SeaYoda
Contributor
Gulf-Gulper, his family, some friends, and I set out this morning to canoe part of Econfina Creek (just North of Panama City). The day started clear and bright - just like many before it that have put us in a drought. We found our launch spot at the canoe livery ($5.00 per canoe launch fee). We headed upstream to see what things were like and almost immediately had to get out and push the canoe over some logs. We went just a little further and encountered some more trees down across the creek. The water was just a couple feet deep in most spots so we turned back downstream toward, what we hoped was, some easier paddling. The creek was still very low but we managed to only get slightly hung on a couple submerged logs. Along the trip South, we soon saw a small, clear, blue run on the West side of the creek. It was very shallow at first - we walked the canoe 30' to a fork in the run.
To the right was Williford spring and to the left the run ran back into the creek. We proceeded up to Williford, a nice swimming hole. It was a fun snorkel but no need for SCUBA unless you're a caver (I don't know how far you can go under the ledge).
We swam quite a while at Williford and headed down the other leg of the spring run back to the creek. Here are some pictures of the terrain and plants along the creek. There are limestone bluffs and some wild Palm trees along with the usual logs in the water.
As we came nearer Hwy 20, we spotted another blue run on the West side. We followed it up to Sylvan spring. The water boiled on the surface of a very small hole in the ground. We were only ankle to shin deep in water as we walked around the boil. There is a small crack behind the boil that water flows from but not at any great force. The spring was very pretty even though small.
While at Sylvan, we heard thunder and the skies darkened. We decided to move on to our lunch spot, Pitt spring, where we had left a vehicle loaded with food for our arrival. The spring is not big but usually has swimmers in it. Today it was closed to swimming due to low water levels.
Pitt spring is close to HWY 20, the take out point for our canoes. We had intended to canoe past the HWY and visit Gainer spring but the lightening and thunder wouldn't quit. We ended up getting all the vehicles together at the take-out point and two brave souls floated the six boats from Pitt to the take-out. It was a fun day but I wanted to see Gainer, it had the most potential (from what I read) to be dive-able. I guess I'll just have to take another day off to re-con the creek below HWY 20
.
To the right was Williford spring and to the left the run ran back into the creek. We proceeded up to Williford, a nice swimming hole. It was a fun snorkel but no need for SCUBA unless you're a caver (I don't know how far you can go under the ledge).
We swam quite a while at Williford and headed down the other leg of the spring run back to the creek. Here are some pictures of the terrain and plants along the creek. There are limestone bluffs and some wild Palm trees along with the usual logs in the water.
As we came nearer Hwy 20, we spotted another blue run on the West side. We followed it up to Sylvan spring. The water boiled on the surface of a very small hole in the ground. We were only ankle to shin deep in water as we walked around the boil. There is a small crack behind the boil that water flows from but not at any great force. The spring was very pretty even though small.
While at Sylvan, we heard thunder and the skies darkened. We decided to move on to our lunch spot, Pitt spring, where we had left a vehicle loaded with food for our arrival. The spring is not big but usually has swimmers in it. Today it was closed to swimming due to low water levels.
Pitt spring is close to HWY 20, the take out point for our canoes. We had intended to canoe past the HWY and visit Gainer spring but the lightening and thunder wouldn't quit. We ended up getting all the vehicles together at the take-out point and two brave souls floated the six boats from Pitt to the take-out. It was a fun day but I wanted to see Gainer, it had the most potential (from what I read) to be dive-able. I guess I'll just have to take another day off to re-con the creek below HWY 20
.
