Paddling the Panhandle

I am beginning this Tale at 7:50 PM, Friday October 7, 2011 in a little “hotel room” at Econfina River State Park. Tom G. who I have known my entire life, is on his way from Gulf Shores, Alabama. This park, southeast of Tallahassee, is just about midway between Gulf Shores and Winter Park. A bit closer for me. At $65 a night, can’t beat the location. Small, but I plan to be in the great outdoors most of the time. As I was today. Here are pics of the accommodations.

No Internet, unless I can guess nearby passwords. No TV, and I can’t find the Brewer game on the radio to see how much they won by. If you are reading, this it must be Sunday night and I have inserted photos-- the numbers are where more photos will be inserted, after cutting, pasting and posting the text I am writing/had written Friday night.

This is the fifth time I have been in the Florida Panhandle. The first 4 were between August, 2003, and November 2004. On those occasions I drove on I-10. Today, I was further south, on State Highway 98. Uncharted territory for me. Got my usual early start, on the road at 5:30 am. Turnpike to 27 to 98. 27 meets 98 in Perry, FL, county seat of Taylor County. Home of the Forest Capitol Museum State Park. Logging is huge in this part of Florida. Not much traffic, but for a while every other vehicle was hauling logs. St. Joseph Paper Co. may still be the largest landowner in the area. Verification will have to wait until I’m back to civilization.  Down to #2 in the state, according to .tampabay.com
When I woke at 4:30, I thought, if I leave now, I’ll be able to yak the Wacissa River, visit Wakula Springs State Park, get to Econfina River State Park, and paddle there before dinner.

The Wacissa is west of the Econfina River. I was in the water at 9:50. I had sent an email to Peggy S., the brilliant photographer of Kayak Paddle Tales. The Wacissa is her home water. She gracisouly gave tips on where a couple springs are and how to find them. The first spring seems to be right off the boat ramp. Or maybe its further back, the ramp appears to be in a spring run. Which is very shallow. Which explains why there is a second, rock ramp, not concrete like the one I launched next to, directly on the Wacissa River. To the right of that is a cove, with a crumbling concrete wall. Definite spring. Hydrilla filled, unfortunately. As is much of the River near the launch site. Neither spring so far were the ones Peggy told me about.

Cassidy Spring is River right, as you go downstream.

I held the camera underwater.

Blue Spring, yes, yet another “Blue Spring” is on the left side. The tip was to look for a lot of cypress knees. I also read a report Frances, aka, Paddlesolo posted on the Green Wave Forum. With a photo of the entrance. Having that in mind’s eye made it easy to find.

And what a find. Paddling up a crystal clear spring run a few hundred yards to an immense drop off. One thing confused me. There was no pontoon raft in the spring. I’ve seen it pictured many times, often with an alligator. Wonder what happened to it. There are wooden steps to get up the steep bank. I landed on some limestone, pulled the yak part way on shore, put on the snorkel gear, and went under.

Jefferson County Blue Spring is comparable to Volusia County Blue Spring, and Manatee Spring, in size. And I had it to myself.  Here are stats and other info from the Florida Geological Survey

Only fish I saw, a bluegill.

As I toweled off, three kayakers entered. Locals, they commented on the missing raft. So I’m not crazy. Although I do have a hole in my head. From head butting the rear crossbar as I loaded the car a 5 am. Well, not a hole, just a dent. Good thing I was traveling with lots of frozen water bottles.

Peggy had mentioned a narrow, shallow water course at the back of Blue Spring, that, if deep enough, leads back to the Waccisa. An alternate route. I asked one of the kayakers if it was navigable. “You can’t get through”

I got through.

I turned back shortly after I re-entered the River, the exit being downstream of the main run to Blue Spring. From which the three kayakers emerged as I paddled past. “Hello again” “You made it !”

The section of the Wacissa I paddled is broad. Reminds me of the Central Florida Wekiva River down stream of State Highway 46.

Very little boat traffic. Which is why once I woke at 4:30, I decided to keep moving. I have been advised air boats use the Wacissa. One today, and it went on the other side of an island just off the boat ramp.

I paddled past the launch site, up a narrow run, maybe man made. A rental concession is on the left. Or right as you drive to the launch site.  Sunday update-from the FGS link above, I now know this is a spring run.

41 44

I landed at 11:45 at the rocky ramp. Two woman is a canoe had launched at the other one, and walked their canoe to deeper water. These guys

Pulled their boat in from the grass, not the ramp. Selfish Dave likes the shallow ramp. It will keep folks from launching.

The above was written Friday.  I'm home now, after a rainy drive home- Glad it did, as I made it home in time for the start of the Brewer game.  I did not know for sure they were playing until I heard a voice mail from by buddy Rick K. 

Back to Friday.  As long as I was in the area, I thought I'd visit Wakula Springs State Park.

No boating allowed, other than on the Park's tour boats.

Sixty two minutes between the last Wacissa River photo and the tour boats photo.   My timing was perfect. A fleet of school buses was loading as I arrived.  Wakulla Spring is huge.  FGS Wakulla  Unfortunately, the spring its self is off limits.  Swimming is in a roped off area.  No one was in the water, until a kid jumped of a concrete dive tower.  I just took pictures.

Two manatees were between the swim area and the Spring.  The kids on the tower said there had been eight earlier. I went back to the car for my snorkel gear.   Past the Lodge, built in 1937.

Into the water.

 There two large swim/sunning platforms are in the designated swim area, along with the dive tower.

 I swam along the boundary rope, hoping a manatee might swim past.

 Just a mullett.  I did see a lunker bass.

Basswood tree, that is.

Now that I have been to Wakulla Springs State Park, I see no reason to return.  I prefer Wacissa Blue Spring-- and there are more springs to discover on the Wacissa.

I headed east on US 98 to Econfina River State Park.  That's E co feen a River.  Not to be confused with E co fina a Creek.  The latter is 100 miles to the west.  Here's an interesting essay on the early days of the State Park from one of my favorite webistes Springs Fever.  You'll have to scroll down to the end.  Today, the Park is separate from the private concession described in the essay.  The Park is no frills, boat ramp, hiking trail head across from the room we stayed in.  I'm sure the room was part of the old
McKay operation.  In the woods, are similar, but dilapidated buildings.  And utility boxes where other units must have been in the past.  Not to mention the rest rooms, in a building with better furniture than the overnight accommodation.   Two upholstered chairs.

 The above photos are from the shore, the ramp docks, and the only one of many old docks that is not closed off due to dilapidation.
I put the kayak in the River at 3:45.

 The Econfina River is a blackwater river, not spring fed.  Yet, it has more limestone, the signature stone of Florida springs, than any waterway I have paddled.  The entire river bed, as far as I could see, is limestone. And I saw a lot, as I paddled up River at what had to be low, or near low tide.  The ramp is about 2 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

Scraped the bottom of the yak a few times.

After an hour's paddling, I had to turn back.  No way I was walking across this limestone quarry.

Wood barriers were not a problem.

Up river of the "resort" are a few houses.  No boats on the upper River.

Boats launching at the Park ramp head to the Gulf.
I did not see this as I drove in,

I called Tom.  Poor guy worked all day, so he missed a fine meal.

He made it well after sunset.