Recently I’ve been thinking about Florida’s springs. I think it’s because of this cold winter we’re going through. In Florida, there’s a spring named Rock Springs. The most incredible, natural, free-flowing spring you’ll ever go to.
This new topic, MY TRAVELS, is mostly just going to be about random things and highlights that have happened on “my travels”. My family, we like to travel a lot. Sort of a got-to-do thing, or we’ll lose our minds. Ha-ha!
We’ve been to more than half of the states so far. My favorite states are Georgia, Oregon, California, and...Florida!!!
Florida has to be the happiest place to go! The people are nice, and the weather is amazing! Have you heard of the expression; “heaven on Earth”? Well, there you have it. Florida.
St. Augustine is my favorite part of Florida. And the oldest. Also the oldest in America! Ripley’s Believe or Not museum is located there. So is one of my favorite stores, Earthbound Trading Company. Flagler College is there, too.
I’m telling you, the city is amazing! I insist you go to St. Augustine if you go to Florida.
A little way down from St. Augustine is a natural spring called, Rock Springs at Kelly Park. The spring is so, so, so cool! It’s like the movies. If you go there, there are wild plants everywhere. At the beginning of the spring, there’s a rock you can jump off of; then you can swim 8 ft. under the crystal blue water. Literally like the movies. There are even water animals such as otters and alligators! Lucky for me, the alligators were not in the spring at the times we’ve gone. Or at least, we didn’t see them. Now, that’s creepy. Moving on...
One time, the otters were actually swimming with us. It was kind of funny because we kept hearing these noises coming from up the spring, and we were getting freaked out, thinking it was an alligator. When it came really close, I took my goggles and went under to have a peek, and that’s when I saw them. They’re so cute. There had to be a least five of them with us.
It was really neat to be swimming with all of those otters until my Mother says, “What eats the otters? Alligators!” Then we were on the look-out for alligators that might sneak up on us and bite our feet! Thanks, Mom! Ha-ha!
The last time we went, we floated all the way to the end of the spring, but then heard something. It was a deep, howling, sound. We were looking into the tropical forest, trying to find what made that crazy howl.Then we saw it. Sitting on a branch, head spinning backwards. It was an owl! Yes, an owl in Florida, in the middle of the day. Strange? No, strange and creepy? Well, yes.
The owl was perched on the branch as its head was spinning slowly. Did you know that owls can turn their heads in a 360 degree circle?!
That was the first time I’d ever seen an owl in person, except for the Zoo. I never expected to see one in Florida, though.
The owl’s eyes had shadows that cast a creepy Halloween vibe. Not the thing you’d expect in a sunny tropical spring.
To finish my Florida Spring adventure off, after seeing the crazy owl, we eat fresh picked oranges! Maybe traveling is what makes us lose our minds! *Evil laugh*: ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!
The Insane Traveler,
Kait the Writer
Florida is a neat State. When I was in the Coast Guard I was stationed in Mayport/Jacksonville area. Traveled up and down the coast. Great that you get to travel like that with your family...creating terrific memories. (And you are doing some terrific writing.)
Awesome Kait. Definitely my favorite so far. I can't wait for our next adventure.
Ooooh, I wanna go! Looks surreal, but I am partial to the model in the first picture! Great blog Kaitie...makes me want summer to come FASTER!!!