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Florida

Washington Oaks Gardens State Park – November 13, 2025

After spending time hiking in the River to Sea Preserve (Ocean to Matanzas River) near Marineland, I decided to revisit the Coquina Rocks along the ocean in Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. It had been at least three years since my last visit and shockingly the vista has significantly changed. As a result of the recent hurricanes and storms, the sand was washed away, and the rocks were at lease 50% more visible.  

Coquina rock is a type of sedimentary rock (specifically limestone), formed by the deposition and subsequent cementation of mineral or organic particles on the floor of oceans or other bodies of water at the Earth’s surface. In other words, the rock is formed by the accumulation of sediments. 

I spent an hour and a half wandering the rocks and walking the beach – even if it was in the low 40’s in the sunshine state. 

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February 2025 – A Good Hiking Month

I purchased a new camera and decide to do some hikes to try to learn it and hopefully improve my photography skills.

The Bluffton Interpretive Trail is a 1.2-mile loop located in the Lake George State Forest near Astor, Florida. It’s an easy trail, and is perfect for birding, camping, and fishing. The trail is open year-round and offers a peaceful experience with minimal crowds. However, dogs aren’t allowed on this trail. The trail features interpretive markers that provide insights into the area’s natural and historical significance. There’s also a boardwalk leading to a fishing pier.

De Leon Springs State Park, located in De Leon Springs, FL, is a destination with over 6,000 years of cultural and natural history. The park features a recreational swimming area with crystal-clear 72-degree spring water, trails through lush subtropical forests, and a fascinating history tied to the Mayaca Indians and early settlers. Unfortunately do to recent hurricanes the main trails were only partially open but still enjoyable. The park also offers a unique experience at the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House, where you can make your own pancakes at the table.

Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve is a natural area located in Port Orange, Florida. It spans over 1,600 acres and offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, and fishing. The preserve is named after Doris Leeper, an artist and environmentalist who played a significant role in its conservation. One of the highlights of the park is the 536-foot-long boardwalk that leads to an observation tower, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding wetlands and Spruce Creek. There are also several trails, such as the Creekside Trail and the Spruce Creek Trail, which showcase the area’s diverse ecosystems.

Welaka State Forest, located in northeastern Florida along the east bank of the St. Johns River, is a beautiful natural area offering a variety of outdoor activities. It spans over 2,287 acres and features diverse ecosystems, including river swamps, pine flatwoods, and sandhills. Visitors can enjoy hiking, birdwatching, fishing, and even horseback riding, as the forest includes an equestrian campground with facilities. One of the highlights is Mud Spring, which flows clear spring water into a half-mile spring run that connects to the St. Johns River. The forest also has over four miles of river frontage, providing scenic views and opportunities for wildlife observation.

Looking forward to our next adventures in Richmond VA. and a tour of southern Japan.

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February 12, 2025 – Art Imitates Life – Ormond Beach Public Art Sculpture Tour

We had a great evening with friends exploring Ormond Beach and its Public Art Sculpture Tour.  The Arts District exhibited works by Seward Johnson. Johnson, also known as John Seward Johnson II, was an American artist renowned for his life-size bronze statues that depict people engaged in everyday activities. His works are known for their hyper-realistic style and meticulous attention to detail. Johnson’s sculptures often capture ordinary moments, making them relatable and engaging for the public.

He was the founder of Grounds For Sculpture, a 42-acre sculpture park and museum located in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey. This park showcases a wide array of sculptures, including many of Johnson’s own works, and has become a significant cultural landmark.

Johnson’s art has been exhibited internationally and is included in numerous private collections, museums, and public art collections. His approach to sculpture brought art from the museum to the public square, making it accessible and enjoyable for people from all walks of life.

Captured: Nice to see you: Special Delivery:

Bunnies don’t bite: The Search: Monet, Our visiting artist:

Other views of the Artist:

Embracing Peace: Yuck, Go Fetch: Wine, Food and Thou:

Photo Shoot:

Other Ormond Beach Sights:

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Orlando Wetlands – November 2, 2024

I headed back to one of my favorite places for some hiking and photography. The day started out overcast, but halfway through the hike, it decided to turn into a monsoon. Even though wet and muddy it was still a fine trip.

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Early Fall 2023 Travels

Travels in early September took us north for stops in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maine for visits with family, friends, college buddies and a Celebration of Life. A short week in Massachusetts brough me to Hyannis, Marthas Vineyard, and Fenway Park.

Beach time in Hyannis

Marths Vineyard

Fenway Park

Sunrise at Portland Head Light

Back in Florida – time for some exercise – first a day hikes at Carl Duval Moore State Forest and Park is located in Putnam County. Carl Duval Moore State Forest is one of the smallest State Forests (336 acres) but still maintains a variety of ecosystems, including sandhill, mesic flatwoods, wet flatwoods, and flatwoods lake. The Forest has two portions – in the north, The Up and Down Lake Trail has interpretive tree identification signs along the route. The trail also provides two areas from which to view the forest’s most notable natural feature, Up and Down Lake, a typical flatwoods lake. The south portion of the Forest is home to the Hardesty Lake Trail a straightforward out and back.

Finally, a visit to Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area. Split Oak has more than nine miles of marked trails which wind through a variety of natural communities and features short spur trails to scenic overlooks. I followed the 5.4-mile Split Oak Loop the forests premier trail.

Next up a trip to Hawaii, Singapore, and a 28-day cruise through Indonesia and around Australia and New Zealand – it all starts on the 11th of November.

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July 10th, 11th 2023 – State Forest Hiking

Several weeks ago, I planned this trip not anticipating the heavy rains that Florida has been experiencing. Well, I decided to go anyway. I had some early luck getting breaks in the rain or just sprinkles – but as the trip went on the weather got worse. On the 10th I started out at Indian Lake State Forest Hiking on the Bear-N-Oak Trail a 1.4-mile loop circling Indian Lake, a major karst (dissolving bedrock caused sinkhole) feature in the Ocala Limestone and through mossy live oaks. The lake is directly connected to the Floridan Aquifer.

Moving on to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, encompassing a 21,000-acre
savanna in Alachua County, Florida lying between Micanopy and Gainesville. It
is also a U.S. National Natural Landmark.

Paynes Prairie is unique in many
ways. Nowhere else in Florida can visitors
experience wild-roaming bison and horses. Nearly 300 species of birds also
frequent the park along with alligators, deer and many other animals. We
visited this park two years ago and did not see any horses or bison – this time
very close to horses but only a long distant view of the bison.

Started out at the visitors center and hiked the Wacahoota trail (.8 miles) to a viewing platform overlooking the savanna.

After a break in the rain, I headed to the Bolen Bluff Trail (2.6 mile) trek through an oak hammock and on to the savanna – where you could see other wildlife such as bobcats (no), white tailed deer (yes – but not fast enough with the camera) and wild turkeys (no). Halfway through the hike a monsoon came through and I took my second full shower of the day — more will come.

The rain stopped and the sun peaked through, so I headed to north end of Paynes Prairie, and the La Chua Trail an excellent wildlife watching site, with an elevated boardwalk and lengthy dike out to an observation tower.

Early start on the 11th, heavy rains greeted me but I headed to Newnans Lake SF to hike the West Lake and Sparrows trails. With rain lightening up I went out sans’ camera – smart move about a mile in the rain went from sprinkles to heavy down pour — fortunately only about 8/10 of a mile back to the car.

½ hour drive to my next stop – Goethe State Forest. The rain started to moderate along the way and I dried out some while driving. Good news – when I arrived at the trailhead the rain stopped and there were some breaks in the clouds. The Buck Island Pond trail (1.8 miles) circles the pond, starting at an oak hammock changing to pines and the cypresses along with their knees making footing precarious on the wet trail. Must have been a while since another hiker passed through, I needed to dodge many spiders web along the way.

Off to my last stop – Ross Prairie SF and its Holly Hammock trail – not to be, the rains came back more ferocious than at any time in the last two days. I decided to give it 20 minutes at the trailhead to see if the rains stopped or at least drop to a sprinkle – didn’t happen so I left for home – Any way it was a fun but wet trip.

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June 3, 2023 – Silver Springs SP (very unusual sighting)

A Saturday morning road trip back to Silver Springs SP – the last time I went the trails were closed by a prescribed burn. I hiked the River Trail (1.3 miles) and the Swap Trail (1.9 miles) along with some time spent at the Silver River Museum. The unusual sighting was two monkeys running off the trail – never thought I would see these guys outside of a zoo in Florida.

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Orlando Wetlands Park — 4/10/2023

Orlando Wetlands Park (OWP) is a man-mad wetland designed to treat reclaimed water and provide a wildlife habitat. The park is in Christmas FL. OWP has nineteen miles of berm built to create eighteen wetland cells. The wetland system provides habitat for over two hundred bird species, otters, foxes, deer, turtles, snakes, and alligators.

4

September 5th 2022 – Artimus did not go this weekend, but SpaceX did!

Looking south from Granada Blvd bridge towards Daytona Beach and beyond to Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket that placed 51 Starlink satellites and Spaceflight’s Sherpa-LTC into orbit.

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