The MOTHER of all field trips!

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 11:21 am

Ok folks - it's time to start nailing down the
GWAPA Florida Field Trip. This will be the ULTIMATE
field trip that you can do within the US.
The plan is to rent a van, drive down to Florida.
It's a 9-10 hour drive so if we start off in the
morning, add a few hours for those rest stops / adhoc
collecting stops, we'd be near Gainsville in the evening.
First thing the next morning would be the
<a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/ichetu ... photos.htm" target="_blank">Ichetucknee Springs</a>. We can snorkel / tube down this
gorgeous spring. It's like going down a 6 mile long
planted aquarium! An unforgettable experience!

From then on - the mission is to collect and explore.
I'll try and arrange something with Florida Aquatic Nurseries. They're not open to the public but I'll
try see if we can get some special treatment.
I'll put together a game plan for the rest of the
trip - get a list of spots we can collect
fish & plants - though you'll find 'aquarium' plants
in almost any roadside ditch there. Maybe we'll find
something new for the hobby!

On the way back we'll make a stop at a place Tom Barr
told me about. Driftwood?
Check this out...

WARNING: BIG pictures
<a href="http://www.aquaticscape.com/offsite/Flo ... C05321.JPG" target="_blank">http://www.aquaticscape.com/offsite/Flo ... 321.JPG</a>

<a href="http://www.aquaticscape.com/offsite/Flo ... C05323.JPG" target="_blank">http://www.aquaticscape.com/offsite/Flo ... 323.JPG</a>

In total it'll be a 5 day trip.
We'll start in the morning on June 25th (Friday).
Spend all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday there
and the drive back Tuesday morning.

The van rental & gas costs will be divided evenly
between everyone. Your food, accomodations and any
other expenses will be your own responsibility.
We'll try and see if someone can bring a big icebox
so that we can keep all the plants we collect in
good shape etc.

I know that I'm going. Rick Dotson's in. Jonathan
said he was really interested too. The plan as of now
is to rent one van - so total capacity may be 6
people or so. If there's enough interest we can get
a second van going too. So - if this is your idea
of fun and you want to commit to this trip say Aye!

Jonathan Kalmes · Post by **Jonathan Kalmes** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 1:30 pm

AYE! <img border="0" src="smileys/smiley17.gif" border="0">

Count me in! I'll be in a conference in Atlanta through the 24th, so it'll be tight, but I'll be ready in the morning.

Gazanfar, I used to live in Florida, so am familiar with a lot of the springs and canoe runs in the central Florida area. I can help plan some other locations to go collecting if you need it.

Rick Dotson · Post by **Rick Dotson** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 6:38 pm

This will be a lot of fun. If you think that you want to go to South America, then this is the next best thing.

See you there!!! <img border="0" src="smileys/smiley2.gif" border="0">

Ben Belton · Post by **Ben Belton** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 1:23 pm

If you want to see more pics of what you will be seeing, go here. This is from the Tom Barr Plantfest last year.

Looks like the web page is still being converted over to the new server, but the pics still work.

<a href="http://www.aquatic-plants.org/tom-barr/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.aquatic-plants.org/tom-barr/index.html</a>

Ben<edited><editID>Ben Belton</editID><editDate>38099.5584837963</editDate></edited>

Jonathan Kalmes · Post by **Jonathan Kalmes** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 12:33 pm

No more takers on this?!? You gotta be kidding me!

I just got back from another trip to Fl (had to go to a wedding) and can't wait to go collecting. I have very little idea what I'm looking for (as my previous trip blantantly showed), but I still saw plenty that I wouldn't have minded jumping off the boat to snag (we took a short trip up the Silver River to show my inlaws a bit of what REAL Florida is like). Unfortately, it was a state park and there were a couple of Fish and Game boats on the prowl.

Florida really does have an incredible ecosystem and some really interesting plants (and critters for that matter) that are quite accessible.

SCMurphy · Post by **SCMurphy** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 1:03 pm

I can go. Had to check on a couple things first. You know, make sure the family is taken care of first and all.

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 2:18 pm

Ok so it looks like 4 spots are taken. Ricky Cain
want's a tentative spot - so it's likely that
5 spots are taken.

jerseyjay · Post by **jerseyjay** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:56 pm

For those who are undecided, check actual pictures from our (me and Ghazanfar) last FL trip.

http://greenstouch.com/gallery_misc_native.htm

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 1:21 pm

Tom Barr just pushed back his Plant Fest date to
concide with the GWAPA field trip. Looks like
there will be a good sized crowd of plant crazy
people at the Ichtucknee on Friday.

Here's what Tom's got planned for PlantFest.
<em>
Friday: will be a trip to the Ichetucknee river which is about a 6 mile trip down a clear hardwater spring full of plants(close to 20 species all told) in inner tubes, snorkel mask. It is a fun thing to do and you will see more plants than you can shake a driftwood stick at(App 4hours). Even if you don't care about plants, you'll have fun doing this. BBQ after the trip down(2 hours). Side trip to swim in head spring or see Blue Hole if there is interest. Most will be pooped out. Stop over to Waldo for driftwood if we are done somewhat early. I'll try and arrange something there so Tom's is open. Meet over at my place to see a few tanks. Aquatropics is the local fish store and we can wonder over there as they are open till 9pm.

I might have a treat for you and have Bill Haller stop by and take us up to the Aquatic Weed IFAS center also. Depends on his schedule. Perhaps Dr Kane's tissue culture might also make it in there.

Sat: Rainbow river canoe trip. We will hopefully get canoes early at the park, if not, we can get them at the county park downstream. I will try to reserve several canoes. Visibility in the river is 200 ft. Swimming, plants, fishing, collecting outside the park, I will try and arrange a plant visit to see the Crypts there as I know the park manager.We will head to the Lower Suwannee River from there and stop off along the road for some 20-30 plants species and many good examples of blackwater pools and streams. From there we will head to Cedar Key for a nice dinner overlooking the sea.

Sun: Santa Fe river Canoe trip. After the freshwater sponge that grows on Hydrilla, the freshwater pipe fish, water scorpians, blue fin shiners, Madtom Catfish, FW flouders, southern darter, pygmae sunfish and of course wood. Should be done around 2-4pm so folks can head back. Or we can head to Ginnie springs and collect some the Ludwigia there which is 11% genetically different than the Rainbow springs Ludwigia(10% difference is generally considered and a different species)
We will stop at a few springs along the river and road sides for plant collecting.
Plants are free, most of the wood will be as well.
Petrified wood, some so big you cannot carry them.
</em>

I suggest we follow the PlantFest plan for Friday
and the split off onto our own and do some serious
collecting. What do you guys say?

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 1:24 pm

Actually, it looks like Tom's plan is to hit the
Ichtucknee on Friday morning. So we'd have to
start with the drive down on Thursday morning vs.
the original plan of Friday morning - that is - if
we want to. Doing it this way, we just shift the
whole trip back one day - we'll be back in town
Monday evening.<edited><editID>Ghazanfar Ghori</editID><editDate>38105.5588773148</editDate></edited>

The MOTHER of all field trips!

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