It was a walk down memory lane for both of us as Silver Springs was a favorite destination for high school trips and such back in the day. It was also a favorite location for motion pictures. All of the original Tarzan movies were filmed here along with such notables as The Yearling and The Creature From The Black Lagoon. Also such TV series as Sea Hunt, Wild Kingdom and SeaQuest attracted by the crystal clear waters and scores of fish.
Today, the springs, all of Florida's springs for that matter, are polluted with fertilizers and runoff and the beautiful sand bottoms are becoming covered in algae. The swarms of fish and manatees that use to migrate into the springs no longer can because of a dam built on the Oklawaha River for the construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal, another "conservative" boondoggle gone bad.
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| The famous glass bottom boats were running. These boats were created here at the springs. We chose to watch from the shore with a beer in the lounge chairs you see in the distance. |
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| The river is still beautiful. |
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| That night we went to a festival just a little out of town, the Paralounge Drum Gathering. As the name implies, a huge gathering of drummers who pound out the rhythms as the girls whirl. I love watching whirling girls. Don't know why. |
Not a bad weekend for two old men with nothing better to do.
Well there is another natural world we have sent on the road to perdition but then there is always the beer and whirling girls to take our minds off the shit that we will never see again. I hear the Asian carp have made it into the great lakes now. Man fishing with a baseball bat! EEEEEEEEEEEyahaa No wonder the 30 and unders hate our old asses.
ReplyDeleteNot sure why you enjoy watching whirling women? Really? I'd think that'd be right there near the top of most men's lists along with watching nude volleyball.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me I read a while back of a movement to try to undo some of the harm we've done to the environment by getting rid of some dams and freeing those rivers to revert to their original paths. I can see where that would cause problems, but it sure would fix some, too.
Whirling girls, shiny objects, nude trampoline jumping, can't seem to tear myself away from them. Go figure.
DeleteSilver Springs has been bought by the State and will become part of Silver River State Park so, there is hope. The legislature voted a long time ago to tear down the dam but a couple of local politicians have held it up in court because the lake has become a favorite bass fishing destination. God knows, we wouldn't want to restore paradise and spoil some yokel's fishing playground.
One look at those whirling girls, and I know why you love watching whirling girls.
ReplyDelete"conservative" boondoggle gone bad.
ReplyDeleteAu contraire my friend, conservatives do not participate in boondoggles. If one of their works projects go bad it called a tax write off for one of their friends.
On a completely different note, I wish you had video of those whirling girls.
not a bad weekend at all i'd say...not sure how long the glass bottom industry will hold out in those conditions....hey look at the sludge...hear its been a rough year for the manatee as well due to the red tide down there..
ReplyDeleteTwo old fellows ogling dancing girls, you must have been bored out of your skulls.
ReplyDeleteOgling? I beg your pardon, merely photographers looking for a good shot.
DeleteFire and whirling girls and a cool drink (there were cool drinks, right?) sounds like a good evening to this old fellow!
ReplyDeleteHa ha. Flickering fire light and whirling scantily dressed women... Yes, not bad for two ol' guys.
ReplyDeleteAs for the river - tear the damn dam down - who cares about the fisherman. Business will pick up again for another reason - the beauty of preserving nature is far more interesting to me.