Bulow Creek Paddle - I billed this trip as an "exploratory event" defining that term as "I am the host, but I have never been down this creek, so temper any expectations". I do not care to host events on places I have never been, so I scheduled it for a Friday thinking I would get a couple of hardcore adventure type. Well I got something other than that, I got 6; all hardy paddlers I must say! Lee, Graham, Ann, Joanne, Pam and Jerry.

I was very fortunate to have Lee H. write me and give me great advice regarding this creek. First, I was planning on putting in at the inter coastal ramp and paddle upstream. Lee says that tides, especially low, can wreck your trip in a heartbeat because the waters are shallower and the oyster beds like to peel long strips of plastic from the underside of your kayak or canoe. He recommended putting in at Bulow Plantation Ruins as there is a boat ramp right there and take the upstream course for the more scenic and tighter creek. I certainly appreciate Lee's input as it worked out ideal because the trip up and back, though I bet not 6 miles total, was sufficient for most of the crowd considering the spike in temperatures this second week in June ( like it was summer already).

Lesson number 1, don't assume all Florida State Parks open at the same time. I told everyone to be present at 8:45 for a 9:00 launch. The gate does open till 9. Oops. Lesson number 2, call the state park ahead of time and make sure it is open, especially considering the area nearby got 26 inches of rain a few weeks prior. I was fortunate in this case. The park was open, and the road was not flooded, but the road to the inter coastal launch was flooded and closed. Point being, a call the day before just to check conditions might be advisable, especially on these more obscure places like Bulow Plantation Ruins.

The State Park is a honor system fee, no ranger at any entry way. The launch area was good and the parking relatively safe looking. There was a ranger on site that day. The 3/4 mile drive back into the woods was remarkable too. And near the ramp area was a trail parking lot. The trail would take you all the way down to the Fairchild Oak park, about 6 miles. Nice place for hikers.

The initial mile was a Tomoka River look-a-like river with the thick boundary of needle grass before you got to the heavily wooded uplands, though now and then, the creek would meander sharp enough to bring you right up to the woods. The water was very

dark and a bit cooler than the heat of the day. The skies had this high altitude thin covering that paled the blue but did not occlude it entirely. The waters were still.

We all had great conversation and the group mixed good. Joanne and Pam realized they don't live too far apart from each other. Jerry was talking up a trip to the Suwannee River this summer while he is out of school.

Wildlife was limited to jumping mullet, herons, osprey, buzzards and one 7 foot gator just 12 foot from the channel. Graham told us his story about he and a friend in an aluminum canoe on the upper Tomoka ran over a very large gator by accident and the gator whipped his tail and tipped the canoe. They both swam to shore and had to walk about an hour and a half out of the thick woods barefoot. The convenient store clerk would not let them in the store to make a phone call because they were muddy and bloody. Watch those gators, they are nothing to be messin' with.

It got to the point that the creek was about 15 to 20 foot wide but the downfall made getting through difficult. We got to the end point when a large tree blocked the entire path. The area is very muddy and not the least bit suitable for portaging.

We paddled back to the ramp. The had both outdoor picnic tables and roof enclosed screened area tables. We stayed outside and had our lunch. We talked up the Suwannee trip. Jerry was revved up about it and volunteered to send info on an overnight leg of the trip. Except for Joanne and I, the rest of the group ended their paddling for the day. It was getting hotter.

Joanne and I paddled about 3/4 of a mile downstream to a small creek. We entered it and it just keep getting narrower as the needle grass eventually took over. It was a couple of hundred yards to the wooded highlands. When we got back, we both toured the Bulow Plantation Ruins which was a sugar cane manufacturing facility made out of coquina stone and parts of it were pretty much completely intact.

Prologue: I will do a dark water river in Florida only in temperatures below 85. It was pretty hot. Though everyone enjoyed the unique creek claiming it was worth the drive over. This place would be a great weekend trip to include Bulow Creek for some and hiking for others.

Host: Clark Getz

Bulow Creek Hike -

Tropical storm Barry got out of town in time for us to enjoy a 6 mile hike at Bulow Creek on Sunday, June 3.  The shady trail and continuous breezes added to our enjoyment as we viewed wildlife and vegetation along the trail such as eagles nesting near the marsh, pigmy rattler enjoying a siesta after his/her fiesta (lizard shaped gut), spiders and other insects, magnificent magnolias and wild (sour) orange trees. After hiking the trail, we also visited the sugar mill ruins.

Host: Cathy Edwards