And The Dark Waters Came…

It has been decided to postpone the Thursday river clean up because the heavy rains have turned the river dark, making it difficult to spot the trash. There has been talk of a few die-hards showing up to do what is possible, but the official event with cook-out, etc. will take place another day.

Too bad we can’t send a little of this rain to California. For those curious souls wondering about the jon boat with bicycles, rest assured it was not on our beloved Santa Fe. Rather, that image was chosen solely for its dramatic effect, hoping to stir some emotions or thoughts in our readers, and perhaps it did.

Once in a while we have heard a non-local voice concerns about the dark waters, which come every year with the rains.  The waters are not dirty in any way, the darkness comes from the tannin leaching from the vegetation.  Wikipedia classifies the Santa Fe as a blackwater river, along with the Suwannee, St. Johns, and Little Manatee.  Oddly, there is no mention of the Hillsborough or Peace, Apalachicola, Steinhatchee, Aucilla or Ocklawaha.  The darkening is a natural a cycle which comes and goes, from crystal clear to very dark.  This cycle supports  diverse life forms which are not always found in other rivers.

The river is up a bit but in beautiful condition for a paddle so don’t hesitate to come on out and enjoy.  Don’t worry, those cans are doomed, we’ll get them sooner or later!