TRAVEL
Nitrates–fertilizers, in other words–seep into the aquifer and thus
into the springs. Even untamed springs way off the beaten track
are clocking high levels of pollutants: Ginnie Spring, Poe Spring,
Blue Spring, Rum Island Springs, Ichetucknee Springs and scores
of others are suffering an infusion of nitrates. Weeki Wachee finds
its waters impaired by sheer number of people who want to live
near a piece of natural Florida magic.
The good news is that we’ve started to realize that the springs
are our history, our heritage. Threatened with an environmental
lawsuit, Tallahassee’s city government is cleaning up its act. The
bad news is that the springs are threatened by new industries,
such as water bottling plants. It’s too early to tell how this battle
over the blue realms below the surface will go. It may be that one
day we will lose our gemlike waters to chemicals. The glass bottomed
boats will stop running since there will be nothing to see.
The mermaids will swim no more. Or maybe–maybe–we’ll learn to
cherish the waters which give us life. The springs are, as the state
park service likes to say, “the real Florida.”
A wood duck floats in
the cool waters of
Wakulla Springs.
165
A SAMPLING OF SPRINGS
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
Admission fees: $4 per vehicle
Guest rooms: $85-$105
850.224.5950
www.floridastate parks.org/
wakullasprings
Silver Springs
Daily admission $33.99 for adults,
$24.99 for children 3-10
352.236.2121
www.silversprings.com
Weeki Wachee Springs
Daily admission is $22.95 for adults,
$15.95 for children 3-10
352.596.2062
www.weekiwachee.com
CINDY JORGENSEN
PRIME REALTY OF ST. LUCIE COUNTY, INC. Residential Home Sales
Commercial & Industrial Properties
Multi-Family Development
Large Acre Tracts
(772) 461-8999 OFFICE (772) 201-3686 DIRECT
770 West Midway Rd., Fort Pierce
www.cjprimerealty.com
S T . L U C I E R E A L T O R ® O V E R 2 0 + Y E A R S
/www.floridastate
/parks.org
/www.silversprings.com
/www.weekiwachee.com
/www.cjprimerealty.com