Paddlewisers, Returning to my ancestral home in Florida (Hollywood!) and looking for a paddle trip upstate involving springs. In the distant past I've canoed on the Santa Fe river and camped at will next to lovely little springs. Anybody have any insider info? We're looking for a short trip, a night or two out. We will probably do a round trip, as we'll be just one vehicle. We'd also entertain several day paddles not too far apart. Withlacoochee? Ocala? Thanks y'all *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
You may be shocked. I'm a former 'Gator and did lots of paddling in that area years ago. Things have changed horribly. There has been a spate of water withdrawals from the aquifers there with no regulation at all. Photos I've recently seen show the Santa Fe as a trickle. I too know that river well and have camped along it. Also the Itchtucknee (which is now a state park and has 'seasons'). A lot of springs seem not to have fared well either. Those along the Santa Fe are heavily commercialized and often trashy. Camping's possible along the Suwannee. The places I always liked were Alexander and Juniper Springs in Ocala National Forest, Hillsborough River near Tampa/St. Pete, The Wekiva River North of Orlando, and parts of the WeekiWachee river. The Silver River (& silver springs) is nowhere near as good as it once was... All these are daytrips and need a shuttle. There's a book I ran across recently on "Soft Paddling in Florida" which has useful information and there is an outfitter's association with a website. I would also recommend googling Mark Renz and browsing his blog. He's a photographer/amateur paleontologist down near LaBelle, but wanders all over... Joe Pylka Hopewell, NJ -----Original Message----- >From: E Sullivan <sullied33_at_hotmail.com> >Sent: Jan 30, 2013 11:54 AM >To: paddle wise <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net> >Subject: [Paddlewise] Florida Springs Paddle? > >Paddlewisers, Returning to my ancestral home in Florida (Hollywood!) and >looking for a paddle trip upstate involving springs. In the distant past I've >canoed on the Santa Fe river and camped at will next to lovely little springs. >Anybody have any insider info? We're looking for a short trip, a night or two >out. We will probably do a round trip, as we'll be just one vehicle. We'd also >entertain several day paddles not too far apart. Withlacoochee? Ocala? Thanks >y'all *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
This is what Ocala & Silver River looked like in May 07. One of my best kayak trips. https://picasaweb.google.com/104857685363900679676/Ocala# -----Original Message----- From: Joe P. Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 3:11 PM To: E Sullivan ; paddle wise Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Florida Springs Paddle? You may be shocked. I'm a former 'Gator and did lots of paddling in that area years ago. Things have changed horribly. There has been a spate of water withdrawals from the aquifers there with no regulation at all. Photos I've recently seen show the Santa Fe as a trickle. I too know that river well and have camped along it. Also the Itchtucknee (which is now a state park and has 'seasons'). A lot of springs seem not to have fared well either. Those along the Santa Fe are heavily commercialized and often trashy. Camping's possible along the Suwannee. The places I always liked were Alexander and Juniper Springs in Ocala National Forest, Hillsborough River near Tampa/St. Pete, The Wekiva River North of Orlando, and parts of the WeekiWachee river. The Silver River (& silver springs) is nowhere near as good as it once was... All these are daytrips and need a shuttle. There's a book I ran across recently on "Soft Paddling in Florida" which has useful information and there is an outfitter's association with a website. I would also recommend googling Mark Renz and browsing his blog. He's a photographer/amateur paleontologist down near LaBelle, but wanders all over... Joe Pylka Hopewell, NJ -----Original Message----- >From: E Sullivan <sullied33_at_hotmail.com> >Sent: Jan 30, 2013 11:54 AM >To: paddle wise <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net> >Subject: [Paddlewise] Florida Springs Paddle? > >Paddlewisers, Returning to my ancestral home in Florida (Hollywood!) and >looking for a paddle trip upstate involving springs. In the distant past >I've >canoed on the Santa Fe river and camped at will next to lovely little >springs. >Anybody have any insider info? We're looking for a short trip, a night or >two >out. We will probably do a round trip, as we'll be just one vehicle. We'd >also >entertain several day paddles not too far apart. Withlacoochee? Ocala? >Thanks >y'all *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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