The spring waters gush from the center of this pool. The deepest point, towards the center, is 30 feet. Doesn't it look inviting? I went snorkeling - it was beautiful and incredibly refreshing.
The water is cool and clear:
The spring waters flow over these rocks into the Spring Garden Creek:
This photo was taken from the Spring Garden Creek, looking back at the spring's falls:
We took a boat tour of Spring Garden Creek:
The tour guide said the water was really quite low, because there hasn't been a rainy season since 2009. I wonder what it looks like when it's high?
I think I finally saw the lush areas that William Bartram was describing - those areas filled with oaks, magnolias, wild orange trees, pines of all kinds, liquid ambers and maples. The growth along this river was lush and green, and I did see, finally, wild orange trees! This area is very different from the arid regions we have spent so much time driving through, of saw palmettos and lob lolly pines.
It's not easy to see, but to the right in the photo above is an anhinga spreading its wings to dry.
Above is the limpkin, which Lee and I have photographed several times on this trip. I found out that it was on this very creek that John James Audubon saw his first limpkin. Isn't that exciting? Well, for me, anyway, maybe not so much for you. I was thrilled. Audubon said this area was just like a garden, and it is. I am so glad I made this trip, and was able to see this part of Florida. It is amazing.
The anhinga, again.
Gators, of course.
Above is a little gator, sunning himself on a log. He looks like he is in the Garden of Eden.
Doesn't the above photo look like a Manet painting? There were blooming water lillies everywhere.
There were all kinds of birds, of course, including Great Blue Herons. They look like statuary:
And finally, a fisherman's boat shack. This was a beautifully picturesque river in every way.
No comments:
Post a Comment