Secret Gems of the Suwannee

Last week, I had the opportunity while traveling from Ocala to Tallahassee to spend a few hours exploring several well-off-the-beaten-path state parks along the Suwannee River. First stop: Troy Springs State Park, between Branford and Mayo off US 27. Since my last visit two years ago, they’ve added a 1/2 mile nature trail and a dock along the river, as well as picnic tables with special benches on which divers can set their tanks and hang their gear. While the focus of this park has always been diving, it’s nice to see cabins and a campground are in the works. Even on a Monday, visitors were splashing around in the spring, snorkeling in the cool water, chasing turtles. The dogwoods in full bloom framed a lovely scene of the Suwannee River.

From Mayo, I crossed the river for a fresh look at Peacock Springs State Park. I’d read they were working on a new interpretive trail that traced the underwater passages with hiking trails aboveground, but beyond the fabulous trailhead kiosk details, I couldn’t find much of a trail. Lots of small footpaths connect the sinks, and the water is unusually low between Peacock Springs and its outflow, so I could hop from rock to rock to check out some of the largest cypress knees I’ve encountered yet. One was up to my nose, and I’m 5′5″ !

Finally, I took the road less traveled to discover the new Lafayette Blue Springs State Park northwest of Mayo. It’s a gorgeous little park with primitive campground, picnicking and swimming, and a series of intensely deep and jagged sinkholes where the spring run sinks and rises on its way to the Suwannee. A beaten path, not quite a marked trail, circles around the most precipitous of the sinks. The rangers tipped me off to the adjoining Allen Pond Tract, which will soon become part of the state park, and will have a connecting hiking trail between. At the old mill pond, the remains of the pioneer-era mill are strewn among rocks and rapids, and the cypress knees beneath the ancient trees form forests of their own. I look forward to returning to find the spring, which was described to me as “like stepping into the Amazon.”

Sal’s online!

My sister and I have this friendly little rivalry. I continue to be amazed at the number of places she’s been and people she knows around the world, while she’s astounded at my published output. I’m pleased to announce my sister’s debut as a blogger with her new site, The Adventures of Mom, in which she recollects and recounts her travels around the world. Check it out!

And just to jog her memory to write a cool story, here we are on the beach at Goa. From left to right, from 1999: Sal, Debs, Paul, me, and Lenny sharing the magic teapot. Today, Lenny’s in an ashram, Debs still keeps traveling, and we hear from Paul now and again. Were it not for Lenny and Paul, we’d never have discovered this lovely beach where we spent nine days … and they were the nine most relaxing, carefree days of my life.

Pelicans, skimmers, and the Jungle

Spent Saturday celebrating Mom’s birthday with a road trip into our past – to Vero Beach and McKee Botanical Gardens, which was McKee Jungle Gardens last time we visited in the late 60s. It’s a lot smaller now, and no jungle critters running around or squawking, but delightfully preserved as a mazy meander of trails through a native hammock peppered with doses of tropical plants. Especially eye-catching: the colorful water lilies.  Amber tagged along and enjoyed the faux dinosaurs stationed throughout the park, on temporary exhibit, that made it feel more retro 60s under the royal palms.

On the way home, I detoured to a beach – who can resist? – where we saw skimmers huddling together against the wind, and to Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, which started the whole program back in 1903. Thanks to Teddy Roosevelt, migratory birds have protected stopping points and nesting areas. The pelicans were out on the island, but on the near impoundment, we watched a skimmer do its thing, over and over skimming the surface for a mouthful of bugs.

The Centennial Time Capsule is due to be opened on the park’s bicentennial, 96 years from now, and I told Amber she needs to be there to interpret it!