Taking a multi-day trip to the Springs

[Wibble]

It took me a bit to find this, but this is my all time favorite raptor pic. Red Shoulder Hawk by the main basin in Itchetucknee Springs. Yes, I was close enough to touch him and this was taken with my phone.

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Beautiful pictures. Interesting bokeh in the background of the first two pics!


edit: s/Beautify/Beautiful/g

 

[The Chairman]

Beautify pictures. Interesting bokeh in the background of the first two pics!

I love bromeliads! Florida is also home to the Tampenzi which is an epiphytic orchid. Look for them near the water among Resurrection Fern that is also an epiphyte. Live and water oaks are the perfect host. I love my adopted state!

 

[tarponchik]

There are no bells in the song!

Wrong river! The Chatooga up in NE Georgia was the actual river and it's a good paddle. I've also paddled the entire Suwannee twice from the Okefenoke Swamp to Cedar Key, and other parts many times.

Peacock is my favorite! I live 20 minutes from there.

Chattooga is not in Georgia. It begins in NC, then borders Georgia and SC.

 

[The Chairman]

Chattooga is not in Georgia. It begins in NC, then borders Georgia and SC.

How many miles did you paddle on it? I launched and left the river in Georgia from Tallulah Falls to Tugaloo. That was back in 77 and I don't remember much else, other than it was fun.

 

[tarponchik]

How many miles did you paddle on it? I launched and left the river in Georgia from Tallulah Falls to Tugaloo. That was back in 77 and I don't remember much else, other than it was fun.

This is Tallulah River, not Chattooga. Tallulah joins Chattooga in Lake Tugalo, which is basically a continuation of Chattooga River.

 

[The Chairman]

Have you actually been on it? I really don't get why my trip almost 50 years ago requires such scrutiny. Are you trying to seek dominance of some sort? It's not working. No one needs to be cyber harassed. Not even me. Go nitpick somewhere else.

 

[tarponchik]

Have you actually been on it? I really don't get why my trip almost 50 years ago requires such scrutiny. Are you trying to seek dominance of some sort? It's not working. No one needs to be cyber harassed. Not even me. Go nitpick somewhere else.

You made a false statement, I corrected it. That's it. If you took it personally, this is your problem.

And yes, I've been there many times. Last time a month ago, Sept 16th.

 

[Green Frog]

Mr Chairman,

I totally understand your warning and subscribe to its principles. In an earlier time of my life I spent lots of time spelunking in caves in VA and WV… “dry caves” which frequently had water or were very muddy. In many cases we got “confused“ (as David Crockett used to say) and spent a lot more time underground than planned.

As a result of these experiences I determined to keep my caving “dry” and to limit penetration dives to open caverns with an obvious way to the light and to swim throughs with plenty of clearance for my formerly portly self. For me, “never the twain shall meet”.

I have the greatest respect for those enthusiastic cave divers who “go boldly where none has gone before”, but at my age I don’t think I have time or inclination to develop the skill set and mindset to be a cave diver and survive the experience. Nonetheless, you dedicated cave divers have my greatest admiration and respect!

Regards,
Green Frog

 

[The Chairman]

You made a false statement,

You nitpicked. Nothing more. You've done it a lot to others and it's tiresome. Quite tiresome. There's no reasoning with an unreasonable person. I'm done with you and this conversation. Both are worthless to me.

“go boldly where none has gone before”

Back to the real topic: I'm a cave tourist, and nothing more. There are rules and mindsets to learn, but they aren't that difficult to master with a good instructor. Seeing all the fossils, the amazing geology, hydrology, and the cave critters is always awesome. Get the right gear, the right instruction, and most importantly, the right attitude and there is a lot to see. AND, the water never gets colder than 70F. I get to dive year-round.

 

[MrChen]

For AOW divers, are any of the springs DPV friendly and worth taking the DPV to?