What a Trip! Cedar Key, Tubing the Itchetucknee & Swimming Manatee Springs

Explore the quieter side of Florida... with a discussion of old Florida, real raw bars, and a refreshing dip in 72 degree spring water!  It's all right here in this episode!

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Welcome to another edition of the Sunshine Republic Podcast. Today we're going to take ourselves on a road trip. One of the more fascinating road trips our meetup group has taken over the years. And it's to tube the Itchetucknee River by way of Cedar Key. It's quite a hike for many of us in Florida whether you're coming from Jacksonville or South Florida or even Tampa or Orlando. It's a five-hour drive from Fort Lauderdale up the turnpike through Orlando past Wildwood and the villages up to otter Creek on 98. And then you'll make a left turn they're going west. continuing all the way out to the island of Cedar Key. Cedar Key was one of the first railheads back in the late 1800s. It became an important port shipping lumber particularly cedar for lumber and for pencils, and naval stores harvested on the mainland. Around the time of the Civil War. Two Mills on at Siena, ot key were producing cedar slats for shipment to Northern pencil factories. As a result of all of this growth, the Congress funded a lighthouse on seahorse key in 1850. The Cedar Key light was completed in 1854. The lighthouse lantern is 28 feet above the ground, but the lighthouse itself sits on a 47-foot-high hill putting the light 75 feet above both the water. It was visible for 16 miles and over the years wood frame residences were added to each side of the lighthouse. Later in 1860 Cedar Key became the western terminus of the Florida Railroad, which connected it up to front end in a Beach, Florida on the East Coast. 

David Levi Yulee you might recognize that name was a US senator and president of the Florida railroad and he had acquired most of the way key to house the railroad terminals facilities. A town was engineered and plotted on way key in 1859 and Parsons inhales general store which is now the island hotel a landmark in itself was built there in the same year. And then on March 1, 1861. The first train arrived in Cedar Key just weeks before the Civil War began. In 1865 the Eberhard Faber mill was built on at Siena OTK the eagle pencil company mill was built on awaking and way key with his railroad terminal surpassed at Siena key and population. repairs to the Florida railroad were completed in 1868. And freight and passenger traffic again floated to Cedar Key. It wasn't the town was incorporated in 1869 and had a population of almost 418 70. 

John Muir, maybe a name that you're familiar with. He was a naturalist. And he had walked 1000 miles from Louisville, Kentucky to Cedar Key in just two months in 1867. And imagine even doing that today. Muir contracted malaria while walk working in a sawmill and cedar came and recovered in the house of the mill superintendent. He then sailed from Syracuse to Cuba in January 1868. And he wrote off his impressions of Cedar Key in his memoir 1000 mile walk to the Gulf published in 1916. Later in 1896, the cedar keys hurricane was a very impactful blow. Early in the morning on September 29. At 96 a 10-foot storm surge swept over the town, which killed more than 100 people. Winds north of the town were estimated at 120 to 130 miles an hour. And basically, that's a category three hurricane wiped out the juniper trees that were still left and destroyed all the mills and then later on a fire on in December further damaged town. In following years structures were rebuilt away key a more protected island which was further inland, but the damage was done. And today only a few reminders of that town on that scene a OTK remain including storm water systems, stone and a graveyard where everyone is conspicuously dated pre or before 1896. You can kayak out there which is a fascinating trip.

But then at the start of the 20th century fishing, sponge hooking, and oystering became the major industries and around 1908 2009 The oyster beds were deemed to be exhausted. At that time President Herbert Hoover established the cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge in 1929 by naming three of the islands as a breeding ground for birds, the lighthouse was abandoned in 1952, just as tourism began to grow as a result of interest in this very historic community. But it remains in use as a marine biology research center by the University of Florida managed by the US from Gainesville. So, coming to today, why would you want to visit today in 2022? Well, this old-fashioned fish fishing village is really a very vibrant tourist center with a number of really famous seafood restaurants and festivals. Typically, there are two bigger larger festivals a year the spring sidewalk Art Festival and the full Seafood Festival and each attracts 1000s of visitors. More recently in 1950 hurricane ez a category three storm looped around Cedar Key three times before finally making landfall, dropping almost 40 inches of rain and destroying two thirds of the homes. The storm luckily came ashore low tide, so the surge was only five feet. Hurricane Elena followed a similar path in 1985 but didn't make landfall. Its winds were 115 which was lower than some of the others. But the storm did turn for two days in the Gulf very close to the to the Western points of cedar gate. All the businesses or restaurants on dark street were either damaged or destroyed. And even parts of the seawall collapsed. 

After a statewide ban on large scale net fishing went into effect on July 1, 1995. Government retraining program helped many local fishermen begin farming clams this base aquaculture is a growing multimillion dollar industry. Within Syracuse proper, there is a local museum exhibit that displays reproductions of one of the first air conditioning installations. The system with this compressor and fans was used in Cedar Key to ease a lot the lot and the pain and conditions of malaria patients. Quite a bit of oysters shellfish and fish were harvested from Key West and put on railroads at Cedar Key. If you're doing this trip on a weekend, it's great to leave your work a little early on Friday. Make the drive up and perhaps at a happy hour, get some sandwiches. Maybe go to the small beach and hit one of the raw bars for happy hour. There are quite a few restaurants in Cedar gate, and they all are typically raw bars and fish houses. One of our favorites is the big deck raw bar which has a big deck which is a robot and it's on the water as a great place to see a sunset late in the day. But right across the street on dock road. We're dock street actually are a number of other large wooden restaurants from days gone by.

and while the big red bar is right there on dark street, there are a number of very cute locations for food and drink all over cedar cake. One of our favorites is the low-key hideaway. It's actually on off just off the shoulder on the way coming into Cedar Key. And it's Don't be confused. It's basically within an RV Resort. But there's also the 1842 daily grind coffee shop. Tony's seafood restaurant is well known for its claim chowder. Right there on Dock Street is one of our favorites the steamers clam Bar and Grill with a great selection of draft beer. Good food and even great service to also on dark street is at three West. Quite a variety of a menu there. The Second Street Cafe is great for breakfast. It's a great country kitchen, and also serves lunch and has a full liquor bar as well. And is Annie's Cafe being on the way into Cedar Key. You can sit outdoor on the deck or in the screened in porch. The grouper sandwiches here are superb and one of our last favorites is Duncan's on the gulf which is well known for fish reubens - are one of my favorites. steak fries are good as well. As far as accommodations are concerned, I would just point everyone to Airbnb. There's a wide range of small, very charming cottages. Up to some condominiums and houses that are available for rent at very reasonable rates to people can easily stay there most times of the year except for the highest winter season for one or $200 a night. Just take a look and you'll find some really fat fascinating combinations. So now that on a Friday night you've, you've experienced Cedar Key. It's time to get up early in the morning and take off for H A toughening. It's about an hour drive. Northbound come back out on route 24. And you could either take the Rural Road of a 345 into Chiefland or go all the way back out to otter Creek and north on an on 129 In a town of Trenton, you'll take the rightmost fork onto Route 47 through Fort white, and you will, depending on which entrance you're going to you'll make a left westbound turn on either 27 or on 238. Now it's important to know that there are two input points and two output outputs. pullouts at the agent technique Creek in recent years to preserve the pristine nature of the upper portion of action taught me that upper portion has been restricted to no tubing and only kayaks and canoes are allowed so as to minimize feet. Impact of people's feet on the shallow bottom. It's been apparently there's been a remarkable comeback in the quality of the water and wildlife during the COVID downtime when the park was closed for a long period of time. And as and as a result while it opened when it reopened the northern point is now only canoe and kayak accessible. As a veteran elimination technique has been there many times. I would urge folks to take advantage of the upper portion. It's incredibly quiet and picturesque and while I don't want to undersell the lower half the upper half can't be missed as well. So, if you are coming up from Cedar Key for early in the morning, and I would urge early in the morning because the there is a limited attendance each day that's allowed into issues happening and you'll want to get there early. You probably want to call and see how busy it is for any particular day.

I know that in the past when gates opened at eight, we had been in line by 7am which meant a departure from Cedar Key around oh six 6am

So, you really should keep that in mind. With all of that in mind, I'll give you a little bit of insight information about,

excuse me. The state requests that all attendees help protect the pristine waters. So disposable items, pets, fishing, radios, coolers, tobacco items and trash are prohibited on the river. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the river and within the park’s boundaries. And you are subject to inspection.

All visitors are expected to be off the river by 6pm tubes are available for rent within the park. But you also will see tubes for rent outside the park.

All tubes cannot be larger than five feet in any direction. And as I mentioned earlier, the shallow and sensitive north section of the river is closed a tubing is available year-round from the midpoint or dampers landing located off in the South Main entrance off of Highway 27th. Now more particularly the midpoint launch has a limit of 3000 tubers a day and not to be confused with a potato midpoint is accessible by the tram service or by following the midpoint trail behind the concession building a little over half a mile south parking lot. You can then flow somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour to damp your line landing and walk the quarter mile back to your vehicle at the south parking lot. Or you can get to continue floating for an additional hour to the last takeout point. If you go to the last takeout point, you can use the concession tram servers or the half a mile point six-mile hiking trail to return again to the south entrance parking lot. Tram service wristbands are available at the general store, and you're required to get one of those so you can ride the trap. Damp here's landing closes at five and you get there you would follow the trail behind the concession building straight to the river. And again, that's a 45 minutes to an hour to the last takeout

So, while the tubing is refreshing particularly on a hot summer day in August, near the water temperature is 72. The real eye-opening experience is the wildlife. Many visitors and company really are surprised certainly I was at the sheer amount of wildlife and diversity to be found there. You know, the tubing is fantastic and it's easy to get into River and a couple of different points. But on any given day, you might hear the hoot of an owl. Smell the plants after a rainstorm and certainly enjoy the sights of turtles. There. You will see likely dozens and dozens if not hundreds of turtles you might want to bring a mask along with you. Because it is truly amazing when you look into the water how incredibly crystal clear they are. And it just proves that it's a very highly protected ecosystem with an almost untouched riverbed. If you take a walk through the trails as you're entering or exiting the water, you will go through 15 distinct natural communities from flat woods to hammock sand hills to sinkholes of blood hardwoods streams, and even caves. Keep an eye out for different species of trees and shrubs including pine trees palmettos live oaks, Turkey oaks, Hickory, Magnolia sweetgum, and maples. 

You might be lucky enough to see additional wildlife including some rare species in the unique Sand Hill habitat along the Pine Ridge Trail. You might see even a gopher tortoise scratching into the ground. You might see the grain black Sherman's fox squirrel, the secretive short tail and Eastern Indigo snakes and maybe even an American Kestrel. Other species of wildlife that are commonly seen include the Bachman Sparrow manatees the Suwannee cooters and the Suwannee alligator snapping turtle and don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for the smallest residence, such as the extra top knee silt snail, the Santa Fe cave crayfish and numerous species of butterflies. 

Just keep your eyes open. It's amazing what you may see While I mentioned bringing a mask so you can look into the incredibly clear water. I'd also wouldn't want to forget bringing a camera ideally a waterproof camera since you will be in a tube. Not only the wildlife but the VISTAs as they start from, from a small dark tree covered Creek, basically, to a much larger wandering River. Just truly are magical and you will want to take pictures a lot of them so don't forget your camera and don't forget your mask. And then, after a long day on the river a couple of hours. It'll be time for you to return back in your car and share your stories with your friends as you drive back to Cedar key in order to visit a number one oh and a number of the restaurants down there looking for live entertainment which many of them have weekend nights certainly. 

And to get ready for your next adventure in at manatee springs 

Once you're rested from yesterday's adventure to H Nittany springs, it's time to capital off with a shorter drive to an equally fascinating location. manatee springs State Park manatee Springs is closer it's about an hour 45 minutes up the road. You can take a number of different routes. My favorite actually is 347 which is the western most route simply because it then for a period of time parallels the Suwanee River in particular the town of Fowler's bluff but it's 45 minutes and it certainly is a site not to be beat in certainly bring your swimming gear. As far as its location if you're driving here directly. It's located six miles west some Chiefland on route 320. It's also known as a first magnitude spring that flows directly into the Suwanee River by way of a short run or short Creek. Life in this area dates back 9000 years. First known residents were the typical one Indians. And according to Rangers that mean at the spring, the picnic area located in the state park used to be an Indian village site. The site was chosen for its location along the Suwanee River, which provided access for transportation as well as for fresh drinking water. Unfortunately, as we all know too well, in the 1500s the arrival of the Spaniards changed the cultural life that existed at the spring. By 1774 manatee Springs was visited by William Bartram and was described in his book travels through North and South Carolina, East and West Florida, and a number of other books. It was named by Boucher himself manatee springs after seeing a manatee carcass on the shoreline of the run of the creek going into the river during the Seminole Wars. A significant attack near man at the Spring was late was led by Major General Andrew Jackson who later became president, and it did kill many of the Seminole Indians and forced the rest out of Florida. This left the area to settlers and farmers who moved into the spring to harvest timber cotton, grow cotton and corn and raise livestock. 

In 1954 manatee Springs was the first spring to become a Florida State Park after it was sold to the state. excavations at the park have revealed that the Indian village was heavily populated throughout history. Multitudes of fragments of pottery bone all's arrowheads, including materials from Wheaton Island period have been located. A lot of sea turtle and saltwater shells are also found at the site speculating at them natives use their access to the Suwanee River to travel to the Gulf of Mexico for seafood Agra state. There's a number of tree types in the park Cypress weed gum, maple and ash and in the water, particularly in the Suwanee you'll see Meloche mouse largemouth bass, speckled perch, catfish bream and long nose guard. As far as wildlife in the forest, you are very likely to see whitetail deer and a variety of small mammals and birds. Recreational activities there certainly is hiking and biking through the park. But the water is really the attraction here.

Scuba diving, swimming snorkeling. You know the water comes out of a very large cave at an incredible rate. And this cave once was thought as a longest cave in the world. It includes the cave system includes over 20,000 explored and mapped caves. There are four main cavern openings located within the park. The head spread Catfish Hotel Sue sank and Friedman sank. Swimming in the head spring and the run is forbidden in the winter when Manatees are more likely to be sheltering there and we don't want to impact mentees. The Catfish Hotel sinkhole and the karst window near the main spring room is open year round with access to these caverns. Swimming and snorkeling are not allowed in the Catfish Hotel and is generally unpleasant due to the layer of duckweed covering the water. The Susanka listed as an emergency exit only for cave divers in the system as ingress and egress is hazardous to the diver and causes soil erosion in the opening. The Freedman sink is available as an entrance to certified cave divers and is the furthest upstream entrance to the system. Certified open water divers can dive the head spring with lights as well as the cat fish tail cabin without lights. Certified cavern divers can dive cat fish hotel with lights but are not but are not to explore beyond the daylight zone. And it's particular to remember that can't cavern divers should exhibit caution when nearing the siphon side of the Catfish Hotel cavern as the flow is truly commence that with all that being said certified and qualified cave divers are able to explore several miles of caverns which we feed into the spring.

 In general, it's just there's a large blue pool that exits the largest spring opening. And it's a very refreshing place to wind up your weekend at Cedar cake. So, you can read certainly more about manatee springs state park on the internet as well as Cedar Key and ichetucknee itself. As well as all the historical towns that are that are in and around the area. It’s really very relaxing to visit particularly for those of us who come from the from urban South Florida, or Orlando or Jacksonville or Tampa areas. It's almost like a land that time has forgotten, but it's a great visit and I urge everyone listening to this podcast to consider taking some time out and visiting Cedar Key Itchetucknee and Manatee springs. So, thank you very much for joining us on this episode of the sunshine Republic podcast. We look forward to talking to you soon