The Fairchild Oak

Saturday December 15, 2012
Site 4 Gamble Rogers Memorial Recreation Area
Flagler Beach, Florida

 

This morning at dawn is ………….can you guess?????   Yup…..CLOUDY.
A Tiny bit of color and a sliver of golden orb.

 

 

A sliver of a golden orb before it disappeared into the thick clouds.
Can you even spot that sliver down at the horizon line??

 

 

It all makes for some interesting skies and great waves though.

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon we pack a picnic lunch and take the Ormand Scenic Loop.  This 30 mile double loop includes 4 state and 6  local parks.  Hikes and picnic areas are plentiful so if you are a strong biker, I think this would be a very interesting loop to take.  I’m  good for 20 miles so I’ll have to get in better shape to bike it but I think it would be a wonderful trip. I wonder how much time I’d have to stop and see all the things on the loop though if I were biking.

 

Today we have Ruby and an entire afternoon.  First we get a look at North Peninsula State Park and make note to return and hike its 2 mile trail.  This park is within easy biking distance of Gamble Rogers so we’ll bike over on another day. 

 

Our first stop  is  Bulow Creek  or what we think is Bulow Creek.  It’s what the sign says but it turns out to be not the main entrance but a LONG back entrance to a number of trails.  Nice big sign for a back entrance.

We drive and drive and drive down a single lane sandy road wondering where is this park?  And what happens if someone else is coming in the opposite direction.

We finally come to what looks like a parking area, get out to look around and I’m thinking PADDLE!!

 

 

 

Ok write this one down for a return trip with kayaks.

On to our next stop which was the hit of the day for me.  The pictures just don’t do it justice.  This is one AMAZING tree. (hint: get prepared for too many pictures)

 

 

This tree is upwards of 500 years old.  This means it was likely here when the Spanish invaded Florida.

 

 

 

David estimated this limb at 5’ in diameter at its thickest point.

 

 

It’s a whole world unto itself.

 

 

This is one of the most magnificent trees I have ever seen and it was a very moving experience to be in its presence.  It makes me happy that through the years people have chosen to protect it.  These are the things that make me proud of my species.

 

What a thrill to give the Fairchild Oak a BIG HUG!

 

 

From there we set out to our final stop of the day Tomoka State Park.

We are here to check out the campground and potential kayaking.

The campground is a large loop with sites mostly on the outside.  The sites are mostly good size and it appears can accommodate big rigs in some of its sites.  A few have a view of the Halifax River through the trees.

 

 

It’s quite a bit sunnier here now than it was when we left Gamble Rogers this morning and we are wondering if the cloud cover has lifted there too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The water map shows lots of very nice kayak possibilities here in this park bounded by two rivers and with two streams running through it.

 

 

 

 

David finds a great spot on the water for our late lunch.

Afterwards we find the historic marker for the Indian village Nocoroco

 

and the large art installation designed and executed by Fredrick Dana Marsh honoring chief Tomokie.  The installation is in need of some repair and I was sorry to see that it was not being cared for.  I had particularly wanted to see the Frederick Dana Marsh Museum but when we drove up to the building, it was closed and looking in through the doors showed it was empty.

 

 

 

We ask about it at the ranger station as we leave and he says the collection was divided.  Half of it went to Tallahassee and the other half to somewhere else.  He wasn’t sure.  I could find no information on line that indicated the museum in Tomoka State Park had been closed.  Marsh was an Ormand Beach sculptor and architect. 

We leave Tomoka and finish the outside loop with future plans for some hiking and kayaking in the parks we have visited today.  And when we do, you can be sure I’ll be going back to see the fabulous Fairchild Oak. 

Definitely the hit of the day.