2/28/2017: Silver R., Silver Springs to Ocala Boat Club (FL-40)
With: David Bernard, Dan Bertko, Frank Fico, Bridget Fico, Kim Buttleman, Jenny Thomas, Cat Thrash, Beverly Smith, Lois Carra
This was one of the highlights of the trip, the Silver River, from Silver Springs to the Ocklawaha River. The boat launch is on a side channel, and you paddle up into the spring itself, avoiding the glass-bottomed boats full of tourists. Barely discernable at the bottom of the spring are several statues which were sunk for Creature from the Black Lagoon, for one of the many Tarzan movies which were shot there between the 1930s and '50s, or for the TV show Sea Hunt or I Spy, all of which were shot there.
There were a lot of canoeists and kayakers on this river, and one or two power-boaters, but most of them paddled only a mile down river, then back up the other side of a large island to the boat-launch channel; after that first mile we saw few others.
This was the best day of the trip for variety of bird life, the number of alligators, and for the several troops of rhesus monkeys we saw along the banks. The monkeys were introduced to the island in the 1930s as window-dressing for a "jungle cruise" boat ride, but they are excellent swimmers and escaped the island; the feral troops seem to have chosen to remain in the State Park rather than try to co-exist with human society outside the park. We were able to get free showers from the facilities of the boat-rental concession.
That night we ate leftovers in camp.
1. Silver River
2. Silver River
3. Silver River
4. Silver River
5. Silver River
6. Silver River
7. Silver River
8. Most of our group on the Silver River
9. Most of our group on the Silver River
10. Silver River
11. Silver River
12. Cat on the Silver River
13. Silver River
14. Silver River
15. Silver River
16. Silver River
17. Beverly, Kim, Jenny, and Cat (l to r) on the Silver River
18. Aligator on the Silver River
19. Aligator on the Silver River
20. Cat on the Silver River
21. Silver River
22. Silver River
23. Silver River
24. Silver River
25. Rhesus Monkey beside the Silver River
26. Rhesus Monkeys beside the Silver River
27. Rhesus Monkeys beside the Silver River
28. Dan, Lois, and Jenny watching Rhesus Monkeys beside the Silver River
