The Ocala National Forest and paddling with monkeys

 

The Ocala National Forest, located north of Orlando, is the oldest national forest east of the Mississippi and the second largest national forest in Florida with 672 square miles.  Salt Springs campground, with full hookups, has been our home for the past 7 days. 

The forest has 4 major springs: Salt Springs-named for it’s composition of magnesium, potassium and sodium, Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs with a daily flow rate of 13 million gallons and Silver Glen Springs, flow rate of 65 million gallons. The first three springs have campgrounds and Silver Glen has picnic and swimming area.

Paddling our kayaks has been top priority.  A recent trip took us outside of the forest to the Silver River which flows out of Silver Springs.  This paddle has been on my bucket list for years as I wanted to see the Rhesus monkeys that were, reportedly, often spotted  on the river.  The monkeys are descendants from those turned loose during the 30’s.  It seems that local promoters thought they would make the river trip a more tropical adventure!

Five miles paddling upstream against a 2 to 3 mile per hour current seemed a bit too strenuous for our abilities, so I was hoping we could fight the current for two hours and then float back.  And we did! 

Think blue skies, smooth water,  palm trees and banks full of water lilies with an occasional alligator lying half hidden in the foliage.

        

Almost every log was full of turtles.

 

Lots of birds!  Ibis, cormorants, egrets, great and little blue herons and moorhens.  I missed seeing the river otter that came up alongside of hubby’s boat.  And the monkeys were spotted!  A large family, 9 or 10, were in the top of a tree hanging over the river.  I steered to the opposite side having been warned of the possibility of one landing in the boat with us!

Little Blue Heron

Ibis

      Egret

Water Hyacinths

 

I always hesitate to id unfamiliar plants but I believe that the water lily or hyacinth is an invasive plant from South America…..and saw that Florida spends 15 million a year trying to control it.  The other flower maybe pickerel weed.

We stopped at the two hour mark, got out our lunch and ate while drifting back down the river.

Two tired senior paddlers went to bed very early that night!

Warm at Salt Springs

 

What a difference 24 hours makes!  We left Ocean Pond campground on Monday morning arriving at Salt Springs CG in the Ocala National Forest by noon.  Check-in was a breeze as there were no one in front of us waiting for a site.  We had our choice of 3 long term campsites and I blindly picked site 46.  Luckily it has a nice big area just in front of the trailer that’s full of live oaks, palm trees and mischievous  squirrels.

Our bodies went through a shock with the temperature shift as it had been in the 50’s for most of our trip.  Now we were looking at 80’s for highs for the next 10 days.  I swore to myself that I would not complain about being hot!  Not after freezing for so much of the time at Fort Pickens.

February of 2010 was the last time we were here and I was anxious to see if anything had changed.  As soon as we got set up we walked to the canal, boat launch and spring.  David grabbed his camera and we were fortunate to see, not one,  but four different alligators soaking up the sun.

 

The next day we finally got to use the kayaks that we had been toting around for  two weeks.  The launch is just down from the spring and frequently, during winter months, manatees are in the spring run.  We weren’t disappointed as several of these gentle giants were playing in the water.  At one point as I was paddling around looking for the giants, two huge nostrils appeared right in front of my boat.  Quickly back paddling, I eased out of it’s way as I did not want it to come up under me!

Last night we went to the  recreation barn and played board games with friendly folks.  The barn was full of snowbirds woodworking, quilting and playing cards. I’m not much for games but the nights are very long and it was a pleasant way to spend part of the evening.

On Thursday the bikes got unloaded and we toured the campground, road through town and went down a sandy forest service road.  Purchased a bag of honey belles (oranges) from a roadside stand and started devouring them as soon as we got back to camp.  After lunch, knowing that the 80 plus weather was not going to last, I unpacked the bathing suit and headed to the spring.  Only a handful of swimmers were there so the solitude of the spring was not interrupted.

The water was wonderful, a cool 72 degrees, and I tried to work off the fried catfish, the previous night’s dinner, by swimming, or rather dog paddling, around the spring.

 

Salt Spring

Today was supposed to be another paddling day, instead we drove around the forest getting acquainted with other campgrounds.  Visited Eaton Lake’s campground…with the Senior Pass we could stay there for $4 a night!  It had 13 sites and only one camper who warned us that the ticks and chiggers were real bad. (No hookups, pit toilet) We drove on to Juniper Springs where there is also no hookups but a nice bathhouse and pretty campsites.  Probably will be our destination when we leave Salt Spring.

Eaton Lake

 Extremely tired tonight so just quitting the thinking part and posting more pictures.

 

Home at Salt Springs

Entrance to the spring

Salt Spring with the run, where the manatees play, in the background

Eaton Lake

Mexico Beach and Ocean Pond

 

It’s Monday night and we are at Ocean Pond campground in the Osceola National Forest and it’s been a long time since I’ve been somewhere this dark!  Thirty minutes after the sun set, I could not see my hand in front of my face.

We left Fort Pickens two days ago heading east along 98,  traveling through Fort Walton Beach and Destin to Mexico Beach where some old paddling buddies were wintering.  Got a royal reception with beans, cornbread and just from the oven chocolate chip cookies.  Had a great time catching up, unfortunately the weather did not cooperate for paddling or for a fishing tutorial.  Cold, cloudy and rain was the weather agenda.

So we washed clothes and went searching for a tail light for the Chatta-Egg.  Going down a busy highway, some good hearted soul had pulled up next to our passenger window and shouted “no brake lights or turn signal on the drivers side”!

Luckily the light was just burnt out and no major wiring was needed….don’t know why I can’t relax and not worry when the  camper has a problem.

 

El Governor RV Park in Mexico Beach

 

 

 

 

Sign just behind the Casita

Went out to the pier just after sunset….did not have my camera so used the phone.  No alterations here…this is what we saw.

Said our goodbyes this morning with promises to stay in touch and headed for Ocala National Forest with plans to use Ocean Pond as a stop-over.

Got to camp in time for David to grill steak while I headed to the water for evening pictures.

This is our 12th night out and our time is going so fast!  I tried to explain to our friends how our quality of life jumps exponentially when we take off in the Casita.  Not sure if it is the lack of an agenda or lack of responsibilities, but it’s related to the FREEDOM we feel while traveling in the egg.

Quiet Time on the Bay

It’s quiet in the campground with all the little eggs gone.  Some monster sized rigs have come in to take their place but it’s been so cold, everyone is holed up inside.

We went to bed early last night after spending all day inside.  Fixed an indoor meal of spaghetti and leftover chicken, splurged on a chocolate pudding cup and hot chocolate and jumped under the covers by 9PM.

Woke up hot this morning, threw off a layer of blankets and reached for my phone.  36 degrees outside according to the Weather Channel, how can I be hot?  Checked the temp inside and the gauge said 48 ⁰ .  I guess it’s the JC Penne’ comforter because the only place that’s warm is buried under the covers!

This is our last full day at Fort Pickens Campground and the weather station promised abundant sunshine!  Not sure if it will be warm enough to kayak before we leave….and the bikes remain packed in the back of the truck.  I’m thinking maybe a long hike to the fort and back?

Tomorrow we’re heading east along the panhandle to join friends from home who are camping (for the month) at Mexico Beach.  Not sure what to expect but they’re fishermen, well, she’s a fisherwoman!  Hope to learn a little about Florida surf fishing.

This has been a great place to camp, just wish it had been a little warmer.  Noticed that next weeks temps are all in the 60’s!

 

 Notice the big grins!  A frequent sight among our Casita group.

 

Unidentified orange flower… thought it might be Florida rosemary but the petals are not right.                                                                        

         

 

                                              

                                            Sunset over the gulf

 

                                                                                                  More unidentified flowers.    

Some locals showed me a path close to the nature trail that led out to the bay.  Although I was not too far from the campground, it felt like I was in my own private world. 

The rest of the pictures are from that walk.

                                                                   

                                                                      Jellyfish

   Dead Octopus

 

 Little black balls with a tar-like feeling.  Wondered if it was from the oil spill?

 More sea creatures???

Pensacola Bay front

 

                                                              Sand Pipers (?)

Don’t know if we will see much more of the beach after this week as most of our plans are for the interior of FL.  I have loved this ocean time.

Day 5 Pickens/Museum/Lighthouse

This is day 5 at Fort Pickens campground and the first time we have spent all day off the island.  Taking our Casita friends’ recommendations, we went to visit the Naval Museum and the Pensacola Lighthouse. 

Yesterday we toured the old structures of Fort Pickens which are just a mile or so west of the campground.

The other 4 days were spent getting to know more Casita people and solitary walking on the beaches and trails.  Now we are down to 4 trailers and I can finally call everyone by name.

Today was supposed to be a cloudy chilly day and that is how it turned out to be, but this morning it was nice with sun filtering through the clouds and enjoying breakfast outside.  Our agenda for the day, in order of importance was  lunch, the lighthouse, the museum, and groceries.  At the last minute I realized it was also important to me to get back through the gates before dark.  We almost did not get back in the one time we went out to dinner…couldn’t get the combination right!

We are on the western end of a barrier island next to the entrance of Pensacola Bay.  Looking south from the walls of the old fort you can see the Gulf on Mexico stretching out forever, looking north there is the huge Pensacola Bay with bitter winds creating waves not unlike the ocean next door.

Fort Pickens

 

entrance to Pensacola Bay

Pensacola Lighthouse

Naval Museum

Blue Angels

Lunar Landing

This last picture is of Bob Hope entertaining the troupes….

 

Although this post has some major flaws, it has been a long day and I am going to hit publish .  Trying to change to Live Writer and I have not figured it out.

Hope to publish more pictures soon.