Summary of Features
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perch for taking photos |
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Directions
From the junction of U.S. 27/19 and U.S. 98 in Perry, drive
west on U.S. 98 for 4.3 miles. Turn left (south) onto Highway 356 and
continue 7.5 miles to dirt/gravel entrance to the Spring Creek Unit of the
Big Bend Wildlife Management Area. Stay on this road 0.5 miles to ranger/check
station and another 3.6 miles to boat launch on Spring Creek. Paddle
upstream (to the left) 2/3 mile to the spring.
For maps, latitude/longitude data, driving directions, satellite imagery, and topographic representations as well as weather conditions at this spring, go to Greg Johnson's informative "Florida Springs Database" web site at the following address: http://www.ThisWaytothe.Net/springs/floridasprings.htm#Florida
Spring Description
The spring forms an oval basin that is 100 by 140 feet wide.
Water flows from one or more limestone openings at a depth of 33 feet (Hornsby
& Ceryak, 2000). No boil is visible. On first date of visit
(October 2001), the water was fairly clear and greenish, with visibility
of about 20 feet. Green and brown algae grow profusely on submerged
surfaces and plants. Land around the spring is lush floodplain forest.
At least 20 Florida gar congregated and cavorted in the spring; their lengths
varied from 1-2.5 feet. A heron and kingfisher were also observed from
the basin. On the second date of visit (January 2004), the water much
greener, and visibility was less than 3 feet. On this date, more than
a dozen night herons were observed at the springhead, and bird droppings
on the trees around the spring suggested it may be a rookery for the herons.
The spring forms Spring Creek, which flows about 2/3 mile to the boat ramp at the Spring Creek Unit of the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area and then another mile to the Gulf of Mexico. The run transits through several plant communities, from lush floodplain forest to a transition area with sabal palms, cypress, cedar, wax myrtle, and sawgrass; to sawgrass and sabal palm marsh; to black needle rush marsh, and ultimately to the Gulf. Fiddler crabs may be seen along the shore and in the trees and shrubs on the run.
In the upper communities (the first half-mile of the run), the run is clear, sandy, cool, 1-2 feet deep, and 10-30 feet in diameter. There are numerous obstructions in the form of submerged logs and overhanging branches. The run widens, darkens, and deepens as it approached the Gulf and is joined by other inlets.
JF found three other springs along/adjacent to the Big
Creek run:
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| Small spring near boat launch |
View from spring of boat launch |
#1 The first is approximately 175 feet east of the
boat launch in a small (about 10 feet long and 6 feet wide) alcove.
The spring creates a mild but evident boil on the surface with a diameter
of about 3 feet. A hole in the general bottom could be perceived by
signt and paddle at a depth of about three feet. The hole appeared to
be about 18 inches in diameter.
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#2 The second spring is about 1/4 mile south of the
boat ramp, just off the main channel at the mouth of a smaller channel that
enters the main channel from the east. It lies in the middle of the
smaller channel mouth and had a prominent boil--raised 2" above the common
surface and with sufficient flow to be audible from 15 feet away. The
tide was somewhat down when the boil was observed.
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#3 The third spring is about 30 feet ESE of spring #2 and is set in a small alcove similar to that of additional spring #1. Because the vent is closer to the edge of the marshland, its flow is somewhat more pronounced to additional spring #1. Tidal conditions were the same as observed for the other two additional springs.
All three springs would be less visible under high-tide conditions. In all cases, their flow was clearly visible but did not appear to issue water that was any clearer than the brownish and brackish water around them.
Use/Access
Nearby Springs