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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 4:26:09 GMT
Silver Springs, located a little over an hour south of where I live, has been a Florida attraction since the second half of the 19th century. The area has a rich history that includes Native Americans, the Spanish, and even Harriet Beecher Stowe. Park management is in the process of turning the attraction over to the State of Florida. As a condition for breaking a long-term lease, the current vendor is renovating the park area to make if compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as removing asbestos from some of the old buildings, fixing roofs, and repairing sewage pipes. I am very excited about the change since the area will be designated a state park. Admission will be dramatically cheaper, and there will be more facilities made available for recreational activities. It is also the hope that the spring head areas will eventually become healthier and the water clearer, but that's going to take a lot of effort on the part of the state and the public. Wishing to get an idea of current conditions, I decided to drive down for the morning. I practically had the whole parking lot to myself. Walking through the main entrance things looked encouraging. Even though an article in my local paper this morning said work was moving slowly, I could tell the front entrance had been spruced up and the walkway replaced.
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 4:36:30 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 5:01:46 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 6:09:31 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 6:20:58 GMT
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Post by mossie on Aug 10, 2013 6:52:34 GMT
Looks quite a place. We will have to have another report when it is complete. Thanks for the effort.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2013 12:32:04 GMT
There are more buildings there than I expected, including that row of shops (?) that almost looks like a strip mall. But they have that sort of 1960's comforting look ("not a problem in our world").
Pollution does not appear to be much of a problem from the photos you presented. Of course if most of the concessions have been closed, that obviously reduces the sewage considerably.
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 13:21:51 GMT
Yes, from above all looks pristine, but Silver Springs is suffering from a decrease in volume output, as well as over abundant nitrates in the water, just like many other springs in the state of Florida. Think of the spring head as being surrounded for miles around by cattle ranches, golf courses, and dwellings relying on septic tanks. Overuse of water has drawn down the aquifer, decreasing the flow of water, while abundant use of fertilizer, copious amounts of cattle manure and human waste have trickled into the ground and mixed with the water which then comes back to the surface through the springs. So from the surface all looks good, but down underneath there's algae and a definite decrease in the fish population if my untrained eye proves to be correct. Here are some excerpts from a National Public Radio report: The 15,000 to 20,000 head of cattle would produce as much as 1 million pounds of manure a day. (Drew Bartlett of the Florida Department of the Environmental Protection Agency, referring to a permit request by a rancher) "What we're getting is very intensive farms using a lot of water with very big wells and using a lot of fertilizer to maximize their profits," Knight says. "That's what's hurting our springs." (Bob Knight is the head of the Florida Springs Institute)
In some ways, Florida's endangered springs are a symptom of a larger problem. With development and wells sunk for everything from golf courses to bottled water plants, Florida's aquifer is being depleted. Before Disney. NPR reportApril 2013
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 13:37:47 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 14:09:10 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 15:03:53 GMT
There are more buildings there than I expected, including that row of shops (?) that almost looks like a strip mall. But they have that sort of 1960's comforting look ("not a problem in our world"). I've never cared for the look of those shops or the junk sold within, but I must confess I bought three Silver Springs t-shirts for the little girls. I figured they were sort of "collector's items" and the 75% markdown put the price more in line with reality. I also bought a $3.00 soda in an effort to stay hydrated. Highway robbery! I kicked myself all morning for not adding my metal water bottle to my little backpack before leaving the car.
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 17:03:21 GMT
Looks quite a place. We will have to have another report when it is complete. Thanks for the effort. Most definitely, Mossie. That's the plan. I'm hoping I will be able to launch a kayak from somewhere within the park. Currently, the closest launch points are six miles downstream or the state park adjacent to Silver Springs. The launch point in the state park is down a 1/2 mile walking trail. Since my kayak is long and relatively heavy I can see that as being a problem.
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 17:47:11 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 18:06:06 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 18:40:09 GMT
From the website of the current vendor: Throughout history, Silver Springs has been a timeless oasis and a place of unparalleled beauty, offering respite to early settlers who drew sustenance from its 99.8 percent pure artesian spring waters.
In the early 1500s, Timucuan Indians settled in the area around Silver Springs which they referred to as Ocali, a sub province of Timucua. In 1539, the area was invaded by Spaniards, led by Hernando de Soto, looking to exploit wealth. After many battles, the Ocali Indians were able to retain their claimed territory.
In time, the Timucuans were succeeded by other Indian tribes including the Seminole Indians. When the U.S. Government attempted to move the Seminoles from Florida to reservations in the western U.S. in 1835, Chief Osceola and the Seminoles retreated to the southern swamps. His slashing of the treaty the U.S. Government representatives presented to him is the famous gesture that gained him the respect of the Seminole Indians, and many joined Osceola’s forces in future battles. Today, all of the Glass Bottom Boats are named in honor of those Indian leaders who fought in Florida.
In the 1850s, commerce was introduced to the Silver Springs area as barges carried cotton, lumber, and nonperishables up the Silver River to the area’s growing population. Hubbard H. Hart founded the Hart Line, a stagecoach connection between Palatka, Silver Springs, Ocala and Tampa. In 1860, Hart hired James Burt, who brought conventional steamboats to Silver Springs. From that point on, tourists flocked to see the crystal-clear waters that had attracted attention for centuries.
Silver Springs’ popularity flourished after Hullam Jones invented the glass bottom boat there in 1878. By installing a glass viewing box on the flat bottom of a dugout canoe, he created a window to an underwater world teeming with fish, turtles, crustaceans and fossils more than 10,000 years old.Silver Springs Nature Park General History
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 19:20:59 GMT
Not only is Silver Springs the site possibly the most powerful springs in the United States, the natural habitat and underwater area have been the filming location for numerous movies, television shows, and commercials going all the way back to 1916. During the 1930s and 40s, six Tarzan movies starring Johnny Weissmuller were filmed at Silver Springs. The list of many other films includes Creature from the Black Lagoon, Rebel Without a Cause, Thunderball, Moonraker, and Legend. One of the most notable television shows filmed at Silver Springs during the years 1958 -'61 was Sea Hunt with Lloyd Bridges.
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Post by htmb on Aug 10, 2013 20:04:56 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 9:25:31 GMT
Here I am looking at all of these fabulous pictures and you will not imagine the totally trivial thought that bubbled to the top. "I'm glad I don't have to mow the lawn anymore." Those great expanses of lawn at Silver Springs are beautiful, but anybody who has lived anywhere near the Deep South knows how relentlessly the grass grows there and how often you have to keep mowing for it to look nice -- especially when you have to trim the edges, because riding lawnmowers are great for the big patches but only where there are no obstacles.
Then again, all of the other gardening work must keep an army busy.
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Post by htmb on Aug 11, 2013 12:55:01 GMT
And when, pray tell, was the last time you had to mow a lawn (in a house where you were living. Visits to parents don't count)? ;D
Now that you mention the grass, I'm wondering what they use to fertilize. Certainly not something good for the springs, and I can only hope the state will be returning the landscape into more natural areas with native plants and ground coverings.
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Post by htmb on Aug 11, 2013 20:26:06 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 13, 2013 3:03:50 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 13, 2013 3:11:30 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 13, 2013 4:43:28 GMT
Limpid ~~ limpid is the word going through my head.
I confess I looked at all the pictures in this thread before going back to read the text. It's all so incredibly pretty! Htmb, you have such a gift for capturing water -- gorgeous photos all of them, not just the ones of water. So sad, although not surprising to read of the problems Florida is having. Really, has been having for decades. The golf courses alone in Florida could probably poison a small country.
This brought back great memories of seeing Silver Springs when I was little.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2013 5:12:55 GMT
I've been wracking my brains trying to remember where I've been in a glass-bottomed boat. Thailand? Malta? Australia? Even though glass-bottomed boats are a fantastic idea, they are really rare. I suppose that the fact that they have to be small for everybody to sit around the window limits their appeal in many tourist sites where they could enhance the experience.
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Post by bjd on Aug 13, 2013 5:27:54 GMT
It all looks so green and peaceful, and then you mention snakes, htmb!
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Post by mossie on Aug 13, 2013 11:04:20 GMT
Another nature study lesson. That must be the Greater American garfish, the ones that I remember from Suez were about 4 inches long
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Post by htmb on Aug 13, 2013 16:29:55 GMT
A mid-sized species of gar: measures from 51.7 to 132.2 cm (20.4 to 52.0 in) long and typically weighs 1.36 to 4.36 kg (3.0 to 9.6 lb)
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Post by htmb on Aug 13, 2013 22:42:46 GMT
It all looks so green and peaceful, and then you mention snakes, htmb! Bjd, watching out for snakes, particularly in the summertime, is just a way of life in Florida as well as much of the southeastern United States. We have four different varieties of very poisonous snakes here, but also have many other types of non-poisonous, aggressive snakes. It just means lookimg carefully before you step over a log, or walk into some brush (well.....I wouldn't walk into the brush). As for the glass bottom boats, some version or another has been in use at a Silver Springs since 1878.
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Post by htmb on Aug 13, 2013 23:18:24 GMT
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Post by nycgirl on Aug 13, 2013 23:36:21 GMT
Beautiful photos of a beautiful area. The springs look remarkably clear to me and the boat ride looks like a lot of fun.
Interesting to learn about Silver Springs' cinematic history. I wonder what scenes from Rebel Without a Cause were filmed there?
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