North Florida!

Juniper Springs & Oklawaha River in Ocala National Forest & 75 Miles of the Suwannee River

February, 2006 - The minute I got into Ocala after driving from Tenneesse, I made a beeline for Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest. I talked the ranger at 3:30 pm into letting me put in my kayak for a 7-mile run. She was reluctant because it was late in the day, but I assured her that 7 miles was no problem before sundown. This run was super cool. I started right at this shallow spring run and doubted my kayak would float, but it did. I paddled through forest and prairie-like settings until I got to the landing where the shuttle picked me up earlier to take me back to my kayak (I did a reverse shuttle). The next day, after staying with my Uncle John and Aunt Sue, I met up with Nick and we went to a family fish fry before we embarked on the Oklawaha. We paddled about an hour before dark and camped on a bluff near a pasture. The sunset was beautiful and we laughed at the cows running like mad back to their barns. The next day, Nick and I paddled 20 miles to a developed campground with lights that never turn off. I sure wished we would have camped a few miles back. We were both tired. Nick hadn't paddled much before and it was his first overnight trip. He picked it up like he done it all his life, but the 20 miles did his hands in and he couldn't feel his fingers for months! We made it to the Oklawaha Outpost near Eureka to finish up our trip. After ending a two-night, three-day trip on the Oklawaha River (Ocala National Forest) with my brother, Nick, I drove up to White Springs and caught a shuttle to meet up with Johnny in Osceola National Forest near Ocean Pond. February 26 - March 1, 2006 - I hiked a section of the Florida Trail - read about that here! Then I transitioned from backpack to kayak to run part of the Suwannee River. March 1 - March 10, 2006 - I loaded up on groceries in White Springs and drove into the Suwannee Park to load up my kayak. Johnny was there awaitin'. He watched as I slowly packed what seemed like a carload into a 17-foot kayak. I got pretty inventive too. He hiked on to get a head start and I drove the car back to the outfitters there in White Springs. The outfitters in downtown White Springs were great folks and would give them business again definitely. They gave me a ride back to my kayak and kept watch on my car for the next eight days. Suwannee River Paddle - I paddled in the boils. It was tricky on the tracking of my kayak. As I was perfecting my strokes among the swelling boils of bit swollen river, I ran into AJ who was paddling from Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf. We had a lovely conversation about the Okefenokee and life. I hope to see his book published. I am sure it would be good. I have to admit that I was nervous about trying to find Johnny on the bank. He said he would tie the goold ole stars and bars bandana for me so I was paranoid about missing it. So paranoid that I paddled upstream almost a mile thinking I spaced out and missed him. I had heard the cars on the I-75 bridge a ways up. I gave in and used the hated cell phone. Johnny said, "Come on. You're paranoid." Shew! I liked the cell phone at that moment. He was right - I saw the stars and bars and parked my kayak along the bank. From then on, I was enchanged with the river and its scenery. We spent night after night rendezvous-ing; he by trail, and me by boat, until we parted ways where the Florida Trail aims on through forest land to the Aucilla River. I paddled on solo to Dowling Park where I picked up a Ryrie Study Bible. I camped at the confluence of the Allen Mill Pond run and the Suwannee and read about Jesus by Mathew's account in between gusts of wind and eyeing the fire. I slept good that night... better than ever before. I continued on to the Route 51 where the good folks from the outfitters in White Springs picked me up and took me back to my car. Before I left Florida, I met up with Johnny one last time outside of Perry. We drove into Perry so he could do his laundry and resupply. After getting his goods situated, we drove to the Aucilla River and camped on the bank near the Florida Trail. Johnny would be coming through here about a day later. We stashed a 2-liter of Diet Coke for him as a treat along his travels. I dropped him back off outside of Perry the next morning and headed North to Tennessee. As I drove through Tallahasee and stopped at the gas station for some fried chicken, I stared out the window thinking about the entire trip... the ups and downs, the scenery, the company, and that part of Florida altogether. A girl in the gas station broke the spell and asked about the big yellow boat ontop of my car. "You paddle that thing?" "Yeah... 30 miles of the Oklawaha and 75 miles of the Suwannee." I stared out the window and knew I was looking South. I paid for my chicken and left. I still had to drive through Georgia.

Brother Nick on the Oklawaha River

Packed Kayak on the Suwanne River near the Boy Scout Ranch

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