Under the Weather in Wekiwa Springs

Saturday to Sunday                                                                                    Most Recent Posts:
December 9 to December 17, 2017                                                    Is Any Birthday Complete Without It
Wekiwa Springs State Park Campground                                        Birthday in Disney World – Bubbles Forever
Apopka, Florida

On Saturday we move just 40 miles from Fort Wilderness to our Full Hook Up site in Wekiwa Springs State Park.  All but 10 sites in both loops are FHU.

We had gorgeous weather in Disney World but a cold front slaps us the day we arrive and it goes down to 37 degrees over night.  Out come the electric heaters.  I think we’ve used our gas furnace once and determined the smell was just not worth it.   The RV is small enough that the electric space heaters will work well in all but the coldest weather and for that we have a stand alone Little Buddy propane heater that will heat it up in an instant.

After minimal set up, we spend the rest of Saturday and most of Sunday  getting reorganized, grocery shopping and just chilling after the fast pace of Disney World. 

On Monday I had really hoped to be up early and drive up to the Kings Landing put in for kayaking the Rock Spring Run back to the park.  It is an absolutely gorgeous paddle and one of the main reasons we come to Wekiwa. 

But it turns out that the recent hurricane has left the run blocked in many sections and it won’t be clear until the first of the year.  Really disappointing so instead I head out to hike over to Lake Prevatt. 

As you can see from the map below, the park has a network of trails that can be combined in many ways to make hikes of nearly any length up to 13.5 miles..   I decide to start at the campground, the loops at the bottom of the map and do most of the Volksmarch orange trail from #3 to #10 which will take me by the lake and then over to 30 and down 29, 28, 27, 25 to #2 and back home.   I’m figuring about 6 miles.

It’s a very nice hike through the Sandhill ecosystem which is a critically endangered habitat unique to Florida.  It contains widely spaced Long Leaf Pine and Turkey Oak Trees, a sparce understory and a fairly dense groundcover of wire grass over rolling hills of sand.  The absence of a closed canopy creates high fluctuations in humidity and temperature.  Pretty darned hot in the summer.  Really lovely this time of year.  The pines require fire every 2 to 5 years to provide viable seeds and have a thick protective bark to withstand it.  Animals which call this area home include the Gopher Tortoise, Sherman’s Fox Squirrel, the Red Cockaded Woodpecker and the Barking Tree Frog.  I’ve seen the first two here previously but never the latter two. 

It’s clear I’ve moved into a different habitat and am nearing the water.

I find the lake is so over full that it is without banks to stand on.  The trees you used to be able to stand under on the edge of the water to scope out what birds might be there are now in the water and their branches are blocking the view.

By the time I get to #30 which I think is about half way I realize I am uncharacteristically tired..  I have plenty of water so that’s not the problem.   But after number 28 I decide to cut the hike short and head back.  By the time I get back, It turns out to be 5 miles anyway and that night I develope a scratchy throat which for me nearly always means a cold.

David brought a cold back with him from Texas, probably from the airplane but he was feeling well enough 9 days later when we went to Disney so I’m thinking I didn’t get this from him but from Disney.   This is a real consideration at Disney World or any high traffic place where you are going to be putting your hands on lots of things other people have also put their hands on.  Having just had a cold and having a compromised immune system made David hyper careful.  I guess I wasn’t as careful.

It turns into a horrific cough and constant nose blowing.  I take Nyquil so I can sleep and mostly write blogs, read and lay around. all day.  One highlight of the week came in the mail. 

It’s difficult to send mail to campers in Fort Wilderness because you never know your site number until you get there.  So Carrie sent my birthday present to Wekiwa and it came on Wednesday and definitely cheered me up.  Only those who know me well would know why I would think a set of 60 glitter gel pens would be a perfect gift.  Thank you Sweetheart!  And what a surprise!  When I looked at this picture I realized I really do look under the weather.

By day six, the following Saturday I’m starting to feel a bit better and go out for another but shorter hike just down to the spring. 

I like to take the boardwalk trail down to the spring itself  but this like the Rock Spring Run, it’s closed due to hurricane damage.

So I walk on to the top of the spring area.   Florida’s springs are absolute treasures and each one is different in size and in the way it has been preserved.  Many have been turned in to defacto swimming pools with cement sides as here at Wekiwa Springs.  But there are others that have been left in their natural state like Blue Springs.

Only the sides of the spring have been altered.  The bottom is natural.  Even the big rocks have been left.  And even with the reflections, the water shows crystal clear.

The bridge crosses over the spring mouth flowing into the Wekiva River, yes WekiWa Spring and WekiVa River.   Don’t ask me.    Crossing the bridge and forking left will bring you to the boat launch area.

I’ve never asked if it is the WekiWA Spring Run from here or the WekiVA Spring Run.  I would think the former but who knows.  I investigated the WA vs VA thing in a previous visit and got no clear explanation.   I’m betting it has something to do with marketing.

Sure wish these orange and blue kayaks were ours ready and waiting for us.

On my way back to the spring I notice the far end of the boardwalk trail and I can see at least some of the unrepaired damage.

I walk down the steps to the water and put my hand in. The water temperature is perfect and I really wished I’d brought my bathing suit so I could join the few people who are here but as I turned to walk back I had a coughing fit and can barely get my breath.  Back home and to the couch I go. 

Some things that did manage to get done over these days of being sick were mostly done by David.  He had his regular weekly clinic appointment and also drove to Tampa for some screening tests at Moffitt on two days of the week.   I went with him on Thursday to drive him back from a bone marrow biopsy.

He also mounted our 4 new fire extinguishers.  I talked about why we replaced ours with ones that could handle both flame and smoke fires without ruining the items they are sprayed over.

We have one by the front door, one in the bedroom, one in an outside unlocked compartment and one in the car.  They are non-powder which eliminates the messy clean up.  They won’t damage engine or car parts and are environmentally safe, non-toxic, non-corrosive, biodegradable and have No CFCs.

We also replaced our heavy and just aggrevating Canon printer with a new HP Envy.

We had some great neighbors here at Wekiwa Springs.  Looks like a young Red Shouldered Hawk but my better birding friends might want to correct me.

This little fella liked to hop all around the campsite gravel area.  Not sure what he was looking for but it was fun watching him as I rested in my anti-gravity chair.

Next up will be David’s report on his trip to Texas. 
We moved back to my favorite place, Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area, on Monday
and  on Thursday are taking a short trip to visit Carrie, Celia and Matthew for the holidays.
The colds or whatever are still hanging on mostly as coughing and tiredness.
Sure hope we’re both feeling better by then but time’s running out.