January 25, 2012 Wakulla springs Florida

We were drove to Manatee Springs State Park .

On the way we saw this bumper sticker. Reminds me of my sentiments when I lived in Cody. Also in the state park brochure was this photo for Big Shoals State Park-it has the only white water in Florida. Also had John’s name on it-he must be meant to go there. He looked up the flows and it was o low to run now.

We passed the ice box museum in Apalachicola. John Gorrie had the first patent on a refrigerator. It was closed so we did not stop. Apalachicola is famous for its 7000 acres of oyster beds-990% of the the states oysters come from here-and 10% of the US’s oysters.

Scenic highway in Florida. The first is thru pine/palmetto forest. The second is along the beach. Notice the bear crossing sign-they even live here. I always thought they only lived in the mountains. Along this road are many nice homes back in the trees. I guess they have hurricane damage thru here. We saw a completely concrete house being built that had a banner on it that said  Guaranteed hurricane proof.

I am so glad we did not stop at the Ho-Hum RV park. It was a big parking lot with hookups. Ho Hum. Here is an inmate working. . .

I read about Wakulla Springs State Park. It is ne of the biggest deepest springs in the world. Also has a beautiful lodge built in 1937 and has a gourmet dining room. So we decided to stop for lunch.

 

It was also the place they filmed the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Here it is above.

It also is the home of Henry the Pole Vaulting fish. The mullets just throw themselves from the water. Pretty entertaining. This is a a close as I got of a photo-the splash afterwards. On the sight seeing boat tours they have them jump over a stick.

Manatees also live in this spring. Here is the tour boat. It is glass bottomed so you they can sit above the spring inlet and you can look down into it. There are alligators and manatees also you can look at, and of course the pole vaulting fish. John refused to stay long enough to take the tour.  So here the boat I wanted to ride, but John wouldn’t let me. . .

The Wakulla Lodge

John on the grounds between the lodge and the spring. The worlds longest marble  countertop in the snack bar.

The ceiling in the lobby was hand painted. Here is John in the dining room. It over looks the spring. He had blackened tilapia and I had a club sandwich. We shared some fried green tomatoes.

old Joe a 11 foot alligator that lived in the spring , he was poached in 1962.

the grounds and me with a camellia bush. Mother always took our photos in front of the camellia bush.

Florida is  limestone under the soil. It has been eroded by acid rain into caverns, underground rivers and springs. It is like a giant limestone sponge. Florida has 600 springs.