Well, we are back form a different kind of camping trip but I will get into that in a minute or two.
First.......
We meet at the Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost & Resort. It is under the owner ship, care and control of Joe and Valerie (Val.) Tompkins. Val. does all the work and keeps Joe on his toes when that is posable. (Sorry Joe, Val. gave me $5.00 to say that) :lol: :lol: :lol:
They have upgraded the Outpost into something a lot nicer then it was the last time I was there.
They have six, very nice, cabins, a RV lot for 11 RV's, five primitive camping areas for tents and a very clean bath house. They have added a bait shop, Outpost store and the main office. The play ground for the kids has swings, Teeter Toter, Horse shoe and a tree swing.
They offer a day trip from Gores Landing back to the Outpost which is 8 miles on the river or the one we took from SR 40 at the Silver River back to the Outpost which is 18 miles and an overnighter or a couple of nights if you want.
Here is there web site http://www.outpostresort.com/ Give them a shout if you want to have a good time in the outdoors. Phone 1-866-236-4606.
*************************************************************
As I was traveling north on 19 thru the Ocalal National Forest and just before getting to Salt Springs here comes this black bear out of the woods on my left, he stopped, looked around, I stopped, he looked around and seamed to say Thank You, then proceeded to cross the highway. This is going to be one nice trip, seeing wildlife and I am not there.
Arrived at the Outpost and Al had already arrived and was at campsite T-1. After checking in with Joe and Val. I went up to the campsite, meet Al and set up my camp. A little later in rolls Mac with his big red barge (Mohawk Canoe) and we get his camp set up.
No sooner then getting that done in came Harry, Harry Jr. , Ray, Van and Gary. We got there camp set up and a good oak fire going so we would have some coals to do the potatoes and steaks over.
Just sitting around enjoying the area waiting for the wood to burn down, having a drink, shooting the bull and looking for a nice big bright moon to come up. When the fire was just right we put the potatoes in the coals and sat back for 45 minutes till we could throw the steaks on the grill.
The time rolled around and we had those steaks sizzling over the fire and don't you know it ..... the wind was blowing up to the cabins and who had several of the cabins rented for the night ........ A Greenpiece group and they were eating veggies. Fortunately that is what keeps the world turning, no one like the same things and those Heathen, Barbarian, Red Neck's in the tenting area are burning some dead cow for there supper and drinking fermented beverages (we did have clothing on) :lol: .
While having supper Harry Sr. Choked on a piece of meat and it became lodged in his throat ... he tried to work it down but couldn't, we figured he would be OK in the morning so all of us hit the sack and listened to the Owls sounding off all around us. .
In the morning Harry was still having troubles and decided to aim for home and see a Doctor about this problem, he thought it might of done some damage to the Esophagus. He and the guys with him loaded up and took Harry home and to make sure he was and will be OK.
This left Al, Mac and myself so we decided to go on and make the run. Joe arrived with the shuttle bus and we took out........It ain't over with yet folks ...I have to tell you the tail of the green tent with the washing machine in it.
Joe got us to SR 40 and the Wayside Park for our starting place. We put the boats in, loaded up and waved a good by to Joe (He said Val had work for him so he could not go) :roll:
Paddled a short distance out of the marina and into the Silver River took a left and went on out to the Ocklawaha River.
Dapper Al
Mac
Paddling (Actually drifting with the current) we were looking at all of the bird life above and around us and tons of fish under the boats.
A Cormorant asking " Where are you going"
There is something very pleasing and relaxing when you are enjoying all of the scenery, wildlife and some water where you can look down and see the bottom which is a fer piece under you.
A local Sun Bather in her birthday suit....
We left the landing at 9:30 AM. and drifting along we located a nice campsite at 1:30 PM. Since we were not in a hurry we pulled in and set up camp.
I tried my cell phone to check on Harry but on the river, in that swamp there is no coverage. (The river view from camp)
We sat around, enjoyed a nice supper, sun set and some moonlight then after a while went to bed. About 11:30 some wild hogs were snorting and coming near my tent so I clapped my hands three times, they let out some close sounding snorts and took out for some other pert of that area, which made me happy. Mac had his 80 quart cooler but it was full of ice, one block of cheddar cheese and 12 cokes, no room in there for some fresh ham and bacon. Besides I don't think a canoe paddle would have done much damage to one of those hogs.
When or if you would wake up the Owl's were talking to each other all night long, some good bedtime song's.
Up in the morning, a leisurely breakfast of Kayak Jack Power bars, tea for me and Al while Mac had coffee. Some goofing off, breaking camp and on the water by 9:15. (if you look you can see the bottom of the river and it is about 5 feet deep right there between myself and the guy's)
About 2 hours (drifting time) from our camp there is a really nice camp with a small stream coming in on the right side for you to pull the boats up in. We know this because we stopped there, walked around, had some lunch and then back in the boats and on down river to Gores Landing.
We are paddling along and it got real cloudy, then it started sprinkling so I put on my rain suite pants and sure enough it stopped. We continued on and around 1:15 PM. Arrived at Gores Landing. Pulled the boats out and set up camp.
Always put up your tent 1st , then do the rest........ 2:00 it came up a good rain so into the tents for a nap, or whatever. 5:00 it is still raining..... 9:00 PM it is still raining......... 11:00 PM. it is still raining ... it rained all night long and into the early hours of the morning. It finally quit around 7:00 AM. The rain did not make the Owl's quiet down one bit ... all around us and all night long, something I love, Owl's sounding off and rain drops on my tent.
This is where the green tent had the washing machine in it........ Mac had articles of clothing stuck in all four corners of his tent to soak up the water dripping in. You would hear the screen being unzipped, out would come two arms with some form of clothing, wring out the water and go back into the tent....zip the screen would be closed. Pretty soon ....Zip, the two arms and something else in the clothing line, wring out the water and then back inside the tent and zip would go the screen.
We had a short (might of been 15 minutes) break where we could get out side of the tents and that is when we decide in the morning we would get back to the outpost and the vehicles. One gentlemen who was there in a Motor home offered up a ride in the morning if we would want it.
Morning arrived and while having breakfast Mac decided to pack his tent the easy way (He has been threading to do this on the last two trips) He took his tent down and marched it over to the trash can and filed it in there for safe keeping. All of it, the tent, rain fly and washing machine.
A wet mornign at Gores landing
Al had the vehicle (Chevrolet Trailblazer) that would hold the three of us so he got a ride with the gentlemen back to the outpost for his vehicle, came back picked up Mac and Myself and took us back for our vehicles, then back to Gores Landing to load everything up.
All I can say is that to Ocklawaha River is one nice paddling river, just easing along with the river flow and enjoy life, it was a good trip even with everything going wrong, it was a lot of fun and I wish I was there right now.
Chuck.
PS.. I called Harry... He was Hospitalized and it was a piece of the steak stuck about half way down and they managed to move it with medication but the Doc still ran a probe down there to make sure. He is doing fine at this time and wants to go camping.
First.......
We meet at the Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost & Resort. It is under the owner ship, care and control of Joe and Valerie (Val.) Tompkins. Val. does all the work and keeps Joe on his toes when that is posable. (Sorry Joe, Val. gave me $5.00 to say that) :lol: :lol: :lol:
They have upgraded the Outpost into something a lot nicer then it was the last time I was there.
They have six, very nice, cabins, a RV lot for 11 RV's, five primitive camping areas for tents and a very clean bath house. They have added a bait shop, Outpost store and the main office. The play ground for the kids has swings, Teeter Toter, Horse shoe and a tree swing.
They offer a day trip from Gores Landing back to the Outpost which is 8 miles on the river or the one we took from SR 40 at the Silver River back to the Outpost which is 18 miles and an overnighter or a couple of nights if you want.
Here is there web site http://www.outpostresort.com/ Give them a shout if you want to have a good time in the outdoors. Phone 1-866-236-4606.
*************************************************************
As I was traveling north on 19 thru the Ocalal National Forest and just before getting to Salt Springs here comes this black bear out of the woods on my left, he stopped, looked around, I stopped, he looked around and seamed to say Thank You, then proceeded to cross the highway. This is going to be one nice trip, seeing wildlife and I am not there.
Arrived at the Outpost and Al had already arrived and was at campsite T-1. After checking in with Joe and Val. I went up to the campsite, meet Al and set up my camp. A little later in rolls Mac with his big red barge (Mohawk Canoe) and we get his camp set up.
No sooner then getting that done in came Harry, Harry Jr. , Ray, Van and Gary. We got there camp set up and a good oak fire going so we would have some coals to do the potatoes and steaks over.
Just sitting around enjoying the area waiting for the wood to burn down, having a drink, shooting the bull and looking for a nice big bright moon to come up. When the fire was just right we put the potatoes in the coals and sat back for 45 minutes till we could throw the steaks on the grill.
The time rolled around and we had those steaks sizzling over the fire and don't you know it ..... the wind was blowing up to the cabins and who had several of the cabins rented for the night ........ A Greenpiece group and they were eating veggies. Fortunately that is what keeps the world turning, no one like the same things and those Heathen, Barbarian, Red Neck's in the tenting area are burning some dead cow for there supper and drinking fermented beverages (we did have clothing on) :lol: .
While having supper Harry Sr. Choked on a piece of meat and it became lodged in his throat ... he tried to work it down but couldn't, we figured he would be OK in the morning so all of us hit the sack and listened to the Owls sounding off all around us. .
In the morning Harry was still having troubles and decided to aim for home and see a Doctor about this problem, he thought it might of done some damage to the Esophagus. He and the guys with him loaded up and took Harry home and to make sure he was and will be OK.
This left Al, Mac and myself so we decided to go on and make the run. Joe arrived with the shuttle bus and we took out........It ain't over with yet folks ...I have to tell you the tail of the green tent with the washing machine in it.
Joe got us to SR 40 and the Wayside Park for our starting place. We put the boats in, loaded up and waved a good by to Joe (He said Val had work for him so he could not go) :roll:
Paddled a short distance out of the marina and into the Silver River took a left and went on out to the Ocklawaha River.
Dapper Al
Mac
Paddling (Actually drifting with the current) we were looking at all of the bird life above and around us and tons of fish under the boats.
A Cormorant asking " Where are you going"
There is something very pleasing and relaxing when you are enjoying all of the scenery, wildlife and some water where you can look down and see the bottom which is a fer piece under you.
A local Sun Bather in her birthday suit....
We left the landing at 9:30 AM. and drifting along we located a nice campsite at 1:30 PM. Since we were not in a hurry we pulled in and set up camp.
I tried my cell phone to check on Harry but on the river, in that swamp there is no coverage. (The river view from camp)
We sat around, enjoyed a nice supper, sun set and some moonlight then after a while went to bed. About 11:30 some wild hogs were snorting and coming near my tent so I clapped my hands three times, they let out some close sounding snorts and took out for some other pert of that area, which made me happy. Mac had his 80 quart cooler but it was full of ice, one block of cheddar cheese and 12 cokes, no room in there for some fresh ham and bacon. Besides I don't think a canoe paddle would have done much damage to one of those hogs.
When or if you would wake up the Owl's were talking to each other all night long, some good bedtime song's.
Up in the morning, a leisurely breakfast of Kayak Jack Power bars, tea for me and Al while Mac had coffee. Some goofing off, breaking camp and on the water by 9:15. (if you look you can see the bottom of the river and it is about 5 feet deep right there between myself and the guy's)
About 2 hours (drifting time) from our camp there is a really nice camp with a small stream coming in on the right side for you to pull the boats up in. We know this because we stopped there, walked around, had some lunch and then back in the boats and on down river to Gores Landing.
We are paddling along and it got real cloudy, then it started sprinkling so I put on my rain suite pants and sure enough it stopped. We continued on and around 1:15 PM. Arrived at Gores Landing. Pulled the boats out and set up camp.
Always put up your tent 1st , then do the rest........ 2:00 it came up a good rain so into the tents for a nap, or whatever. 5:00 it is still raining..... 9:00 PM it is still raining......... 11:00 PM. it is still raining ... it rained all night long and into the early hours of the morning. It finally quit around 7:00 AM. The rain did not make the Owl's quiet down one bit ... all around us and all night long, something I love, Owl's sounding off and rain drops on my tent.
This is where the green tent had the washing machine in it........ Mac had articles of clothing stuck in all four corners of his tent to soak up the water dripping in. You would hear the screen being unzipped, out would come two arms with some form of clothing, wring out the water and go back into the tent....zip the screen would be closed. Pretty soon ....Zip, the two arms and something else in the clothing line, wring out the water and then back inside the tent and zip would go the screen.
We had a short (might of been 15 minutes) break where we could get out side of the tents and that is when we decide in the morning we would get back to the outpost and the vehicles. One gentlemen who was there in a Motor home offered up a ride in the morning if we would want it.
Morning arrived and while having breakfast Mac decided to pack his tent the easy way (He has been threading to do this on the last two trips) He took his tent down and marched it over to the trash can and filed it in there for safe keeping. All of it, the tent, rain fly and washing machine.
A wet mornign at Gores landing
Al had the vehicle (Chevrolet Trailblazer) that would hold the three of us so he got a ride with the gentlemen back to the outpost for his vehicle, came back picked up Mac and Myself and took us back for our vehicles, then back to Gores Landing to load everything up.
All I can say is that to Ocklawaha River is one nice paddling river, just easing along with the river flow and enjoy life, it was a good trip even with everything going wrong, it was a lot of fun and I wish I was there right now.
Chuck.
PS.. I called Harry... He was Hospitalized and it was a piece of the steak stuck about half way down and they managed to move it with medication but the Doc still ran a probe down there to make sure. He is doing fine at this time and wants to go camping.