White Springs and Big Shoals

Sunday April 13, 2014
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
White Springs, Florida

 

Sunday April 13

 

First thing to report today is that after sniffing around and researching David has thwarted Murphy’s plan to force us to call a repairman for the brake lights problem.  He investigated the brake lamp switch by the brake pedal.  By removing the two wiring harnesses and manually depressing the button that activates the switch, he was able to make the brake lights work again.

My HERO!   Take THAT Murphy!!!

 

 

 

Today we check out the little town of White Springs.

The park is actually in the town.  You drive right through the flashing light in the center of town and if you don’t curve right on Route 41 you’ll find yourself driving in the driveway.   So it isn’t far to go to see what the little town is all about.

 

 

Apparently White Springs was a big and fashionable place in the late 1800’s.  The spring was “discovered” by Bryant and Elizabeth Sheffield  in 1835 after they purchased land on the Suwannee River.  Mr. Sheffield believed his health was greatly improved by swimming in the spring and drinking its waters.  He invited his friends down to do the same.  One thing led to another and soon a resort town was booming with 14 luxury hotels and a 4 tiered bathhouse building of gated concrete and coquina around the spring.   It remained a popular tourist destination until the 1970’s.   Is that when the mouse came to Florida I wonder?

 

We walk out of the campground and just beyond the gate, on the right, is what is left of the bathhouse. Like many of the springs we’ve seen along the Suwannee, this one is RIGHT on the river. It is really amazing just how many springs are on the Suwannee River.

 

 

An early advertisement claimed that the spring waters cured everything from rheumatism and indigestion to dandruff and insomnia.

 

 

The last White Spring Surphur Springs Bathhouse constructed in 1906.

 

 

Only $21.50 a day for room and meals.  Then you can add all sorts of things to your bill.  Like treatment for high blood pressure for $3.00 or hot sulphur tub baths for $1.00.  Considering the average wage was $526 a year, this was obviously a place for the wealthy.

 

 

 

Today the spring has only the covered surround walkway on top of its original foundation there in the water.  No swimming or taking of the waters is allow.  That seems a shame until you find out that back in the 80’s  at Union Carbide’s phosphate plant their digging resulted in a huge water geyser.  They had hit the aquifer and just coincidentally, of course, the spring dried up.  The company sold out and nothing happened.  I’m not surprised. The little town dried up as well although they are really trying to make a come back.

 

 

 

Riverside                                                              Spring side

 

 

 

 

On around the town we find remnants of its earliest years and of its heyday. 

 

Some are being restored to their former glory with loving care. We also find  fallen beauties being ignored and new prospects like Sharon’s Eatery.

 

The only one of the original hotels remaining, The Telford, 1902 where you can again spend the night and have meals in their dining room.

 

Across the street is an original boarding house built in 1886.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon we drive over to Big Shoals State Park a mere 6 miles away. 

 

There are actually two shoals, big shoals and little shoals.  We pass little shoals up since we’re pretty sure we won’t be able to see any shoals because of the high water on the Suwannee River.  So we’ll try the big. We’re here and it was one of the things we wanted to do.   Besides if I go, I can get my passport stamped! 

 

 

 

 

First thing is to have a picnic way down up on the Suwannee River.

 

 

 

Of course we find the boat launch closed. 

 

We probably wouldn’t have used it anyway since the river here is pretty picky as you can see in the water level recommendations.   Below 51 feet and the water is too low.  Over 60 and you’d better be an expert paddler in white water.  If I’m ever here when it’s between 51 and 60 then I might paddle it but I suspect that is during times of the year when I’m not in Florida.   The river today is over 70’.

 

 

 

 

So off we go on the 2.5 mile trail to see the Big Shoals for ourselves.

 

 

The hike is really lovely weaving back and forth between the riverine forest and the river bank.  Even though the river is up so high, the bluff is higher still and the trail is not washed out.

 

 

 

 

It’s almost too funny when we get to Big Shoals and find the look out is closed. 

 

HA!   You aren’t even allowed to look at the river when it is this high.  But as you can see, this is a rule we decide to disobey.  The platform is plenty solid.  It even looks new.  It just has no steps.   But they have blocked it off with more than just the tape used on the canoe launches.

 

 

 

 

Here the Suwannee River elevations drops 9 feet in less than 1/4 mile creating the the Big Shoals; Florida’s most extensive river rapids system.  The river bed is lined with limestone outcroppings commonly described as karst topography, a common north Florida geologic formation.  Dangerous sink holes and  beautiful caverns are two results of these landscapes where the bedrock terrain has been dissolved by physical and chemical weathering.  

Depending on the stage of the Suwannee River , the big shoals rapids can range from no flow during drought periods.  The entire river bed is a Class III rapid when the water levels are between 59 and 64 feet.

 

Today there are no shoals in sight though the river is running pretty fast toward Cedar Key and the gulf.  The shoals are hidden beneath the Suwannee.

 

 

 

The water is so high, the tree branches are creating riffles that churn up the dark Suwannee.  

 

The Suwannee is considered a black water river with a deep slow moving channel that flows through forested swamps and wetlands as vegetation decays in water.  Tannins are leached out resulting in transparent acidic water that is darkly stained resembling tea or coffee.   I was really surprised to learn that most major black water rivers are in the Amazon River system and in the Southern United States. 

 

 

 

 

We head back and really enjoy the shady forest path on this 85 degree day.

 

 

Only one more stop.

 

Before we head for home, we stop off at the gopher tortoise hole I had seen near the picnic grounds. The owner is at home but evidentially not receiving visitors as he has his head in his hole.