photohikedive
Guest
MDB and I decided to skip out of the washing machine dive that the Destin Jetties promised to be. We instead decided on a lazy tour of parts of the area we haven't been to before. Eventually ending up at Merritt's Mill Pond.
We visited Pitt's Spring on the Econfina Creek. A creek littered with small springs, and promising to make a good boat ride, on another day. We visited a small roadside stand on Highway 231 north, between the towns of Fountain and Alford. There we spoke with an interesting woman who had a tank of live alligators, and a shotgun in an upright glass door Coke fridge. I purchaced a $2 cup of boiled peanuts and we continued towards Marianna.
Dripping salty peanut juice all over the steeringwheel and everything else, we arrived in Marianna, and decided to check out a lower section of the Chipola River. The Chipola is the river that the spill off from Merrit's Mill meets up with. It is well known as a source of fossils. South of the interstate, just off from Highway 71 south, is Magnolia road. Where the road meets the river, is a canoe rental place, and it appeared to be for sale. I am sure this is a bit of a money maker, with as many people I saw just that day renting canoes. All very interesting, but by now we were ready to get in the water ourselves.
We had to make a stop at Cave Adventurers, where I asked about the boat launches on the pond. The one we usually use is nearly an all day trip to the north end of the pond, using my electric trolling motor. Today, we were just on rowing ability, (I had let my registration for the boat run out) and wanted to be as close as possible. While there, an "emergency" call came in. It seems that a boat fell off a trailer. The man at the store asked for my help, and off we went. Turns out, that the store owner's boat trailer broke it's lock on the winch, and the boat slipped off the back, and into the street while driving. They had managed to put it back on the trailer by the time we arrived, so MDB and I went back to the task at hand.
Down at the end of Day Loop Road, by way of Blue Springs Road, by way of Highway 71 north out of Marianna, was the promised boat launch. Not a good spot for trailers, because of the soft sediment in the water, and sandy shore. But for us in a little "tin can of doom" it was perfect. A short row up the pond, and we reached Shangri-la. MDB and I finished suiting up, and entered the water. It was amazingly clear. Better than our last visit the previous summer. The hydrilla was clogging the pond that visit, and had died down to a much more reasonable level. I tried out my walmart video camera housing. And we caught crayfish. The housing was a success! My video skills, not so much. First attempt I had been swimming around with the zoom all the way in, so nothing was discernable. The second attempt, I didn't have it recording.
MDB had made contact with a gentlman from the area via email. He is the founder of the NWFLEC. A field biologist and herpetoligist, he and MDB are tow of a kind. So, she was rather embarrased, after coming up from an unsuccessful crawfish catch, blurting unladylike references to the parrentage of the crawfish in question. There on the top of the ledge, was Karl and his girlfriend Cindi. He took us on a brief tour of the area immediately surrounding Shangri-la. There we were shown a few of the bats living in one of the caves. Several interesting plants, that are usually found over a thousand miles north, back where MDB and I are from, were living comfortably in this small area. Eventually Karl and Cindy left us, and MDB and I continued our aquatic adventure.
MDB hopped into the boat, and I towed it from Shangri-la, to the bouys. I caught a few more crawfish in this time. From there I dragged myself back into the boat and rowed it back to the launch. Once there, I redonned my gear, and hunted among the cypress trees along the shore. There I was able to double our catch, while MDB changed, and loaded some of the gear into the truck.
Eventually we were ready to go. MDB and I ended our adventure by meeting FishWhisperer at Sally's for dinner.
It was another great day in the Florida paradise that we call home.
We visited Pitt's Spring on the Econfina Creek. A creek littered with small springs, and promising to make a good boat ride, on another day. We visited a small roadside stand on Highway 231 north, between the towns of Fountain and Alford. There we spoke with an interesting woman who had a tank of live alligators, and a shotgun in an upright glass door Coke fridge. I purchaced a $2 cup of boiled peanuts and we continued towards Marianna.
Dripping salty peanut juice all over the steeringwheel and everything else, we arrived in Marianna, and decided to check out a lower section of the Chipola River. The Chipola is the river that the spill off from Merrit's Mill meets up with. It is well known as a source of fossils. South of the interstate, just off from Highway 71 south, is Magnolia road. Where the road meets the river, is a canoe rental place, and it appeared to be for sale. I am sure this is a bit of a money maker, with as many people I saw just that day renting canoes. All very interesting, but by now we were ready to get in the water ourselves.
We had to make a stop at Cave Adventurers, where I asked about the boat launches on the pond. The one we usually use is nearly an all day trip to the north end of the pond, using my electric trolling motor. Today, we were just on rowing ability, (I had let my registration for the boat run out) and wanted to be as close as possible. While there, an "emergency" call came in. It seems that a boat fell off a trailer. The man at the store asked for my help, and off we went. Turns out, that the store owner's boat trailer broke it's lock on the winch, and the boat slipped off the back, and into the street while driving. They had managed to put it back on the trailer by the time we arrived, so MDB and I went back to the task at hand.
Down at the end of Day Loop Road, by way of Blue Springs Road, by way of Highway 71 north out of Marianna, was the promised boat launch. Not a good spot for trailers, because of the soft sediment in the water, and sandy shore. But for us in a little "tin can of doom" it was perfect. A short row up the pond, and we reached Shangri-la. MDB and I finished suiting up, and entered the water. It was amazingly clear. Better than our last visit the previous summer. The hydrilla was clogging the pond that visit, and had died down to a much more reasonable level. I tried out my walmart video camera housing. And we caught crayfish. The housing was a success! My video skills, not so much. First attempt I had been swimming around with the zoom all the way in, so nothing was discernable. The second attempt, I didn't have it recording.
MDB had made contact with a gentlman from the area via email. He is the founder of the NWFLEC. A field biologist and herpetoligist, he and MDB are tow of a kind. So, she was rather embarrased, after coming up from an unsuccessful crawfish catch, blurting unladylike references to the parrentage of the crawfish in question. There on the top of the ledge, was Karl and his girlfriend Cindi. He took us on a brief tour of the area immediately surrounding Shangri-la. There we were shown a few of the bats living in one of the caves. Several interesting plants, that are usually found over a thousand miles north, back where MDB and I are from, were living comfortably in this small area. Eventually Karl and Cindy left us, and MDB and I continued our aquatic adventure.
MDB hopped into the boat, and I towed it from Shangri-la, to the bouys. I caught a few more crawfish in this time. From there I dragged myself back into the boat and rowed it back to the launch. Once there, I redonned my gear, and hunted among the cypress trees along the shore. There I was able to double our catch, while MDB changed, and loaded some of the gear into the truck.
Eventually we were ready to go. MDB and I ended our adventure by meeting FishWhisperer at Sally's for dinner.
It was another great day in the Florida paradise that we call home.
LOL
