Rum Island

Do you remember a time when tiny, almost non-existent dirt roads lead the adventurer to a small break into the woods, that led to the river, a beautiful sandy beach (river sand), and you could swim and enjoy the clear water spot. Then you creep through the woods a little further, and you’d find a beautiful blue hole, a hugely overwhelming site every time you see it. May be the steam rising off the boil from the temperature equalizing. Then as you approach you see large fish in a school around the spring boil, patrolling the rim…. Slowly you stick your toe in and feel the breathtaking temperature of the spring water ( 72* all year long) dive in quickly to avoid the long drown out lightning bolt of cold streak through your very being. Dive in and catch your breath again to swim over the awesome boil, amazing the cold clear fresh water pumping out of a deep crevasse in the earth it’s the most amazing thing I’d ever seen! You swim across the center and your breath is taking again the most amazing feeling in the world and your swimming in it..brings to mind the old time baptisms’ you are totally in a religious moment at one with everything and at awe about everything overwhelming for lack of better terms for such a moment you will never experience. You drink a gulp of the water to take in and quince your thirst from the hot summer and your spirit swells within you…..now you’re part of the water of nature and of the universal powers that be; you are brave and swim towards the dark tea stained deep river to fully appreciate and take it all in…. as you approach the river’s edge you see where the clear cold spring water meets the dark river…. it is somewhat caramel colored and you swim into it and feel the cold and the warm water mixing… the cold is rushing into the river so fast it takes your breath again, so you press harder.. and swim ,deeper to get across this gushing turbulent stream of cold water and coast over to the river’s edge, while trying to catch your breath again and take all of this experience in, you feel the warmth of the river over your feet and feel compelled to slip off into that dark deep it cuddles you like a warm mothers blanket wrapping you in its arms and recharges you to go jump in the deep cold spring again and maybe if really brave explore the caves and aquatic life that live on the edge….plants with apple snails and frog eggs up and down the stocks.

Florida Spring's

As a child my haunts were the springs: Rum Island, Little River, and Ichetucknee.
My favorite spring most of all Madison Blue; the cliffs that surround this big blue hole remind me of deep blue Maui.
The spring run was swift and strong, caring you to the Withlachootchi.
There is a big beautiful water oak that was unlike any I’d ever seen she sat above the river bank with steps for your feet carved naturally into her trunk, inviting the adventure to climb up and see.
When you arrive into the great branches; a welcoming seat large enough for 8 to sit comfortably. As you settle in and gaze around at the river and spring you suddenly realize just how perfect nature is and how we are all part of the same being.
Although the beaches are so nice it is the springs that bring ones soul back to life,
Quenching the tired, weary, overworked and thirsty.
Warming you on a cold winter’s night.
The springs protect Florida too, from saltwater intrusion; without the pressure from the springs the aquifer would be salty.
South Florida, desalination makes more sense next to a nuclear power plant, filtered water is a byproduct of the process. Think about it and you will see clean water is a possibility. Don’t take from the rivers anymore; or we will all taste the sea shore.
Watch and see Crystal River will be one of the first engulfed by the sea.
Take heed now before it is too late, and our children blame us for their unquenchable thirst.
Before our rich soil becomes dry desert.
We must proactively lurch, forward and create a way to protect our future sustainably.
We need to work together and individually; to achieve harmony between the people and the environment.
Please Floridians do not believe your water managers are taking care of the resources.
Management has not a chance against the tenacious lobbyist; big development has doing their bidding.
Open your eyes before your wallets are stripped bare from greedy barrens stealing your water and then selling it back to you at a cost even the power companies never thought of; you think fuel is high just wait and see; for there is no business that can operate without water.
Have a nice day and hope and pray all is well; but if you do nothing Florida will be Hot as Hell.