For most of her history, even early in the 20th century, Florida was a place of few roads and even fewer good roads. People traveled by waterways, rough trails, and the sandy beaches.
A road like this would have been considered a fine highway even during the Tin Can Tourist era. This elevated road snakes a short distance through cypress swamps until it reaches the Suwannee River and a small boat ramp.
Reflecting back on last Sunday, I actually went here BEFORE going to the piney watermanagement lands for a walkabout that I posted about on Tuesday.
So ... I was even later than you might have imagined.
But ...seriously, would you rush through this? Is flavored, sweetened, frozen secretion from bovine modified sweat glands really that crucial?
Sometimes, the ice cream just has to melt.
The cypressy causeway ends along the south bank of the Suwannee River. As I arrived, literally as I stepped out of the JEEP, a huge sturgeon lept from the river, hung for that brief second that seems so much longer, and then fell to the water with an enormous splash.
A minute later, and I would have been pointing my camera out there composing a shot.
So of course, I had to wait a while, finger poised on shutter release ... waiting.
Not as totally crazy as it seems by the way, these huge fish jump alot and we've already had a few boaters get whacked this year.
Since you're going to ask why they jump ... I'll tell you.
They jump because they are happy.
After all ... it's the spawning season.
17 comments:
I'm glad you're so easily distracted. (I hope you're not taking any medicine to correct that.)
So peaceful looking, I wouldn't have rushed either.
Those photos are beautiful. I think of everything FL has to offer, cypress swamps are my favorite - even over the beaches. There's something mysterious about those swamps and I swear you can hear Indian whispers in there. Definitely better than ice cream!
"They jump because they're happy."
(Just to be in Florida!)
It sure is pretty there, fc.
I understand the stopping by the wayside too...it is a time honored tradition that makes life fuller and better. The gang and I...whatever one I happen to be with...stop at that pond with the fish culvert almost every time we go to Cobleskill.You never know what you will see there...this summer alone we have spotted GB herons, an otter, beavers, muskrats, geese, ducks, fish galore...better than any TV.
Too bad you missed the shot of the sturgeon, but wow! To even see one is spectacular!
What road is this? It looks similar to the Dixie Mainline road just outside of the town of Suwannee, although this road doesn't intersect with the Suwannee River.
Down here it's the mullet that jump for joy. At least they don't knock people out or kill them!
If I had roads like that close to home, I don't think I'd be home very much...like Ann, the swamps are more special to me than beaches. I try to imagine what it was like for the early settlers and indians...We really screwed this place up, but at least there are still a few quiet, untamed places left to explore.
And when you describe ice cream like that it sounds too gross to eat!
Thick, sweetened, frozen flavored, sweaty secretions? Hmmmmm. (scratches chin)...
Maybe the pigs will eat it.
You're lucky. We don't have sturgeon down here. In fact, dang near all of Florida's are IN the Suwannee. I looked it up.
I'd let the ice cream melt, too, if I lived anywhere near the Suwannee River.
I have yet to have a sturgeon scare, but I am sure I will when I kayak the full 213 miles of that river (which I WILL do at least once before graduating.)
Nice pictures, especially the new foggy title picture!
Pablo,
No ... I enjoy being distracted.
Dani,
And no mosquitoes either thanks to some recent cool weather.
SCMomma,
And lower calories than ice cream too.
Naturally,
That's why I jump ... although the sturgeon's reason is a pretty good one too!
Robin,
Thanks! Hope your back is behaving.
3C,
I'm making a sturgeon shot a longterm goal.
Alan et al,
It's the road into the Usher Boat Ramp ... part of Manatee Springs State Park.
Swampangel,
Leave it to a science teacher to take the fun out of ice cream.
Now, let's talk about how jello is made ...
Freste,
I've been known to make a pig of myself over ice cream.
Troll,
They are a fish of limited habitat. A few years ago a huge dead one showed up in Tampa Bay.
HT,
In yet another parallel across the years ... I swore I would canoe the entire Appalachicola River when I was in college, but girls got in the way and I never did it ... canoe the river that is.
You have been warned.
Great photos!
I have almost "identical" looking photos of the a cypress-encircled watering hole that I took in Big Cypress Nat'l Preserve earlier this Spring!
I really had to do a "double take" ... that's how similar they looked.
Is the Suwannee still running high? Don't answer that ... I'll update my Suwannee River dataset and give you an update ... stay tuned.
Hmmm...well, that might explain why I haven't been doing a lot of jumping lately, so yeah, the Chunky Monkey is fairly critical right now. ;D
Great photos though..
Glad you are realized that all work and no play makes for dullness. It is good to see you out and about again. Beautiful photos.
FC my friends wondered why i jump all the time,In my relm that season is 12 months long.there is no rong time for luv.what tranquel pictures S T E B
Robert,
Go for it. I was a seasonal in 1981 in Big Cy.
Annie,
ROFL!!
Chunky Monkey is my favorite B&J icecream.
Cathy S,
Work is such an interference. Thanks!
STEB,
Jumping is good.
Post a Comment