Falling Water

A bit back I posted about one of the coolest waterfalls I have ever seen: Virgin Falls in Tennessee. It's a waterfall that appears out of a cave, then plunges into a sinkhole and vanishes forever.

A lot of folk don't know that Florida actually has waterfalls. It's not a state known for having the vertical relief necessary to create a waterfall. But there are some there. The highest in the state can be seen at Falling Waters State Park. The waterfall there is, they say, a bit over 70 feet in height, which is impressive. I'll take their word for the height.

Zoom! Over the edge, Alice! Over the edge!

Basically, it's a lot like Virgin Falls, in that it flows into a sinkhole and vanishes into the earth. The day we were there was during a drought and the flow was not very impressive. I've heard that it's a much more exciting sight when you can view it during times of normal rainfall.

I wonder if there are any fossils down there.

1000 Photos

I took just under 1000 photos and video clips while we were on vacation. We're home, relaxing, taking it easy for a couple of days before we have to head back to work.

The 75-foot waterfall.

On the boardwalk leading down into the sinkhole.

Looking down into the cylindrical void of the limestone sinkhole. (Nope, you're not allowed down in there.)

Ponce De Leon Springs and Falling Waters

Well, we're off for home! Seven days in Florida was glorious, but it's time to head back for North Carolina! I'll post some detailed material when I get back. Until then, here's a brief bit of some of the amazing places we saw today.

I'll bet you didn't know that Florida had a 75-foot waterfall! It does! Single drop, too! None of this sissy cascade stuff! It vanishes into a 100-foot deep cylindrical sinkhole. No one knows where the water ends up. In Falling Waters State Park.

Ponce De Leon Springs! We had it all to ourselves for about two hours! Amazing!

Carole snapped this one of me sitting on a set of cypress knees in Ponce De Leon Springs.

Yep! It's me! I was jumping in over the main vent where 14 million gallons of 68-degree crystal pure fresh water wells up each and every day.