and easy to find. Well i was half right, easy to find but not wide. What i wasnt expecting was the current coming out of it, it was fast! Me and Debi kicked in high gear to get up in there. Everyone followed right after. Finding a place to land was very hard. The water was deep and ended in rocks. Debi and me landed, Savannah, Angelia, and Maria came in right behind us. Casey and Ken decided to go explore. Debi and I were a little tired so we stayed behind. About 30 minutes or so later Ken and Casey came back. They had gone about a mile or so in, they thought it was awesome back there. Casey cracked a paddle going into a strong stream. Debi and the girls were taking pictures of the scenery. I found a nice peice of drift wood that we kept.
Maria was doing good resting her legs, she was paddling. She said she really didnt need the hobie drive, i said me neither i have a "Debi Drive" we all got a kick out of our new term.
We were getting close to camp, but we saw a nice sandbar with a rope swing on it. We werent pressed for time and the sun was trying to come out. So why not let everyone play. The girls were playing on the rope, then Ken got involved. I havent been on a rope swing in years, i swung out on the rope but didnt let go, I HATE COLD WATER. Everyone was laughing at me, but i really wanted to go. So i took off my hat and grabbed the rope. I figured why not, Ill suck it up for the girls. They didnt think i would do it ( no one else did either, even i had doubts ). I let go heard everyone gasp and cheer, then i felt the cold. IT WAS COLD!!! Casey also went on the rope, Savannah went too.
I was freezing and it was time to get to camp, we came around a bend and there was a huge ramp on the left. We all said NO WAY, Ken started laughing and told us it wasnt it. We all were very happy we didnt have to climb that ramp with all our gear. A 1/4 mile downstream we found the camp with a great sandbar/beach. We walked up, i hollard "Hello" and someone answered back to my surprise. It was Dave, the camp host. I introduced us and told him we had reservations. He didnt know we were coming, but not a problem we were the only ones there. I bought some wood from him, Casey went and got it. Maria and Ken took the handicap shelter so Maria didnt have to climb stairs. We gave the girls the next shelter we took the other then Casey got one. They were all on stilts about 15 ft up. I really needed to change into something dry, and of course i wanted some coffee.
We sat around the camp fire for a while chit chatting, and heard a door shut then a dragging sound, hmmm i thought. Then around the corner came Angelia dragging her air mattress to Kens shelter. She had enough of the bugs in her shelter. It was a great laugh. Then when me and Debi went to "bed" i saw some movement by our mattresses and it was carpenter ants on the wall. I was really to tired to care. So i moved us to the middle of the shelter and slept like a log.
 |
| little sholes |
 |
| break time no sandbar |
 |
| more bubbles and a smile |
 |
| rock quarry |
 |
| rock quarry |
 |
| bank on the rock quarry |
 |
| shelter |
 |
| the beach |
 |
| our shelter, trying to dry the tent out some need it the next night |
 |
| more of our gear airing out |
Traveled 15.6 miles
average speed 3.8 mph
moving time 4 hrs 7 mins
max speed 7.3 mph
Day 5 Dowling Park Rivercamp to Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
We really had a easy day ahead of us compared to the rest of the days we had. We were really taking it easy in getting ready. We had to make a supply stop in town at a small store just before town. So the plan was to get ready, Ken, Casey, Debi and I would go downstream to the bridge, land there, and walk to the store. Then on our way back we would radio Maria and the girls then they would meet us. The plan worked great. We got to the store and we were like kids in a candy store, grabbing everything that looked good, everything from chips to potted meat. We even got lunch meat and bread. Cold drinks were nice to have also. Ken got ice and a few other things like Dr. Pepper and ice cream sandwiches. It was a short 1/2 mile walk so nothing really melted. This was my first resupply ever and i learned not to go hungry.
Even more than having all the junk food and cold drinks, the best thing was THE SUN FINALLY CAME OUT !!! It was great to feel the warmth of the sun, and not have long shirts on and have shorts on. Before we left to go to the store we saw a gator swimming towards us, i walked towards it and he turned the other way. I think this made the girls think twice about swimming while they waited for us.
While we were floating, i am pretty sure i saw the girls trying to attack me with there water guns. Me and Debi came prepared for a attack, so i loaded my water cannon and fired!! Angelia got soaked then Savannah got soaked. Ken made there guns, which were similar to ours but couldnt get the distance we could. The shanangins continued for a while back and forth. They would sneek up behind us and get me in the back then i would return fire. Loads of fun, and it was warm!
We saw the first motor boat coming by, they slowed way down so not to wake us. We saw the side of the skiff said USGS, they were also on the other side of the river. Once they passed us they sped up, they were making a big wake but we could handle it. We put the stern in the way of the wake to ride it out, then we noticed that the bigger wake was "bouncing" off of the rock walls on our right side, this was creating a very very bouncy bumpy rocky wake for us. I really didnt know which way to turn the boat due to the rogue waves coming at us. I jokingly said on the radio " anyone bring the Dramamine". Little did i know it wasnt a joke to Debi, she was having a hard time and feeling sick to her stomach. I tried to help but she needed out of the boat. We paddled to the other bank so Debi could get out and calm her stomach. The others paddled by, we told them we would catch up. It didnt take long and Debi was ready to go with no issues.
We paddled about another 3/4 miles down and came up to Charles springs and that same boat. We got out of the boat and saw the spring. It was Amazing, it was like a little oasis in the middle of nowhere. The USGS boat came up to us and talked to us about what they were doing. They were pulling buoys out of the water that count tagged sturgeon. They also gave us a little booklet on the fish that explained them really well. Super nice guys doing a great service.
Charles Springs was a very unique spring to me. There were limestone foot bridges over the water with tunnels under them. Ken, Maria, and Casey swam them. The water was to cold for me. The little park that was around the spring made for a great place to eat lunch. The girls got to swim for a long time along with Ken and Maria .We didnt want to leave here but there was much more to see. This was one of the 2 springs that i really liked the most. All were great but there was something about this place.
We made it to Lafayette Blue springs State Park and Ken called ahead again to make sure the door was open incase we were late. They left the door open, We planned on sleeping in there "yard" or somewhere close to them but as we were looking there was a lot of fire ants in the grass. Debi and i werent interested in fighting ants all night so it was plan B for us and Casey. I asked Ken if it would be ok to stay on there porch that night. It would be very similar to staying in a river camp for us. They were more than happy, they were excited that we would be close to them and could spend more time talking. I told Ken that it felt like Me and Debi were thru paddling and they opened there house up to us. It was very surreal to me. The porch was L shaped so Casey got he front half and we took the back half.
That evening a ranger came up ( before we set up our tents ) to check on things. We talked for a while about Florida and the park. While he was talking to us, Maria and Savannah were at the spring. So it didnt look like there was a lot of people staying there. It worked out great for all of us. The coffee and conversation was great. Debi set up the tent while i tried to help Ken with more of his gadgets. I didnt help much but it was nice to spend time with Ken.........
 |
| the Jiffy store |
 |
| Our stash! |
 |
| Savannah teaching Debi about ant lions |
 |
| Debi holding a ant lion |
 |
| Spring water meets The Suwannee |
 |
| Blue Skies and Sunshine |
average speed 3.4 mph
max speed 6.2 mph
moving time 3 hours 6 mins
Day 6 Lafayette Blue Springs State Park to Peacock Slough River Camp
We slept great, even slept longer than normal for the trip. Woke up about 630 am, I had plans to walk around the park and look for deer or any other wildlife. But i really didnt know where to go, Debi woke with me and wanted to walk with me. I figured we could walk and see what we see. Honestly i was glad to have her with me. This was the first morning that we had "all to ourselves", not that anyone would have minded anyother time. We walked to the springs, not to far about 1/2 mile or so. No one was there and the sun was just coming up. It was very quiet on the water. We stopped at the point where the spring met the river. There were a few small fish jumping in the river, and a few small schools of fish swimming in the spring. As we were talking about the fun we were having on the trip, Debi told me that she had never seen springs until this trip. She had been in the water, but never the spring. I never even thought about that. I walked her to the spring "head" to show her. She was intrigued at the site.
We walked back to the cabin after a while and saw that Ken was up cooking breakfast, he cooked omelets for all that wanted one. I was content with my coffee, I think everyone else ate something. We talked about going to the springs so they could swim. This would wind up being my 3rd favorite spring of the trip.
Ken wanted to get video of the spring, and i was interested in seeing how deep it was the the mouth of it. We tied some rope to the camera and let it go down. We found out it was just over 20 ft deep. There was also another natural foot bridge in the middle of the spring that had a tunnel but this one was wider than Charles Springs. Im sure that it could have been swam with no problem, but Me and Ken werent comfortable with Casey swimming this one. It was a bad feeling, and Casey understood.
One other thing to note was how nice the rangers were at all the parks. We really enjoyed our time at the state parks and the rangers were very helpful and kind. The rangers were having a meeting/class in the park as we were leaving, they all wished us well. Then there was a small bus that pulled up full of people. We got in a hurry to get on the water so we didnt get into a bunch of people. Later we found out they were from St. Pete at a military school, ( i cant remember the name of the school ).
We got on the water with no issue, a short time later ( maybe 15 minutes ) we look behind us and there are canoes turning into the state park, full of people. We didnt know where they were heading but we were hoping that was there stopping point. It was nice having the camps to ourselves.
It was close to lunch time, and we were wanting a break. There was a small spring coming up that would be a great place to stop. This was a small spring, with private property on both sides. The house on the right was for sale and was really nice with a wooden bridge going to a gazebo on the river. On the left was a small dock (looked like it was for jumping into the spring ) with a private property sign on it. I kinda peeked on the other side, and saw a wooded grassy area that would be awesome to camp in. We ate lunch and decided it would be a good time to get started again. We still had one more spring to find and to play in.
After paddling a little while, with not much to talk about, we cam across the next spring. It was Telford Spring. There was a nice sandbar with a nice rope swing. We had been talking about trying to do a group picture and this looked like a nice spot. We got all set up, then i got shot in the back by a watergun! It was Angelia, evidently Savannah shot her first but Angelia thought it was me ( Debi may have told her it was me hmmmm. ).Then as normal after a regular shot we do a funny shot, i thought it would be funny if i shot Angelia with a water gun in the picture. Well this may or may not have started a ALL OUT WAR!!!!! There was water coming from everywhere, then I looked at Ken and he has a water hose coming out of his boat and its battery operated! ( i told you to remember Ken messing with stuff a few days ago? yeah this was one of the things he was messing with and NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT). CHEATER!!!!!!! This lasted a long time, no one was dry at the end, no not even Debi. The great thing was Ken recorded the entire fight!
After all the excitement we were all drying out we looked up and saw a bunch of boats coming by us, we waved and asked where they were stopping, they told us peacock,( so we knew we needed to head to camp soon). We asked how many shelters they were getting, they replied "2 or 3" (remember this) , we asked them to leave 2 close to each other if they could. (They did with no problem). There was a solo paddler that came by shortly after the boy scouts did, we thought he was with them, he said Nope all by himself. We asked how far he was going he sait " Until it gets to dark " he has been on the river for 7 days, and heading to " Salt Creek" i was told thats the end of the river. He also had his dog with him. He said he just set up camp where he stopped. ( i hope he is doing well on his trip )
After getting to camp we got to our shelters, Debi wanted to sleep in the tent and get away from the noise of all the people. We havent primitive camped all trip and it was quiet on that side. I was more than happy to set up camp over there. Casey got his own shelter for the night, he really didnt want to set up a tent, and couldnt find his tent stakes anyway. As me and Debi were setting up camp, Savannah ran up to us and said, " theres another group that just landed with 4 boats". There arent any shelters left, we have our 2 shelters that we reserved weeks in advance, and the boy scouts had there 3 shelters. I thought great now were going to have people around us in the primitive campsites, well at least we got the one with the best view. Debi started the coffee, i set up the tent, yadda yadda yadda. While we were doing the normal camp stuff we hear the leader of the other group ( the other group from this morning that came in the van ) saying he needed a shelter. I guess he talked to the boy scouts and they gave one up for them. They set up in the shelter next to Ken, Maria and the Girls. Debi and I got the campsite all to ourselves!
Debi me one of the boy scout Moms, found out they were from Chattanooga, TN. and this was most of there first time in Florida. This would be the 3rd time the "guide" has made the trip. Turns out that it wasnt to loud in camp, but the lines to the bathroom were like waiting at Disney.
We all hung around our campsite to enjoy the quiet, and get some good fire time in. This worked out well for all of us except maybe Angelia. She was in the shelter and there was a bunch of wood roaches climbing all over the place. I thought ok there are maybe a few, I helped Ken for a little bit killing roaches. Then I left thinking it was all over, Ken wound up killing a couple dozen on the inside and outside of the shelter. Thats the most wood roaches i have ever seen! All went better for the girls that night..
After all the bugs were dead and things calmed down, all i could think of ... THIS WOULD BE A GREAT NIGHT FOR SOME CIDER.... I was alone watching the fire burn down, and waiting for Debi to get back from the bathroom. I was getting a little worried about her because it was taking FOREVER. Come to find out her and Maria were talking on one of the benches so i let her be. I started nodding out in my camp chair, still wanting hot cider. I went in the tent and fell asleep pretty fast, before Debi got back........
Traveled 8 miles
Day 6 Lafayette Blue Springs State Park to Peacock Slough River Camp
We slept great, even slept longer than normal for the trip. Woke up about 630 am, I had plans to walk around the park and look for deer or any other wildlife. But i really didnt know where to go, Debi woke with me and wanted to walk with me. I figured we could walk and see what we see. Honestly i was glad to have her with me. This was the first morning that we had "all to ourselves", not that anyone would have minded anyother time. We walked to the springs, not to far about 1/2 mile or so. No one was there and the sun was just coming up. It was very quiet on the water. We stopped at the point where the spring met the river. There were a few small fish jumping in the river, and a few small schools of fish swimming in the spring. As we were talking about the fun we were having on the trip, Debi told me that she had never seen springs until this trip. She had been in the water, but never the spring. I never even thought about that. I walked her to the spring "head" to show her. She was intrigued at the site.
We walked back to the cabin after a while and saw that Ken was up cooking breakfast, he cooked omelets for all that wanted one. I was content with my coffee, I think everyone else ate something. We talked about going to the springs so they could swim. This would wind up being my 3rd favorite spring of the trip.
Ken wanted to get video of the spring, and i was interested in seeing how deep it was the the mouth of it. We tied some rope to the camera and let it go down. We found out it was just over 20 ft deep. There was also another natural foot bridge in the middle of the spring that had a tunnel but this one was wider than Charles Springs. Im sure that it could have been swam with no problem, but Me and Ken werent comfortable with Casey swimming this one. It was a bad feeling, and Casey understood.
One other thing to note was how nice the rangers were at all the parks. We really enjoyed our time at the state parks and the rangers were very helpful and kind. The rangers were having a meeting/class in the park as we were leaving, they all wished us well. Then there was a small bus that pulled up full of people. We got in a hurry to get on the water so we didnt get into a bunch of people. Later we found out they were from St. Pete at a military school, ( i cant remember the name of the school ).
We got on the water with no issue, a short time later ( maybe 15 minutes ) we look behind us and there are canoes turning into the state park, full of people. We didnt know where they were heading but we were hoping that was there stopping point. It was nice having the camps to ourselves.
It was close to lunch time, and we were wanting a break. There was a small spring coming up that would be a great place to stop. This was a small spring, with private property on both sides. The house on the right was for sale and was really nice with a wooden bridge going to a gazebo on the river. On the left was a small dock (looked like it was for jumping into the spring ) with a private property sign on it. I kinda peeked on the other side, and saw a wooded grassy area that would be awesome to camp in. We ate lunch and decided it would be a good time to get started again. We still had one more spring to find and to play in.
After paddling a little while, with not much to talk about, we cam across the next spring. It was Telford Spring. There was a nice sandbar with a nice rope swing. We had been talking about trying to do a group picture and this looked like a nice spot. We got all set up, then i got shot in the back by a watergun! It was Angelia, evidently Savannah shot her first but Angelia thought it was me ( Debi may have told her it was me hmmmm. ).Then as normal after a regular shot we do a funny shot, i thought it would be funny if i shot Angelia with a water gun in the picture. Well this may or may not have started a ALL OUT WAR!!!!! There was water coming from everywhere, then I looked at Ken and he has a water hose coming out of his boat and its battery operated! ( i told you to remember Ken messing with stuff a few days ago? yeah this was one of the things he was messing with and NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT). CHEATER!!!!!!! This lasted a long time, no one was dry at the end, no not even Debi. The great thing was Ken recorded the entire fight!
After all the excitement we were all drying out we looked up and saw a bunch of boats coming by us, we waved and asked where they were stopping, they told us peacock,( so we knew we needed to head to camp soon). We asked how many shelters they were getting, they replied "2 or 3" (remember this) , we asked them to leave 2 close to each other if they could. (They did with no problem). There was a solo paddler that came by shortly after the boy scouts did, we thought he was with them, he said Nope all by himself. We asked how far he was going he sait " Until it gets to dark " he has been on the river for 7 days, and heading to " Salt Creek" i was told thats the end of the river. He also had his dog with him. He said he just set up camp where he stopped. ( i hope he is doing well on his trip )
After getting to camp we got to our shelters, Debi wanted to sleep in the tent and get away from the noise of all the people. We havent primitive camped all trip and it was quiet on that side. I was more than happy to set up camp over there. Casey got his own shelter for the night, he really didnt want to set up a tent, and couldnt find his tent stakes anyway. As me and Debi were setting up camp, Savannah ran up to us and said, " theres another group that just landed with 4 boats". There arent any shelters left, we have our 2 shelters that we reserved weeks in advance, and the boy scouts had there 3 shelters. I thought great now were going to have people around us in the primitive campsites, well at least we got the one with the best view. Debi started the coffee, i set up the tent, yadda yadda yadda. While we were doing the normal camp stuff we hear the leader of the other group ( the other group from this morning that came in the van ) saying he needed a shelter. I guess he talked to the boy scouts and they gave one up for them. They set up in the shelter next to Ken, Maria and the Girls. Debi and I got the campsite all to ourselves!
Debi me one of the boy scout Moms, found out they were from Chattanooga, TN. and this was most of there first time in Florida. This would be the 3rd time the "guide" has made the trip. Turns out that it wasnt to loud in camp, but the lines to the bathroom were like waiting at Disney.
We all hung around our campsite to enjoy the quiet, and get some good fire time in. This worked out well for all of us except maybe Angelia. She was in the shelter and there was a bunch of wood roaches climbing all over the place. I thought ok there are maybe a few, I helped Ken for a little bit killing roaches. Then I left thinking it was all over, Ken wound up killing a couple dozen on the inside and outside of the shelter. Thats the most wood roaches i have ever seen! All went better for the girls that night..
After all the bugs were dead and things calmed down, all i could think of ... THIS WOULD BE A GREAT NIGHT FOR SOME CIDER.... I was alone watching the fire burn down, and waiting for Debi to get back from the bathroom. I was getting a little worried about her because it was taking FOREVER. Come to find out her and Maria were talking on one of the benches so i let her be. I started nodding out in my camp chair, still wanting hot cider. I went in the tent and fell asleep pretty fast, before Debi got back........
 |
| Camp |
 |
| View from back of camp |
 |
| Not a bad walk from the boats |
 |
| Boat in the morning ( spoiler alert this is tomorrow morning ) |
Traveled 8 miles
Average speed 3.4 mph ( lollygaggers)
max speed 5.6 mph
moving time 2 hrs 20 mins
Day 7 Peacock Slough River Camp to Adams Tract River Camp
We are getting near the end of our trip and starting to feel the sadness of having to go back to reality. We are going to stop by Suwannee River Rendezvous for some hot breakfast, and another break just to have a break. The night before i mentioned to Ken that maybe we should take the time to get my truck from the start point so we didnt have to get it on our last day and we could take our time Saturday. He thought it was a good idea so we planned on doing that after breakfast.
The night temps were great, and the morning was great also, there was a slight fog on the water with the sun breaking though. (picture above). We werent in a big hurry but i think we were all looking foward to breakfast so we got loaded pretty early ( could have been the practice all week also ).
We were going along and there was a spring we wanted to go to before the Rendezvous. We were getting closer to the spring and i saw the "military school" group looking at the spring. They finished looking at it when we got closer so we could take a look. "Running Springs" was the name of the spring, it had a rock "dam" in the front of it so there wasnt a way to paddle into it. The water was running fast out if it, and there was the sound of running water. Debi and i paddled close to get a look and take pictures. Maria and the girls stopped on the other side to get out of there boats and take a look. After we saw the spring and took pictures Casey wanted to look. This wasnt a spring to swim in but pretty to look at.
We passed by a old train trestle that was spun about 1/2 way around so no one could walk across it or whatever they would do. Ken had warned us to be careful of the eddys behind the trestle, it was very strong so closer up pictures didnt happen for us. There were gears on the outside that amazed me. I dont know how long the trestle has been abandoned but its all rusty.
The next bridge was a blue suspension bridge, that was pretty busy. This bridge was bright, and very busy. The other bridges we had gone under werent as loud as this one. Im guessing it was due to the metal instead of concrete. You could also look up and see through the bridge, they had "metal grates" in the middle.
We werent far from the Rendezvous and that meant breakfast and more coffee. It took longer than i thought it would, but whats the hurry. We landed on the boat ramp ( kayak ramp) and made our way to Grandma Suzies Snack Shack for some breakfast. On the walk i wanted to be sure i had my keys to the truck so i didnt have to walk back to the boat. Well the keys werent where i thought i had put them. Now in a panic, I didnt want to have to unpack everything to look for them. It was driving me nuts during the long wait for breakfast. ( we waited for a good while at breakfast, they were training people, but no hurry for us) . Debi, Casey and Me got eggs, ham, hashbrowns, toast, coffee and OJ. Debi got grits. Im not sure what the others got but was worth the wait.
After breakfast i had to find my keys. Debi was trying to calm me down the entire time but until those keys were in my hands i couldnt stop worrying about it. They were in the second place we looked, right where i put them. All that worry for nothing. Now it was time to go so we could get back on the boat. We dropped the woman and girls ( young woman) at the pool and left for a 2 hour trip. We tried to hurry but we had to make a couple of small stops at the grocery store and gas station. I realized that the break in the middle of the trip probably was a bad idea, it kinda killed the mood. Well what you gonna do huh?
After we got back about 2 1/2 hours later we made it back. Debis feet were starting to swell real bad from sitting in the boat all week. She was hurting pretty bad and needed to put them up. Ken and Maria also wanted to drop off some unused gear, and extra gear. We only had one night left so no need for any extra stuff. The removed stuff pretty fast and we jumped in the boats. There was a spring Maria really wanted to get to.
We arrived at the prettiest spring that i have ever seen, the water was the darkest blue you could imagine. I knew then why they gave it the name of " Royal Springs ". I looked around and saw this wood platform hanging above the dark blue water. And knew that i had to jump that thing, it wasnt that far up and surely it was safe to do. So naturally i took off my hat, and shirt ( i kept the shirt dry so i wouldnt freeze the rest of the day). Debi says " what are you doing?", i said im gonna jump, i hear a OH MY. Casey came with me, and soon Maria and Angelia came up. Before the girls got there i looked over the edge, and Wow the depth of the water, with the blue was breathtaking. Oh wait maybe it wasnt the beauty of the water maybe it was the height of the deck above the COLD water. Yep thats what it was taking my breath, knowing the water was going to be cold, and i HATE the feeling of falling. So not liking cold water at all and now the fall hmmm i dont know if i could do it. I get my nerves together and go to the edge, then Angelia throws her life jacket over. LOL that made me not want to jump again. Then i hear a voice from above, yes above us. There was a man that jumped out of a tree that had to be 40 to 50 ft high. There was no way i would do that! Just after that Maria jumps , then Angelia jumps, NOW I HAVE NO CHOICE but to jump. I cant be beat by a girl. I think to myself, how and looking 15 ft up look so much shorter than 15 ft down? I jump in the frigged water, plunge down deep into the deep blue water, i surface, swim to shore then dry off. There i did it. Not to be out done Casey jumps, and Maria and Angelia jump again. I was so proud of Angelia for going not just once but 2 times, and faster than i did.
We had to leave so to get to camp, Maria wanted to find another spring, but it was difficult to get to. We say the military school coming down the river bank from somewhere around the spring. With Debis feet hurting we decided to continue to camp. We pushed hard to beat the school there, and get a good site. The boy scouts already got there, but left us 2 shelters. One of the shelters were the handicap shelters, no steps and close to the bathroom. We took this one so it was easier on Debi, Casey already put his gear in 2 shelters to make sure we got both of the ones we reserved. Ken and family were still on the river when the military school came to camp.
When the school showed up they didnt have a shelter AGAIN, there wasnt anyway that we could give ours up due to Debis feet and Kens girls. The leader of the school group said they reserved a shelter, i told him we reserved 2. He said no problem, he went to the boy scouts and explained the situation. Apparently the boy scouts only reserved 2 but kept on grabbing 3 shelters. It made for a " tense " couple of minutes but all got worked out.
After getting set up we started getting ready for dinner. The boy scouts brought over their left overs, just because they didnt want to waist it. It was chicken with cranberry and stuffing. I didnt want any but the rest of us did. We gladly took it and thanked them. Ken started to boil water for his dinner and realized that he left all of their food for dinner back in the van. It would have been a bad night but the boy scouts saved the day. ( Trail Magic ? i think so again ).
Tradition says we have to stay up and finish burning the fire wood on the last night. Problem was we had 2 1/2 bundles and we were all pretty tired. Me, Casey and Debi gave Maria and the girls a pass along with Ken. They were beat. Then a little bit later Ken came back, he couldnt sleep. So we sat there and talked. Debi looked over and saw Ken falling asleep in the camp chair. We "woke" him and sent him to bed. We didnt finish all the wood, we left 1 full bundle. We decided to leave the bundle to anyone that needed it . We will call it more " trail magic"
Not looking forward to tomorrow.....LAST DAY >>> BOOOO
 |
| a tree in the middle of a shole |
 |
| Note says... free to good home, please keep warm and dry.... River magic |
average speed 4 mph
max speed 6.2 mph
Day 8 last day.....Boo
We woke up on the last day of the trip and my mood was somber. I really couldnt believe it was coming to a end. Even God must of been sad because it rained most of the night, it must of been His tears.
Coffee was great with Debi again. We walked over to the pavilion so we didnt wake Casey up with our talking. Ken came up a little while later, and so did the boy scouts. The military school was packing up early as always. We were in no rush to get started, so we drank more and more coffee. Casey woke up and we drank more coffee. Ken was getting food ready ( he didnt forget the brekfast or desert ). It was the last day for us, the boy scouts, and the military school. The boy scouts had there vehicles at the campsite so no paddling for them, just driving to TN.
We got our boats ready for the last time, there were a couple of springs to see. The first spring to get to was Troy springs. This was a interesting place due to a sunken boat from the civil war. I didnt want to get cold in the water and I knew Ken was videoing the boat. I was trying to enjoy every moment. We got some free coffee, and got to walk around a little bit. Debi was still hurting but wanted to look around. This was a pretty park, but we didnt stay very long.
We paddled to the next spring, which would be our last for the trip. We all sat there and ate lunch, the girls and Maria went swimming then Ken went right after them. Me and Debi sat in the sun enjoying the music that a lady behind us was playing. Debi fell asleep for a little bit, Casey walked around for a while. I think we were all not wanting to stop yet. We hung around there for a good while, over a hour. I was watching the kids play all around us. There were a lot more people here than any other place we had been on the entire trip. There were also boats going back and forth.
When it was time to leave Maria started joking about putting her boat on the trailer and how sad it would be. The joking turned into tears for a second, i totally understood.
The only ones that werent as sad as us were the girls, this had been a tough trip on them and they earned the right to be ready to go home. Savannah was missing her birds and Angelia was missing her life at home next to her books and shower. It was the end of a EPIC ADVENTURE. Ken called the shuttle to come get us and then the trip had come to a end,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 |
| Our last spring |
 |
| THE END |
Great job on your blog honey. I loved every second of this trip. Even the cold rainy days ( would have liked more sun but we take what we can get.). Thank you for an AMAZING trip !!! I can't wait to get to do this again.... sorry about the hot cider LOL
ReplyDeleteI love you
I haven't begun to read this journey, but i've got to say that i'm proud of ALL of you!!!! Me ... The Hilton. Thanks! LOL
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this trip with y'all. Thank you all again for including me in your vacation. Let's do it again soon!
ReplyDelete