Wakulla Springs State Park, Florida – 12/3/2014 – http://fulltimetimeshare.com/blog

DECEMBER 3, 2014 (Wednesday)

Michael took the tray from our room and went to the lobby and got us some breakfast. He came back with orange juice, coffee, bagels with peanut butter, jelly and banana. Yummy. We lazed around for awhile and then left around 10:30 AM for the Legacy Toyota Dealership in Tallahassee for our free maintenance work that needed to be done on our Prius.

We got to Legacy Toyota and sat in the lobby while they worked on it. Michael worked on the blog and I made arrangements and many telephone calls to book a cruise for February. We’re going to Europe! It’s a 21 day cruise that leaves from a city near Rome, Italy and goes to Turkey, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Sicily. There are very few “at sea” days and mostly port visits. This will give us a taste for where we want to go back. Excited. Hate to spend the money but it was a good deal – $1300.00 (includes $100.00 for trip insurance) per person. We’ll use air miles to get to Rome.

Nice waiting area. We sat at a sales desk with a wall plug and they had a good wifi.

It took Legacy Toyota almost two hours before our car was finished. Once it was done we left for Wakulla Springs State Park. We had been told by Kathleen (yesterday at the Mag Lab) that if we didn’t see anything else in this area, to see Wakulla Springs and the Mission. Since California has so many missions, and we’ve seen so many of them, we opted to see Wakulla Springs. We looked it up on the GPS but it couldn’t be found. We then looked in the map book and found it and headed for Crawfordville, since it looked to be in that area. We finally saw some signs and headed that way. It’s about twenty miles from Tallahassee but a lovely drive. It costs $6.00 per car to get in, and another $8.00 per person for the boat ride.

We drove through the park and then started walking. We walked past the beautiful lodge and down towards the water. When we got to the boat area we were able to get onto the boat that was leaving. No wait at all. Wonderful. The captain of the boat “Alligator” was Jake. Nice young man born and raised in the Wakulla Springs area. He was able to point out blue heron, miniature blue heron, cranes, ducks, ibis, cormorant, vultures, turkey vultures, alligators, turtles, trees, etc. – but no manatee. One manatee swam under the boat but we didn’t get to see it. Bummer. Sure would love to see one in the wild. It was a very relaxing boat ride (electric motor) so very quiet and beautiful. Totally enjoyed it and would do it again in a heartbeat.

You really get the feeling of the jungle.

Don't really want to go for a walk here. — Don’t really want to go for a walk here.

Nice entrance, staffed by a woman from Hawaii.

Drove about a mile on a tree lined lane.

We think Ed Ball built it and the controversy is putting a commercial establishment in such a special spot.

This is the largest Flowering Magnolia tree I have ever seen. This picture is for brother John. — This is the largest flowering magnolia tree I have ever seen. This picture is for brother John.

The springs are to the left and deep, there is no spring boil, you just see a large flow moving along. — The springs are to the left and deep. There is no spring boil, you just see a large flow moving along.

The stumps surrounding the Cypress tree are part of the root system and called knees.

This is a I don't remember bird. — This is a I don’t remember bird.

See the alligator to the left of the Cypress.

We thought Alligator Alley was too the south. — We thought Alligator Alley was to the south.

They don't have oil on their feathers to repel the water and have to dry them in the sun. — They don’t have oil on their feathers to repel the water and have to dry them in the sun.

Edie thought the beaks look like candy corn.

Jake was saying they don't have very much to worry about, no predators. It is just slightly too cold for pythons here. — Jake was saying they don’t have very much to worry about, no predators. It is just slightly too cold for pythons here.

I have heard, "herd of turtles" my whole life, now I know what it means. — I have heard “herd of turtles” my whole life. Now I know what it means.

After the boat ride we walked to the lodge and walked around. Beautiful place. I asked how much rooms were and the employee at the front desk said a regular room is around $120.00 a night. Not bad for being in such a beautiful place.

When they established the lodge they found mastodon bones.

Major motion pictures were filmed here. I have a new reason to watch the Creature from the Black Lagoon. — Major motion pictures were filmed here. I have a new reason to watch the “Creature from the Black Lagoon”.

Edie loved this t-shirt in the gift shop.

After walking for awhile we left the park and headed back to Tallahassee. Michael and I were getting hungry but are so sick of eating out that we went to the Publix and got salads and a small pie to split for dessert. We also got a chicken breast. Very good.

Drove past the capitol again. — Drove past the Capitol again.

These banners are all over, FSU is undefeated and ranked number 4. We don't talk football since we are Oregon ducks fans. — These banners are all over, FSU is undefeated and ranked number 4. We don’t talk football since we are Oregon duck fans.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!