"Exciting
and awesome." That's
how Nell describes the developments that carved out a new Florida during
the decades she worked as a reporter. Her news beat carried her up and
down the Nature Coast which skirts the state's shoreline. She lives
in Hernando County where the Weeki Wachee River empties into the Gulf
at Bayport.
As a native and history buff, Nell recalls the charm (as well as the
drawbacks) of old Florida in the stories she writes. As a freelance
writer and associate editor of Write On Magazine, she spins tales
of the state's romance and reminds readers that change, like the thunderstorms
in our tropical climate, is inevitable.
Island vacations in the Caribbean Sea and trips to Jamaica in the West
Indies provided history and material for adventure stories. Nell's credits
and photographs have appeared as staff writer in The Tampa Tribune
and the St. Petersburg Times.
We hope you will enjoy the stories and photos you find here and invite
you to return each month and share in the beauty that is Florida.
 Click
to hear sounds of the Suwannee
Jane McCabe enjoys coffee on board our houseboat during an
early morning refueling stop at Suwannee Belle's. (photos by Nell
Woodcock)
Way Down the Suwannee
River on a Houseboat
by Nell Woodcock
If the idea of being the captain
of your own boat is appealing to you, I have the perfect answer. In
fact, there's a Suwannee River Captain's Certificate hanging on the
wall in my home.
It states, "The important thing for a captain of the Suwannee to
remember is that downstream is toward the Gulf (of Mexico) and upstream
is headed for Georgia. In between is some of the prettiest country in
Florida and several spectacular springs."
It is signed by Bill Miller, owner of Miller's Houseboats, a marina
located in the village of Suwannee tucked away at the end of a long
isolated State Road 349 in a sparsley populated section of Dixie County.
Miller's statement puts the 256-mile Suwannee River into a nutshell.
It surfaces in the Okeefeenokee Swamp in South Georgia, but 208 of those
winding miles spill into several Florida counties before it reaches
the Gulf. Along the way, it is fed by three major Florida rivers and
more than 20 springs. (Manatee Springs is one of them, and we will take
that Off the Beaten Path at another time.)
Let me tell you about my first 50-mile trip on one of Miller's houseboats
one summer. It lasted two days and three nights and was a great escape
from the same humdrum type of long weekend. It was planned for eight
people, the sleeping capacity on the 45-foot boat, but we ended up with
only a trio aboard.
We left Miller's about 3 o'clock one afternoon with a dinghy in tow,
my son Edward at the wheel and our friend Jane in the galley. The dinghy
provided transportation for fishing and our short excursions on shore.
The beauty and width of the twisting river with its miles of untouched
shoreline looked like the Florida that existed before developers disrupted
it. The few buildings in view looked like treehouses amid the lush growth
of native brush, trees and shrubs.
No landscaping here where trees with exotic names like cypress, maple,
sweetgum, cedar, sable palm, yucca, willow, cottonwood and magnolia
mingle with the familiar pines and oaks.
Our first stop upriver was Fowler's Bluff where fishing and hunting
licenses are available at the general store. The shady campground had
apparently invited a full house of visitors.
We anchored in the river for our first night and meal on board. Soon after
darkness surrounded us, a full moon outlined Fowler's Bluff and other
boats in the distance.
This was the view from the side
of our boat, shown silhouetted
against a beautiful sunset on the
Suwannee River.
After a peaceful night and
breakfast, we moved toward Yellow Jacket Landing. My stint in the galley
was cut short when Edward and Jane began spotting alligators and turtles
sunning near the bank. On top with camera in hand, I began looking for
more "gators in the water," and I wasn't disappointed.
We'd been warned not to swim in the river, but water skiers from Fowler's
Bluff didn't seem to mind when some of them fell while making a turn
in the river in front of our boat.
When we reached the run to Manatee Springs we anchored in the river
and took the dinghy to a public dock and shelter. An elevated boardwalk
adjacent to the run provided a fascinating view into the river and swamp
land.
Observation points along the way to the spring and pavilion provided
a place for people to fish or take photographs. Once we reached the
spring, the crystal clear, blue water invited us for a very refreshing
swim.
Canoers on the run between Manatee Springs and the
Suwannee River offer excellent photo opportunities
for visitors on the boardwalk that
parallels the short stream.
Returning to the houseboat
once more, we moved up river to Fanning Springs for our second night.
We could hear the noise of traffic and knew that it was cars on U.S.
19 crossing the bridge that spans the river at this point. So we took
to the dinghy again to explore what the area had to offer.
We found the Lighthouse Restaurant with a menu including land-or-sea
meals. Sandwiches were also available and the promise that "our
quail dinners will be back in mid-July." That reminded us that
hunters considered this part of Florida to be a mecca for birds and
wild game.
Fanning Springs, which is located east of a community called Old Town,
was our turning point. We headed downstream and refueled at Suwannee
Belle's where the dockmaster's dogs, "Crackers," "Crumbs,"
and "Cookie," were waiting for a handout.
The marina is a rambling two-story frame building on pilings. While
"Capt. Bill" took care of refueling he told us that "topside"
they cater to private parties by reservation, including bus tours
from Gainesville where the University of Florida is located. That's
about 35 miles to the east of Old Town which is located on U.S. 19
and U.S. 98.
Edward steered the houseboat back into the river and we headed once
again for Fowler's Bluff and our third night out.
I stayed on the boat and left all the side fishing excursions up to
Jane and Edward. It was a good thing we had steaks and chicken on
board for our meals. We saw plenty of fish in the water, but they
seemed to disappear whenever the fishermen dropped their baited hooks.
Returning to Miller's we were told the state record for catches of
redbelly bream in the river had been broken twice. Tarpon, trout and
redfish regularly cruise the passes, according to other fishermen.
My shipmates chose to ignore Bill's comment that "bigmouth bass
live everywhere on the river and you can catch them." Anyway,
Bill issued us the Suwannee River Captain's Certificate for our having
returned his fully-equipped, air conditioned boat intact.
While songwriter Stephen Foster immortalized the river historians
say he never saw, few realize its width and beauty in this part of
the state. Only about 50 miles of it closest to the river's mouth
where the village of Suwannee is located are navigable by craft of
any great size.
Miller provides maps and guidebooks for these self-piloted cruises.
He personally gives detailed instructions on how to operate the boat
and navigate the river. Then he starts the engine and pilots the houseboat
into the river with two dinghies in tow. Once he's sure you are comfortable
and have everything you need for the trip, he returns to shore in
one of the dinghies, and you begin a great adventure.
Bill Miller, owner of Miller's Suwannee Houseboats,
instructs us on the operation of the boat and navigation of the river.
The houseboats are available
for longer stays and you can go farther upriver than we did. I recommend
both. Another 25 miles up river would have taken us to places called
Rock Bluff and Branford. In this area, the Suwannee holds the remains
of an old paddle wheel boat, and the Hawkinsville site is protected
by the state from divers except for photographs.
For more information about Miller's Suwannee Houseboats, call 1 (800)
458-BOAT or (904) 542-7349. He's located in Suwannee, Dixie County,
Florida. That's near Oldtown and the intersection of U.S. 19 and 98
where County Road 349 takes you to Suwannee and the Gulf of Mexico.
Hope you have enjoyed this
trip Off the Beaten Path.
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