CraigC
Guru
Blue Springs Park, Florida
When I was 13, My family decided to go camping at this park. This was the first time I had seen a natural spring like this. The water was crystal clear and you could see the bottom at about 100 feet. There are signs that you could observe to clue you in on some environmental conditions. That water was so inviting! I remember running toward the dock in that clean white sugar sand, down the dock and the leap into the water. When I hit the water, I can remember being back on the dock, without getting wet. It was 94F ambient and the water was 72F. Now that might not seem a big difference in temperature change, but that water was bloody freezing!
If I had been paying attention to my surrounding during my little jaunt to the dock, I might have noticed the watermelons corralled in net bags sitting in that 72F water or the six packs of sodas and beer in the same water, but noooooo! My fixation was on the water and getting into it as quick as possible! Be careful of the blinders we sometimes put on our senses!
When I was 13, My family decided to go camping at this park. This was the first time I had seen a natural spring like this. The water was crystal clear and you could see the bottom at about 100 feet. There are signs that you could observe to clue you in on some environmental conditions. That water was so inviting! I remember running toward the dock in that clean white sugar sand, down the dock and the leap into the water. When I hit the water, I can remember being back on the dock, without getting wet. It was 94F ambient and the water was 72F. Now that might not seem a big difference in temperature change, but that water was bloody freezing!
If I had been paying attention to my surrounding during my little jaunt to the dock, I might have noticed the watermelons corralled in net bags sitting in that 72F water or the six packs of sodas and beer in the same water, but noooooo! My fixation was on the water and getting into it as quick as possible! Be careful of the blinders we sometimes put on our senses!
I was on a camping trip in Boy Scouts. My neighbor across the street was in the same troop and on this trip. I'm here to say that raccoons really love Cheetos and can figure out how to get into the most securely buttoned up tent! Ed learned that keeping Cheetos in a sleeping bag with you because you don't want to share isn't a good idea. It also means you get to share with the local residents without a choice while inciting your tent mates to kick you out! Ever see a bunch of freaked out raccoons in a small space? I don't remember who was making the loudest noises, us or the raccoons. I also have never seen a tent evacuated so quickly, both us and the raccoons. Ever tripped over and then trampled on by the same freaked out raccoons? The troop leaders thought we were all insane! Meanwhile Ed had located a stack of brooms and was busily throwing them, like spears at the fleeing raccoons. No raccoons were (Ed is a poor spear thrower) or Scouts were injured. However it was noted that many raccoons and Scouts were displaying signs of "Cheetal" on faces and hands.
