These are the bridge pilings I wrote about in my prior post about Durbin Creek. I'm not sure how old these are, but it seems that these are leftovers from the old wooden bride that used to cross here a good long time ago. There is also some wood planking leading up to the water that cannot be seen in the picture. These posts are usually completely submerged (which would explain why they are so well preserved and why we have never seen them before this year), which gives an example of how bad the drought is right now. Since this picture was taken, the water level has dropped another few inches, and is showing no signs of rising.
If we were to take this picture at normal water level from this spot, we would be up to our knees in the creek. It has been completely impassible since March. It's a shame that nobody can get back there and enjoy it this summer.
This is the smaller of the two huge cypress trees that sit within a stone's throw of the creek. This one is set a little bit back into the woods and is visible from the canoe launch. It is 6 feet in diameter, which we estimate would make it at least 1000 years old...Amazing. Unfortunately, this one has graffiti written on the side facing the road, undoubtedly done by somebody who doesn't have the least care about Florida or its wild. Sick...And of yes, about the larger of the two huge cypress trees...there is one farther downstream that we estimate to be 9 feet in diameter (haven't measured it, but it looks about like 9 feet). That one has no graffiti on it because it's set back in the woods where no suburbanite would dare to go...except us. A perfect example of how isolation helps to preserve old-growth trees. It's amazing to see such huge trees back here, and it amazes me even more how they escaped the logging that swept through Florida in the 18 and 1900s. BTW...yes this is the first picture you've seen of me. And it's a horrible one at that. My sincerest apologies :-D.
Hope ya'll are enjoying the blog...And um...*grunts*...feel free to leave some comments.
3 comments:
Hurricane Teen,
I think I know this tree. Did it have some railroad spikes driven into it for footholds? I canoed Durbin in the early 80's and somewhere I have a slide of a huge cypress there with spikes buried halfway in the trunk in a ladder formation. I assumed at the time it was an old hunter tree stand artifact.
Good to see ya.
This is your tree, FC. It does have railroad spikes for footholds going a good way up into it. I believe those are in the north side of the tree and this picture was taken facing east. It would be really interesting to figure out what those were there for...I'll have to examine it closer the next time I'm there. Do you remember the even bigger one farther downstream? The other one is what really leaves an impression on me. I bet this was an even nicer paddle 20 years ago.
Just out of curiosity, but as per your previous post, how smart is it to be in those shorts?
Post a Comment