Today, we went to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park (http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/default.cfm). Like many of the Florida state parks we’ve visited, this one started out as a private park, owned by a wealthy family and given to the state. The movie “Creature from the Black Lagoon” was filmed here, plus some of the Tarzan movies. We saw the black lagoon – it was a beautiful blue with lots of green swamp land around it. Anything but scary.
We started with a three-mile boat ride from the spring through part of the headwaters of the Wakulla River. We saw lots of turtles, birds, and a pair of manatee.
All that fresh air made us pretty hungry and we’d had too many PB&Js over the last couple days to eat our packed lunches. We dined in style in the ballroom restaurant, sitting near a large arched window overlooking the wide front lawn and springs. We reviewed a menu from 1936, and then chose entrees from the modern one. The food was good and we wondered who else, over the years, had sat at that table and gazed at those springs.
After lunch, we hiked through the woods, toting binoculars and a bird book. Other than a few salamanders, we saw absolutely no birds. We heard a couple, but saw none. How can that be? Where were they?
You may be familiar with the passport the National Park Service started many years ago (http://www.nps.gov/history/heritageareas/INFO/passport.htm) to help get children interested in the National Parks. We’ve always been fans of the national passport. This year, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Florida State Park System, there is now a Florida Passport. Of course, we purchased one and got our first stamp.
I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe that Kelly didn't see even 1 turkey vulture!
ReplyDelete