This is the smallest RV park that we've stayed at. It holds about 45 RV's but I'd say there are only about 30 here. We got a nice little spot that is a bit secluded - it looks like we have the place to ourselves. In the main part the RV's are all pretty close to each other with not much to see but other RV's. But we have a nice little yard and our own palm tree and no other RV's in sight from our yard. In addition, we are the closest spot to the boardwalk. It is so nice but hardly anyone seems to use it. Well, that's good for us!
The boardwalk is over a quarter mile long through the forest.
As you can see, there are trees and bushes the entire lenght of the boardwalk. Most of trees don't have their leaves right now so it is easy to see into the forest. However, due to the MANY branches it is just about impossible to get pictures of all the birds.
This little area is full of a lot of different kinds of birds. However, we can hear MANY more than we ever see. And I have just had the worst kind of luck trying to take pictures of the ones I do see. Just too many branches.
The one bird we see all the time is the Red Shoulder Hawk. There are at least two of them and they are either nesting or mating. All I can tell you for sure is that they holler and squak and fly around all day long! I missed a great opportunity to get a picture of one that was sitting only eight feet from me. There were branches in the way so I was trying to maneuver for a better picture - but I'm not as sneaky as Wazzu and he flew away. Bummer.
As you continue down the boardwalk there is a very nice bench so you can just sit and watch all the birds and squirrels.
In addition to trees, there are small little ponds and a lot of very pretty yellow flowers.
As we approach the end of the boardwalk you can see the river off in the distance.
I'm sure most people can walk a quarter of a mile in ten minutes or so. But it always takes us at least half an hour as we are so busy looking at the scenery and the watching for birds.
At the end of the boardwalk there is a very nice little deck with benches all around. It is a very pretty place to sit and look at the river.
From the deck there are stairs and then a ramp that lead down to a dock. The dock is a floating dock. So when you step on it, or the river is wavy, the dock moves. Slugger says no way is he going there. Way too scary for him. So he just sits at the top of the stairs while we enjoy rocking the dock. Sparkie and Wazzu think it's pretty fun.
From both the dock and the deck you can see the Suwannee River.
If you go off the deck there is a very pretty trail that goes quite a ways along the river.
Just a couple hundred yards down the path is a small little beach area that is a perfect place for Slugger to go swimming. And boy does he love it. It's kind of a little cove area on shore.
If you keep walking along the path you can see the river and some very pretty little cove areas.
While most of the trees don't have leaves there are a few here and there that do have leaves. Today was a sunny day and I really thought this tree was pretty against the clear blue sky.
In the afternoon after returning from their four hour morning hike we all got in the car went to Manatee Springs State Park. The Suwannee River is spring fed. This park is on one of the spring runs. I'll try to explain. The Suwannee River is large as you could see from the picture I posted from our park. Off the river is a small "run" (looks just like a smaller river) that runs maybe a quarter of a mile to a spring and that's the end.
The spring is beautiful. You can't see it it the picture but in person you can see the ripples on the water where the water is coming up from the spring. And the water is so blue and so clear that you can see all the way to the bottom - it's fairly deep - maybe 25'.
We saw quite a few smaller type fish. Notice how clear the water is.
While we were looking at the water we saw a rather large fish. You may not really see the fish real clear in this picture - although we saw it very clearly - but you can certainly see how blue the water was.
The dogs weren't allowed to go on the boardwalk. So Mike and the dogs wandered around the field a little while I walked the boardwalk along the spring run. From the end of the boardwalk you could see the river. I'm not sure what was going on but there were hundreds of vultures circling overhead.
On the way back I saw a lot of turtles sunning themselves. Just while I was watching more turtles would climb out of the water onto the logs.
Here is a closeup - hopefully you can see the little baby turtle.
We did find some trails the dogs were allowed on. We started walking but it was soon clear I needed to get to the car. So Wazzu and I went back while Mike, Sparkie, and Slugger continued hiking for a while.
I do have one thing I have to share. When we got there the first thing we saw was this sign:
I'm thinking I'll just pass on the caution part and just not swim!!
Debbie
2/26/07
No comments:
Post a Comment