jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 15, 2013 8:48:44 GMT -5
I got to pass thru this neighborhood to get to my camp. The canals are sexy.   Notice the artesian well dumping 200-300 gallons per minute into the canal. That is natural pressure with no pump. Every residence has one. That is why the water is crystal clear(and cold).  Leaving out of the canal and into Lake George/St John's River it is 125 miles north to ocean or over 200 miles to south Florida all by boat. Ocean fish/crabs/creatures just about the entire way. Rough waters and good radio suggested.  Please enjoy |
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garock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,168
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Post by garock on Jul 15, 2013 9:32:17 GMT -5
Great Photos Mr James ! !
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 15, 2013 10:21:02 GMT -5
Thanks Frankie. Good subject = good photo
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2013 12:19:51 GMT -5
wow
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Post by helens on Jul 15, 2013 12:22:52 GMT -5
Florida is very beautiful... you should see the incredible little islands off the coasts.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 15, 2013 12:27:39 GMT -5
It is beautiful. Be better if you guys would go back to New York so sunshine and gator boys can not have to put up w/rude folks.
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Post by helens on Jul 15, 2013 12:34:48 GMT -5
I do appreciate the sentiment James. Florida has almost no natives left in most of it. But I doubt that many of the homes on the canal are owned by native Floridians. When reading about old Florida, there's a real sense of nostalgia for what it used to be... one of the harshest, most brutal climates to carve a niche in on earth. But it is beautiful, even New Yorkers can see that.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2013 12:56:19 GMT -5
The one thing that the yankees brought to central Florida is great pizza. You can walk down the streets and find a terrific slice almost anywhere.
The one thing the yankees ruined was the conch fritters. Every time I have tried one they lacked the conch entirely, flippin' cheapskates.
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Post by helens on Jul 15, 2013 13:03:12 GMT -5
The conch fritters are awful all over, including the Bahamas. All the ocean pollution has decimated the conch population:(.
You are right about pizza... it's amazing. DC, which is only 5 hours from Manhattan if you're a slow driver, has the most gawdawful pizza you can imagine. They could drive the pizzas there from NYC, so why so gross? Yet Central Florida has pizza as good as anything you could get anywhere in NY. Can't get the skinned Sabrett hotdogs tho:(.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2013 13:26:50 GMT -5
I had outstanding conch fritters in Las Vegas. I have also eaten many many outstanding farmed conch as sashimi.
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 15, 2013 17:48:37 GMT -5
One of these days I want to get back out to Florida and dive the cave springs. Unfortunately the only cave diving spot out here was closed after a couple of divers went in and did not come back out. But Florida and Texas are both supposed to have some great cave diving.
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Post by helens on Jul 15, 2013 18:09:26 GMT -5
There is cave diving in Florida... but some are really dangerous, and divers can get stuck easily. I never got my PADI... took it in winter during a cold snap and almost got hyperthermia in the first 8 lap swim... and never looked back. Between negative buoyancy and insufficient thermal padding (fat), even with a wetsuit, the amount of diving I could do was limited. Now that I'm older, I have a bit more padding, but not sufficient for spring diving (water temp is stable, but to me, pretty darn cold).
But Florida has some beautiful springs all over the place:).
Where did you eat good conch fritters in Vegas? In 2 weeks of eating somewhere different every meal, I think we hit all the hotel buffets and many of the restaurants... I saw no carribean food...
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 15, 2013 18:22:09 GMT -5
There is cave diving in Florida... but some are really dangerous, and divers can get stuck easily. I never got my PADI... took it in winter during a cold snap and almost got hyperthermia in the first 8 lap swim... and never looked back. Between negative buoyancy and insufficient thermal padding (fat), even with a wetsuit, the amount of diving I could do was limited. Now that I'm older, I have a bit more padding, but not sufficient for spring diving (water temp is stable, but to me, pretty darn cold). But Florida has some beautiful springs all over the place:). I used a neoprene dry suit when I went ice diving in Massachusetts. The only part of your body that gets cold is the areas of your face that are exposed. I got a nylon dry suit and fleece jumpsuit to wear underneath for diving in Northern California, which get pretty cold. |
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Post by helens on Jul 15, 2013 18:32:59 GMT -5
I have a neoprene spring wetsuit... uh... I wear that swimming in the summer. Ok, that's an exaggeration, we used to waterski when we had our boat, so mostly neoprene life vests. But I don't like the cold, and I really don't like cold water. The most miserable part isn't the face, it's the ears. Gaaah.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2013 18:35:24 GMT -5
I told you to eat Mesa Grill. Bobby Flay's restaurant. I think he had them on special there. Buffet's are for families and blue haired old ladies. The real good food is in restaurants. But your hair aint blue!  |
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Post by helens on Jul 15, 2013 18:41:54 GMT -5
OOh. I just remembered someone saying that. No, didn't get to Mesa Grill. I just looked up where that was... Caesar's Palace. Darn. We went through their shopping plaza... that's the one with the Atlantis and big aquarium at the end. I never saw the Mesa Grill even. We did all the hotel buffets... they were OK. I liked the deserts at all of them, especially the Bellagio's. Actually, I think that's mostly what I ate. LOL! My favorite restaurant from the whole trip was the Lakeside at the Wynn. We got a lake of dreams table, so got to see only 3 of the shows before going to see David Copperfield (NEVER buy the front row center table, he does 1/2 his performance in the middle of the audience...). The frog was my favorite. This guy:  We actually ate at the Lakeside twice, because I wanted to see the rest of the show, when we went to La Reve... and got to see the same ones again. Darn. What old lady has BLUE hair? |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 15, 2013 19:05:47 GMT -5
quote author=" helens" source="/post/681132/thread" timestamp="1373909688"]I do appreciate the sentiment James. Florida has almost no natives left in most of it. But I doubt that many of the homes on the canal are owned by native Floridians.[/quote] The natives stay out of Orlando. You would find Salt Springs to be an enigma. For some reason there is zero minorities. I have never seen any thing like it. It has a high percentage of natives. I could not care less. Apparently 'the forest' as it is called is not very open minded. I ended up buying there because the St. John's river flows northerly and the warm springs keep a neurotic variety of aquatic plants happy for me to propagate in my business. And it is the most extensive wetland I have ever seen. The wells in the canals are perfect geothermal heat sources to provide habitat. I have 2 wells feeding water and warmth to my plant stock. The neighbors quarrel incessantly about their property lines and illegal out buildings. My 5 acres is outside the subdivision and I left a thick barrier of trees so I can sit on my open air toilet. I actually do not understand them and really do not care. My relatives pepper the area and my cousins are close to my age and my interests. I crack up when the 'Rainbow People' come to stay in the national forest for their 28 day max allowance. The whole area is in fear of them. They are typically very peaceful. They stay 1.5 miles from my camp and I have helped them find their way back to their camp when they wander up on my place. Biggest danger is their smell:) I know this area well and understand it's biodiversity and history both recorded and not recorded. A bit of a frontier. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 15, 2013 19:18:54 GMT -5
Best pizza in Atlanta and around Lake George is Sparky's in Astor, Florida. It is a drinking town with a fishing problem.
I almost contacted you guys to meet me there. I am a regular in there. Sparky's. A most beautiful stretch of the St John's River.
Take a ride up there and give it a go.
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Post by helens on Jul 15, 2013 19:20:36 GMT -5
I've heard of the Rainbow people... they are hobos??
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 15, 2013 20:19:48 GMT -5
In a sort. Hippies They have good legal representation. Know the rules.
Professional people assist them. I am not sure what the trade off
is but have some ideas.
They have caused trouble when they are asked to leave after their 28 days is up.
A few years ago a huge fire was set at the time the Forestry Service was forcing some stragglers
to leave. The fire was set in the middle of a no vehicle zone 6 x 8 miles. It all burned(Juniper Springs National Wilderness).
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