Thursday, October 30, 2008

Etoniah Creek


Here's a pretty spot near Palatka, Florida. I think as State Forests go, this is one of our newest additions.

Driving through a sandy, scrubby, sandpine stretch ... no paved roads in this forest .... at least I didn't find any.

A bridge over Etoniah Creek. Across the bridge, there's a pitcher pump for your horses and a picnic table.

Of course, I dismounted from the JEEP and whistled for her to follow me across ...

Etoniah Creek on her way, I presume, to the fabled St. Johns River aka "The River Of May" by dead Frenchmen who picked the wrong colony to attack.


The sun was almost gone, but there was enough light to enjoy this beautiful little creek. I didn't get out and go bushwackin'. It was the first day of the black powder hunting season and I didn't want to disturb Bubba's stalk ... or be mistaken for an ungulate.
Plus, it was an impulse diversion on a long ride home, and I had miles to go before I slept.





15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the morning stroll through the park (even though it was evening for you). Very nice!

Unknown said...

Looks like a beautiful new area...We'll have to check it out next trip north...Thanks for the tip

roger said...

if you go on showing us such beautiful sights you're going to have more neighbors.

Aunty Belle said...

Gorgeous. Uncle's folks onc't had a place on the river outside Palatka. Long years back.

I'se in a hardware store few days back. A Frenchy fella was kind enough to take a heavy item to the buggy fer me. He said, "eeet ees so beeeoutiful in Floreeeda. I weeeel nevair leeeve again."

Dave Coulter said...

Good looking creek there. Looks like a day well spent!

MinorcanMeteorolgist said...

"...by dead Frenchmen who picked the wrong colony to attack."
LOL
I'll have to stop by there someday on my way home (okay, a little out of the way on my way home :-D)

Anonymous said...

so I don't know if you were trying to make a refrence to the Robert Frost poem "Stoppin by woods on a snowy evening" with your last line or not but I like the pictures

Anonymous said...

That should be Florahome not Palatka

R.Powers said...

Susan,
Anytime. Love sharin' Floridawesomeness.

Bee,
The FL trail cuts through it I believe.

roger,
i often think of that fact ... dilemma.

Aunty,
I can understand his fascination ... c'est tres jolie.

Dave,
It was, if only an hour this time.

HT,
That was for you ... the rest of 'em will have to wonder.

Anon,
I was and it's not far out of Palatka, even though you have a point, it is close to Florahome.

Unknown said...

Looks like a great spot. I didn't know that about its French name. It's funny how names stick sometimes ... and other times they don't.

Cara said...

Yay Palatka! I'm going to claim it for Palatka, not Florahome, because I spent a good time of my childhood in Palatka. Glad to see that they're preserving some of the natural beauty of that area.

Anonymous said...

So I dont' get why riders have to dismount and walk their horses across the bridge. It can't be their combined weight if you can drive a car across it. What gives?

Doug Taron said...

That creek looks like it should have great water buggage. Did you peek?

R.Powers said...

Robert,
River of May, San Mateo River, and finally, St. Johns river.

Cara,
Welcome!!
Okay, it's Palatka!

Pablo,
I think it's probably to avoid horse off bridge syndrome.

Doug,
Didn't have time to dipnet. Must return.

Anonymous said...

Pablo... would you want to be ON a horse that was disoriented by the bridge, with the potential of it stepping off into a river or ravine?