Today we took a trip exploring our area. I was intrigued by the train engine Christmas lightpole decorations throughout Chattahoochee. After a little computer digging appears there was a rail system link since the late 1800's. There was a beautiful river steamboat mural on one side of a brick building at the caboose park dedicated to the memory of every person from this vicinity who made the supreme sacrifice in defense of home and family.
We then drove down to the river park near Victory bridge over the Apalachicola River where a rescue/recovery camp was set up with law and fishery officers from about 5 counties with boats were still searching for the body of a duck hunter who was swept thru the Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam Christmas eve. Appears he was dropped off in a float tube about 800 yards from the dam. The dam was open due to heavy rains, swollen rivers, high lake level, and he was caught in the swift water. Workers at the dam saw him and knew he was in trouble. They threw him a life line; but, he could not hold on and was swept thru the locks. Due to the heavy rains, the water is 15-20 feet above flood stage. All the low land is flooded and ditches look like small streams.
The Jim Woodruff Dam is located in Florida on Lake Seminole where the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers merge at the Florida-Georgia border. Downstream of the Lock the river is named Apalachicola River. The dam's power station has 3 - 14.5 MW generators in service since 1957. We have a full view of the dam from our campsite less than 1/2 mile away. I have enjoyed the ducks swimming about and honking of the geese that is a day/night thing. I thought they went to roost like other birds. If they do roost, they talk off and on all night.
We checked out 3 Rivers campground and passed by several correctional and federal prisons. A farmer was plowing up a field of turnips. I thought this was crazy as there were loads of big turnips laying about after the plow. Fields of cabbage. I wanted to go pick. Several locations of bee hives, too.
Marianna had cheap gas at $2.49.9 per gal. Their new Winn/Dixie was huge with a nice liquor store where we found our spirits. The nice lady checker had once lived in Goldsboro, NC. She was happy to see a NC face. Just outside town we stopped at the Kubuto shop looking at, sitting on, picking up literature and info on a 366 Artic Cat ATV. Jim is interested in purchasing one for off road enjoyment as the Ocala Forest has loads of trails to enjoy.
On our way back to camp we were looking for firewood. Finding a sign, we turned down this road to find a trailer with about 4 small piles of wood but no FOR SALE sign. So, we turned the corner that was a dead end turning around observing a man with a smoky fire and a huge stack of wood in his back yard. We stopped and he was happy to sell us some wood. What a buy and what a talker. This man seem starved for conversation. He said his wife hated for him to build a fire...but, he said he did not pay her much mind. UT OH! He gave us about 25 nice red oak sticks for $5. Can't beat that. J tipped him $2 as we felt this was fair.
Instead of turning into our campground we decided to travel further down the road to see what was there. As we were going down to the river there laying in the woods near the road was a mama deer and 2 smaller deer. I have never seen deer beded down before...only standing, walking, or running...not to mention that close to the road. We found another very nice campground with 14 campsites on the same lake with a very interesting campground host full of info. There is another campground being built on the other side of the lake to hold about 30 campsites not yet open. There was a duck hunter with 2 sons going out for a day of hunting. The campground host said he called the sheriff on this same man yesterday as he was after 7 p.m. (after dark) returning to dock. The host was worried especially after the above incident on the lake. But, he returned safe and sound.
Back at camp I chatted with our neighbors across the road. They were from Tallahassee driving daily about 50 miles to work to then return to their motorhome and camp. They said that this area is considered the Florida mountains. J split wood for a campfire while I heated left-over spaghetti for dinner with roasted marshmallows for dessert. We have new motorhome neighbors beside us with a noisy Chihuahua named "Paco". They have another yappy small long haired dog that could be the same breed. ??? Motorhomes and travel trailers have been coming in this afternoon filling up the empty spots. Deer were snorting at us again when we came out from the shower house. They love the hay and green grass in the area. Sunset was pretty with a haze ring almost like a rainbow. Ducks on the lake huddled in groups zigging and zagging about as they prepared for another night on the water. Geese squawking in the distance as if trying to find their mate. The almost full moon is bright. At one time there was a contrail with jet out from the moon. Temp is a little warmer tonight. 40 degrees as I type. To be 34 degrees come morning with a high of 55 Wednesday. We are bracing for rain Wednesday night into Thursday. One WC was talking about 1 1/2 inches. Not quite sure if that is for our area or elsewhere. We definitely don't need too much rain with all the flooding we're currently having. Then Friday we'll pack-up to head for a nice hotel timeshare in Panama City, FL. I'm looking forward to this trip as I have never seen the Gulf of Mexico.
