Places Visited: Chiefland, Cedar Key, Manatee Springs State Park

Cedar Key is a quaint fishing village on the Gulf of Mexico located on what I call the southern end of the Big Bend area of Florida where Peninsular Florida bends to the west to form the Panhandle. I am not sure but I think locals consider themselves to be on the northern edge of the Nature Coast which drops down the Gulf side of Florida to somewhere around Tampa. Anyway, Cedar Key was an old fishing village much like Key West was. Things never stay the same. The area still has some of the characters that give a fishing village its charm but outside money has invaded the area forcing many of the "locals" out. Snowbird money brought much needed outside income but it has become too much of a good thing. Condo's are appearing where old marinas once flourished. The waterfront is being transformed into luxury homes transplanting the old fishing economy into a service economy catering to the upkeep of the luxury homes, condos and lifestyles of the new money. It is ironic, the quaint fishing village has been completely transformed by this new influx of money. What attracted the new money here in the first place is history replaced by expensive restaurants and do-dad shops. Even the small artist colony is being priced out. One can only wonder what Cedar Key will be like in a few years, should we look to Key West for a peak into this places future?

This is a picture of Key West's waterfront. I call it restaurant row. The structure over the water in the foreground is all that remains of a proud structure that fell to one of Florida's famous hurricanes. How many hurricanes have battered it since it was destroyed is unknown, but each hurricane destroys more and more.

This is an oyster boat used by locals in the shallow water surrounding Cedar Key. Note the oyster tongs laying across the culling board. While standing in the boat over a bed of oysters the oysterman will use the tongs to rake up everything on the bottom. He will dump that load on the culling table then sort through everything and pick out the good oysters. Tongs work much like a post hole digger.

Willets like this flight to the left winter in Florida. The snowy egret on the right was wading in a tidal flat.

The marsh grass around Cedar Key not only has a beautiful golden hew to it but also provides nourishment to the estuary that provides the bounty for this area.

Cypress knees come in all shapes and sizes. These are just some of the ones in Manatee Springs State Park. In the picture to the right normal cypress knees are in the water but do not overlook the huge light colored knee that stands over 6-feet tall, to actually see the top of this knee you have to look in the extreme top center of the picture.

The knee to the right is almost a perfect cone.

The light shining on these knees is what made them so unique.

Reflections from the setting sun made these cypress trees draped in Spanish moss made these pictures around Manatee Springs interesting.

These pictures of cypress trees across the spring run from Manatee Springs State Park. Manatee Spring is located several hundred yards from the Suwannee River that is seen on the extreme left side of the picture on the left.

More pictures of cypress trees and their reflections in the spring run Manatee Springs.

Cypress trees and reflections in the spring run and a lone river birch tree. Can you tell the actual river birch tree from the reflection?

Black Vultures (Buzzards) roosting in tall cypress trees along the Suwannee River near Manatee Springs.

Looking upstream on the Suwannee River near Manatee Springs.

Swamp maple trees are brilliant red this time of year. When this red is juxtaposed against gray Spanish moss the visual effect is stunning.

Some might think the red on swamp maples is new leaves or flowers. As you can see the red is seeds ready to float away on the slightest breeze.

This stump of an ancient cypress tree and the reflections made an interesting picture.

These deer were wandering around Manatee Springs State Park in the late afternoon. This is the most deer we have seen anywhere in Florida. Seeing this many deer in the Hill Country of Texas is normal, but not Florida.

Until next week just remember how good life is.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix