DUNNELLON, FL

CRACKER DAYS -- Displays of the old days when Florida was first settled. Florida crackers were the pioneers who came to get free land, and grow crops.  

"Florida Cracker"

In 1821, the United States bought Florida from Spain. Homesteading was encouraged by the government to develop the newly acquired territory. The rugged pioneers that settled the area were called "Florida Crackers." It is believed that they got this nickname because of the cracking sound their whips made as they herded cattle. In 1845 Florida became the 27th state of the Union.  


Cracker Horses

Florida Cracker Horses

Demonstrations on spinning, weaving, broom making, shaping horseshoes, cracking the whip, tools, jewelry woven with pine needles, print making, weaving baskets with pine needles and grasses, cooking, rope making, quilting and tatting lace. 

The Withlacoochee River (South) (Crooked River) originates in central Florida's Green Swamp. It flows west, then north, and empties into the Gulf of Mexico, near Yankeetown. The river is 86 miles (138 kilometers) long and has a drainage basin of 1,170 square miles (3,030 square kilometers). It is believed to have been named after the river to the north. Along its route is a 46-mile (74 km) long rail-trail, the longest paved rail trail in Florida, and a 324-acre (1.31 km²) park with approximately 600' of frontage and a 2-acre (8,100 m²) park with a boat ramp, shelter, basketball court, and picnic tables. 

             Video

Capt. Jon

Singing River Tours has been in operation since 2005, offering  eco-tours on the two very beautiful but very different rivers that intersect in Dunnellon, FL. The Rainbow River is a crystal clear spring-fed river which has been designated an Outstanding Florida Waterway. The Withlacoochee River is dark, tannic, and swamp-fed. Our tour departed from Angler's Resort on the Withlacoochee River.

As we made our way along the river on our comfortable, shaded pontoon boat, our captain shared lots of information about the ecology of the rivers, the history of the area, and facts about the wildlife we encountered. The rivers are home to a wide variety of birds, turtles, otters, alligators, and fish.

We spent about half of the tour on each of the two very different rivers. The Rainbow River, which originates at Rainbow Springs State Park just north of Dunnellon (we went there to see the Cracker Days demonstrations), is famous for its crystal clear waters. We were able to see right down to the bottom of the river and spotted several turtles, gar fish, and bass!

The Rainbow River empties into the Withlacoochee River, and we could observe the distinct "line" in the water where the two rivers meet. It's an amazing example of a thermocline, and is something you may not have seen anywhere else. Your visit to the Withlacoochee River will give you a glimpse into what Florida must have been like long ago, before civilization took over.

We learned many things from Jon, our captain. He  explained the cycle of water as it falls down from the sky as rain and emerges into the Rainbow River 10-40 years later having filtered through limestone rock to the aquifer. He talked about the many fresh-water springs, which are more plentiful in north central Florida than anywhere else in the world! Jon is very knowledgeable about the local wildlife, and shared many interesting facts about the birds we saw, including anhinga, cormorants, several species of heron, ibis, limpkin, egrets, and others. He shared information about turtles and alligators.

About two-thirds of the way through the tour, we were entertained with original songs about Florida. Jon is an accomplished musician who plays guitar and sings original songs about the ecology and "quirks" of Florida.

Amazing that of all the animals and birds and reptiles we saw froim a distance, the closest we came to a great blue heron was back at the dock at Angler's Resort! The largest and most widespread heron in North America, the Great Blue Heron can be found along the ocean shore, or the edge of small inland ponds and rivers.
More Photos

Buzz and Rose drove us to Ocala to meet the shuttle to the airport. (Rose is behind the camera!)  We had lunch at Bob Evans, and we learned that Buzz has been to Thailand several times. When he got married, to an airline stewardess, and they could go anywhere in the world on their honeymoon, they chose to go to Thailand. We told Buzz now he has to take Rose there, and visit Mali! After lunch, we had just enough time to stop at a thrift store that had the lowest prices -- 10cents each. Before that, $1 was our best price.  5 min later, we were waving goodbye, and speeding down the highway, back to Orlando airport.