Moving on to Salt Springs

Wednesday December 3 and Thursday December 4, 2014
Salt Springs Recreation Area
Salt Springs, Florida

 

WEDNESDAY

I’ll put this morning up against a Foggy Day in London Town any time.  I couldn’t see 6 feet in front of me.  My camera kept saying put up the flash and here’s what I got when I did.

 

It wasn’t raining but the fog was so thick it was droplets of water.  I had to keep my camera in the case when I wasn’t using it and wipe off the lens after each use.   Here’s that same picture without the camera recommended flash.  Amazing that it can somehow ignore all that water.

 

But I’m getting ahead of myself.  Remember the nice golden sunrise and pink clouds from yesterday as I went down the boardwalk.  Here’s that same spot this morning.

 

 

When I got around to the ocean, I could hardly see the waves and had to be up pretty close to see the birds by the shore.

 

As I walk down the beach, I turn around and can hardly see the pier even though I am not that far away.

 

I walk until I see something else which turns out to be the sign saying I’ve reached the end of the state park property.  I turn around at that point.

 

 

 

Things are a little better on the way back which I only notice as I pass the birds.

 

 

 

It is still so foggy that when I get back on the sound side I walk right past the turn up to the boardwalk and it isn’t until I see the shoreline curving around to the right  that I know I’ve gone to far.  Even on the way back I have trouble finding it.

And with that we pull out separately.  David goes straight to Salt Springs a trip of 116 miles.  Ruby and I drive the same route but we stop off on the edge of Jacksonville at the Whole Foods store for provisions.

We get there just after David had changed his mind 3 times about which site he wants.  The nice person at the gate gives me a tag for Ruby with the latest number on it.   LOL.   He is leveling up when we arrive.

Salt Springs is a National Forest campground run by a concessionaire.   Concessionaires do not have to give the Senior Discount but happily this one does and we have a full hook up site for $11 a night.  Mighty Fine!!

The duckies are not quite as happy as I am. They wish there was water in their view.

 

 

 

THURSDAY

 

It is another foggy day.  The air is wet but it’s not raining.  I’d thought this was a function of being so near the sound and Ocean but apparently not as we are now in the middle of the forest.  I am out in time to see the sunrise but of course it isn’t visible.

 

 

 

Still this is a great time of day to be out.   I walk over to the Florida Birding trail very close to our site.   I have just come to this spot when a huge bird glides just in front of me.  Its enormous wings are outstretched but it makes not a sound.   If I had reached out my hand I could have touched the wings.   AMAZING!!!   I jerk around to see where it has gone and am lucky to catch a couple of quick shots of the Barred Owl before he silently wings his way onward. 

What a fabulous beginning to my day!!  

 

 

 

 

 

I walk on along the trail through the national forest landscape.  So Florida, fog and all.   Two deer snort but by the time I look around they have taken off like shots.

 

 

I leave the trail for the road to the boat dock.  It looks totally fogged in up there too.

 

And so it is.  But it’s beautiful just the same.

 

 

 

 

It’s predicted to be 80 degrees today but we have to go to Ocala for the first of the 3rd month of 3weeks of twice a week infusions.  It takes about 4 hours and this is David’s treat for afterwards.  He has a great time inside picking out potential birthday presents.  I hang out for a while and listen to the virtues of ratcheting socket sets in multicolors among other tool wonders.   I don’t want to rush him with my attempt at interest so I walk down to the Dollar Tree and pick up some wrapping supplies.

 

 

 

Tomorrow will be another infusion day but I don’t think I’ll go along.  That means he’ll be gone twice as long.  LOL