jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 7:04:38 GMT -5
This pool is on a shelf about 3 feet above the warm water of the Withlacoochee River. It is spring fed and contained by the trunks of the Ogeechee Tupelo. It is a spring fed pool at about 68F as opposed to the 85F water in the river below. On the left bank of the pool are piles of small corals collected off the bottom. They are some of the clearest material. Upper left is my boat parked in the river. River water murky due to clay content.  Close-up of small corals shows various stains depending on what layer of soil/clay they spent their existence. Wet season water level is 5-20 feet above this pool. Scalloping new corals up. Having absorbed minerals from these various layers they will turn various colors from heat treatment. Old bottle a bonus.  This is the range of the Ogeechee Tupelo. The coral bearing area is right in the center of it's range.  This Tupelo is on the Suwannee River fork about 20 miles south and left toward the highly filtered acidic water of the Okeefenokee Swamp. Not my photo  This is the fruit of this Tupelo. Used for making jams('jellies'). Honey plantations along the Apalachicola River cultivate the Ogeechee Tupelo for the super sweet 'swamp honey'.  Last but not least, for those of you older than these trees, a beautiful song written by a damn yankee- about Tupelo honey. |
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Post by gingerkid on Jul 4, 2014 8:43:22 GMT -5
 Hi, James! Enjoyed your post and nice coral! I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't ever tried any tupelo honey. Love the trees in the Okefenokee swamp!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 9:05:26 GMT -5
Hi, James! Enjoyed your post and nice coral! I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't ever tried any tupelo honey. Love the trees in the Okefenokee swamp! Hi Jan. Please try some. It is about the only honey that will not crystalize. Said to be the finest. It is a good chance that the generic honey you buy is Tupelo due to it's high production level and infinite shelf life. The honey farms are not far from your home town. Lots of sugar from that area if you include Cairo syrup. |
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junglejim
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 344 
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Post by junglejim on Jul 4, 2014 9:14:54 GMT -5
Wow, looks like you have a boatload of coral in that pile. Fantastic scenery there.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Jul 4, 2014 9:17:31 GMT -5
Score!!!!! As usual James...Looks like a lot of fun buddy!!! Thumbs up
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 4, 2014 9:17:43 GMT -5
Those are some sexy looking trees. Check out the one in the first pic, lower left at the very edge. Looks like someone's backside, lol.
James, not only do I know the song, I have the dang album. So how old does that make me? Not older than those tress, lol.
I knew of Tupelo trees, but did not know what tupelo honey is, or where it came from. Obviously, I've not tasted it either. But, unlike Jan, I have an excuse - it don't come from here!
Am enjoying the pics from your expedition, keep 'em coming.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 9:32:52 GMT -5
Those are some sexy looking trees. Check out the one in the first pic, lower left at the very edge. Looks like someone's backside, lol. James, not only do I know the song, I have the dang album. So how old does that make me? Not older than those tress, lol. I knew of Tupelo trees, but did not know what tupelo honey is, or where it came from. Obviously, I've not tasted it either. But, unlike Jan, I have an excuse - it don't come from here! Am enjoying the pics from your expedition, keep 'em coming. Funny you mention the shape of those trees. I tell people they are big ladies that dove out of airplanes and stuck head first in the mud with their legs sticking up in the air. I know, sick thought process. |
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 4, 2014 9:36:46 GMT -5
Funny you mention the shape of those trees. I tell people they are big ladies that dove out of airplanes and stuck head first in the mud with their legs sticking up in the air. I know, sick thought process. Yeah, I notice sh!t like that. I'm funny that way... I don't know about ladies diving out of airplanes, tho. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 10:29:32 GMT -5
Funny you mention the shape of those trees. I tell people they are big ladies that dove out of airplanes and stuck head first in the mud with their legs sticking up in the air. I know, sick thought process. Yeah, I notice sh!t like that. I'm funny that way... I don't know about ladies diving out of airplanes, tho. Speaking of, I was looking at some land on the Santa Fe river. It was an agent's home. I go to their house and her large bear of a husband comes to the door. You would refer to him as a very slow talking Jethro. He takes me to the back yard where the river is. I looked on the ground and saw a piece of avionics on the ground. I asked him where the piece of airplane electronics came from. He said he was at the table cleaning fish pointing about 50 feet away some time back. All the sudden he heard what sounded like a bomb falling out of the sky. The next thing he knew he was coated in mud and knocked on his butt. He was completely confused by the event. Mud for 100 feet around and all over his house. A fighter jet had lost control and hit just on the edge of the river in a full speed dive just feet in front of him. I tried to control myself as I imagined this event about to fall out laughing.(the pilot ejected to safety) The jet was 5 stories down in the mud and the hole filled up instantly with water and mud. The military came and pulled it out to study the jet. And only then did he figure out what had happened. If you met this guy you would only be amused by what had to go thru his brain. Anyway, he his size kept me from laughing. and that's why I think of things diving out of the sky. |
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Jul 4, 2014 10:40:57 GMT -5
Beautiful. I love your posts and appreciate how in-depth you go. I want to go back to America! Wah.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 10:50:07 GMT -5
Beautiful. I love your posts and appreciate how in-depth you go. I want to go back to America! Wah. Most places have a lot going on. It takes a long time to really know the history and geology of many places bcrockhound. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 11:07:53 GMT -5
Wider and deeper rock rig. Cut 2 holes in the back seat to put 5 gallon buckets in for lower CG. Had an interesting reaction with the foam fill when the plasma arc hit the foam. Boat did well. Holds about 500 pounds of rock.   Lots of coral in this shoal  Dark chunks are corals, dark plates are petrified algae and mud. All well silicified.  |
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,359
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Post by quartz on Jul 4, 2014 12:55:17 GMT -5
Thanks for the show and story.
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Post by Pat on Jul 4, 2014 13:07:00 GMT -5
Never heard of tupelo trees.
Never heard of tupelo honey. Is it sold under that name?
At first, I thought the photo of the acidic water had been photoshopped, and wondered why you did that.
Heard of Van Morrison, but not the song.
Beautiful scenery as always!
Thanks!
Oops! One more thing: I noticed the hinnies, too.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 4, 2014 13:12:21 GMT -5
Speaking of, I was looking at some land on the Santa Fe river. It was an agent's home. I go to their house and her large bear of a husband comes to the door. You would refer to him as a very slow talking Jethro. James, I don't refer to all slow talking southern gentlemen as Jethroes. I use that term loosely when referring to the backwoods folks, from the shallow end of the gene pool, that are related to themselves about six different ways. Think banjos in the movie Deliverence... Those are the ones I call Jethro. I'd be afeared of running into the meth cookers, or stumbling across a moonshiner's still, whilst traipsing across the countryside. Am I guilty of stereotyping? |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 13:27:35 GMT -5
no. Because they are characters and proud of it. Usually friendly. Yes, the danger is pot fields and meth guys.
I found a harvested maryjane field once. South Fulton is quite desolate and many growers from Atlanta do their thing down here.
To the point the sheriff helicopters buzz over us in September looking for it.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 4, 2014 16:29:17 GMT -5
absolutely beautiful JamesP, I love love love your posts! (Isn't Van Morrison Irish?) Who wrote the song?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 16:59:23 GMT -5
absolutely beautiful JamesP, I love love love your posts! (Isn't Van Morrison Irish?) Who wrote the song? Yes, he was irish and he wrote the song while living in Woodstock New York. Shortly after he moved to California. Thanks snowmom. |
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Post by Rockoonz on Jul 4, 2014 21:49:06 GMT -5
Tupelo Burl Butts and Jethroes? Nice coral and beautiful scenery, jamespI have to visit your region someday, closest I've been was overnight in an Atlanta hotel after a missed connection flying Delta |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2014 22:50:42 GMT -5
Tupelo Burl Butts and Jethroes? Nice coral and beautiful scenery, jamespI have to visit your region someday, closest I've been was overnight in an Atlanta hotel after a missed connection flying Delta Got a in law suite. I'll leave the lights on. |
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Hi, James! Enjoyed your post and nice coral! I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't ever tried any tupelo honey. 
