Day 2, Wednesday, March 23
By Shannon Blankinship, St. Johns Riverkeeper Outreach Director
Our second day on the river brought sunny skies and wide lakes, connected by marshland ideal for airboating. Camp Holly was bursting with tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the many gators common in this stretch of river. The Tour Team reached Lake Washington, the largest lake in Brevard County, on a refreshing and placid day.
Our next stop took the Tour Team to River Lakes Conservation Area, a 39,000 acre property in Brevard and Osceola Counties acquired to restore marshes and natural flow to the St. Johns. Lake Poinsett and Lake Winder are surrounded by the property where cattle graze and three prehistoric middens have given insight into the archaeological past of the St. Johns River native peoples.
In the evening in Viera, a standing room only crowd listened attentively to Jane Durocher and St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman share stories about exploring the entire St. Johns. At 310 miles, Durocher said her journey of the entire river was life changing and remembers almost each of the 155,000 strokes it took her to traverse the ever-changing St. Johns.
This is the second part of an ongoing series. Florida NewsLine is pleased to bring you a daily online travelogue, along with photos and videos, submitted to us by Shannon Blankinship, St. Johns Riverkeeper outreach director.
Beginning March 22 and continuing for 13 days, St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman and a team of river advocates will journey the 310-mile length of the St. Johns River, from the headwaters at Fort Drum to the river’s mouth at the fishing village of Mayport on the Atlantic Ocean. The overall goal of the Save the St. Johns River tour is to unite people and organizations devoted to the river’s health and develop a unified approach to halting its degradation.
Photos courtesy St. Johns RiverkeeperÂ
Camp Holly at US Highway 192
Lisa Rinaman and Jim Durocher paddling towards Lake Washington. Photo courtesy Vince LambÂ
Tour Team at River Lakes Conservation Area