jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Aug 20, 2015 7:05:49 GMT -5
From Swift Creek, got to be the fastest flowing creek in the southern SE US. Corals plucked from the cement like clay bottom at fast shoals have a similar color to the strange water color of this creek. Check out water color. Fast moving acid water has cut through the limestone. The chute where the creek gets narrow is about 6 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Water speed about 4-6 feet per second. Richest colored coral is in the fastest water, as if the minerals were forced into the coral by impingement. The water speed in the chute would require tying off. And the (non-poisionous) water snakes are out of control when they cross this creek. They cross the creek and end up 50 feet downstream by the time they swim across. Creek gives me the gee bees due to occasional moccasins. Normally fat water snakes skinny on this creek, wiry fast swimmers. About 200 feet downstream, Swift Creek entering the Suwannee River. Color of coral changes drastically in the river. A lot of springs boiling up in the creek and the river here, the creek gouged deep into artesian zone. One of the small springs, clear water flowing from the edge of the river into the tannic stained Suwannee. Very safe to drink. A very jittery water snake sunning himself making a decision not to get in the paralyzing cold May water. Putting up with my presence. Perched on sun facing spot, maintaining body temperature. His odd color matches the yellowish creek water.
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grayfingers
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Member since November 2007
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Post by grayfingers on Aug 20, 2015 7:15:04 GMT -5
Amazing how many different corals you find. Those honey stones are very pleasing to the eye. And what a swimming hole!
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Post by orrum on Aug 20, 2015 7:16:52 GMT -5
Nice James, really nice coral and pics both! Thanks for the trip!
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bsky4463
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2013
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Post by bsky4463 on Aug 20, 2015 7:42:43 GMT -5
Killer colors..and great trip report. Cheers
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Aug 20, 2015 8:23:50 GMT -5
Sand and limestone washed away. Coral left behind visible in bottom half of photo, large amounts. This is a serious ox-bow. Flowing around pinnacle, creek flowing left to right about 400 feet around pinnacle. Note level drop left to right, like 6 feet in 400 feet of creek. When water is high it bypasses and shunts straight across. Hope this makes sense. Exit on downstream side around pinnacle(to right in above photo). Just get in and the water will gladly carry you. Found one red clay deposit about 10 feet along creek bank. Dozen or so corals with cool colors. Also found a basketball sized crystalline quartz cobble, washed down 300 miles from Appalachia. Source of clay, crystalline quartz cobbles do not happen in this area. Southern most point of such quartz in my explorations. Our native friends made tools out of the sharp coral Not 5 miles north, massive phosphate deposits being extracted. Large wells draw river down. Lots of complaints. Great for coral hunting. Not far downstream massive artesian springs supplement river to the tune of about 1000 cuft/sec. Uh, 7500 gallons per second.
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spiritstone
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Member since August 2014
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Post by spiritstone on Aug 20, 2015 8:50:17 GMT -5
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Aug 20, 2015 10:15:11 GMT -5
With an acid reading of 3.7, most bacteria has no chance of surviving: ""The peat, when mixed with fresh water, creates the acidic, tea-colored, reflective waters of the Okefenokee that are internationally famous. With a pH of 3.7 (a neutral pH is 7, with higher values alkaline), the chemistry of the water affects every living form in the swamp. It is also delicious to drink, and sailing ships used to go out of their way to fill their stores with the waters from the St. Marys River, which would remain fresh during long journeys.""
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
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Post by jamesp on Aug 20, 2015 10:37:03 GMT -5
The clear water you see in the Wiki is fresh out of the ground @spititstone. As those springs travel a few miles they turn whiskey colored from the tannic acid leaching from the forest. Sooner when rainy season.
During the dry season salt water species come way up rivers that flow into the ocean. When the rains come the tannic acid water runs most of them back into the ocean. In some cases this controls some species that breed like crabs and shrimp. Salt water shrimp coming up 150 miles into the St, Johns summertime dry season. Large breeder shrimp, and have filled a 5 gallon bucket w/an 8 foot cast net in an hour. Dailey limit 5 gallons per boat per day.
Have seen mass catfish kills from heavy rains lowering ph in large lakes to the point their skin falls off and they die. Creating large alligator feeding frenzies on the downwind side of the lake. Smell awful. Gators eat rotten meat, no class.
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Fossilman
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Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
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Post by Fossilman on Aug 20, 2015 15:55:47 GMT -5
Very Nice!!!! Like the area!
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Post by captbob on Aug 20, 2015 16:40:05 GMT -5
What's the water temperature this time of year?
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Aug 20, 2015 16:45:59 GMT -5
Amazing pictures. I'd love to be there hounding.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
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Post by jamesp on Aug 20, 2015 16:56:14 GMT -5
What's the water temperature this time of year? Guessing 80F captbob. Warmer than the well water in your area for sure. This creek is cool because the owner lets me in, privately owned for a long way. I make him take $20. It is a camp ground. Real nice to snorkel, better in sections where the water is slower. Bottom is covered with interesting rocks, chips from the natives. The fast water will wear you out. I need to take a small kayak since you can drive along the creek, float a stretch and then walk up and get car.
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Post by captbob on Aug 20, 2015 16:56:41 GMT -5
Hey Stew, good to see you posting again! I'm kinda thinking that you'd love to be anywhere that it's 80 to 90 degrees.
Sounds like you are keeping busy up there.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
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Post by jamesp on Aug 20, 2015 16:57:06 GMT -5
Amazing pictures. I'd love to be there hounding. Next tour of duty bc ? Think about it.
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riverrock
fully equipped rock polisher
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Post by riverrock on Aug 20, 2015 18:05:47 GMT -5
I always enjoy your photos and your coral rocks.
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spiritstone
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Member since August 2014
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Post by spiritstone on Aug 21, 2015 8:00:31 GMT -5
With an acid reading of 3.7, most bacteria has no chance of surviving: ""The peat, when mixed with fresh water, creates the acidic, tea-colored, reflective waters of the Okefenokee that are internationally famous. With a pH of 3.7 (a neutral pH is 7, with higher values alkaline), the chemistry of the water affects every living form in the swamp. It is also delicious to drink, and sailing ships used to go out of their way to fill their stores with the waters from the St. Marys River, which would remain fresh during long journeys."" I bet this water does some good for certain skin conditions.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
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Post by jamesp on Aug 21, 2015 10:00:20 GMT -5
Alkaline water really dries me out spiritstone. The acid water seems milder and gentler.
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carloscinco
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
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Post by carloscinco on Aug 21, 2015 16:36:09 GMT -5
I ain't seen nuttin' better 'en dat!! Cool water and treasures!!!
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megalotis
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2009
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Post by megalotis on Aug 22, 2015 12:31:35 GMT -5
Thanks, James, for the great photo tour! Yikes! That water is acidic! Do any fish live in that creek?
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
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Post by jamesp on Aug 22, 2015 13:09:41 GMT -5
Thanks, James, for the great photo tour! Yikes! That water is acidic! Do any fish live in that creek? Plenty of fish, a few hundred feet downstream is the much more acidic Suwannee River. Home of a peculiar miniature bass, called the Suwannee Bass. The Suwannee is a feisty little rascal and pretty much pull a larger largemouth sideways. This month: "" Holley got in contact with Andy Strickland, an FWC research biologist, who immediately went to meet him. The 3.75-pound bass was weighed on a certified scale and measured 16.5 inches long. The state and world record is 3.89 pounds caught by Ronnie Everett in 1985 on the Suwannee River in Gilchrist County."" Suwannee bass, notice red eye and short jaw. Set your drag...::
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