The Spring Board
Volume 11, Issue 4
Inside this issue:
Wakulla II
2
Old Friends,
New Faces
3-4
The Summer of
Thunderstorms
4
Manatees
Sightings More
Reliable
5
New Perspectives
6-7
What can be
Recycled?
8
So That’s What I Signed Up For
8
Chimney Chit
Chat
9
A Summer of
Service
9-10
Getting Ready
11
Modest Improvement
11
September, 2015
The Wakulla II Project - Phase One By Jeff Hugo
An artist’s rendering of a trading post similar to what John Kinnard’s might have been like near Wakulla Springs.
There is life and death drama on the Wakulla
River every day. Some of the River Boat
Tour guests are privy to the struggles that
play out between the wildlife. Few consider
the possibility that life-changing and lifethreatening experiences occurred to people
who historically made the Wakulla Spring
area their home. Such scenarios are hard to
imagine when all the present-day observer
notices are the shouts and gleeful cries of the
many beach-goers and swimmers. For people who lived along the Wakulla two centuries ago, life-threatening and lifechanging struggles were more the norm.
During the Second Spanish Period (17831818), Florida embodied instability. The
United States was a new nation with an insatiable appetite for expansion. France’s Na-­
poleon amassed huge war debts attempting
to control Europe and the Caribbean. Great
Britain, a recently defeated super-power, exerted its influence around the world. A
much-weakened Spain once
again gained control of Florida after the Treaty of Paris that ended the American
Revolution in 1783. Meanwhile, those indigenous peoples who had sided with the
losers in the American Revolution were feeling the
crushing consequences of a
land grab for their ancestral
hunting grounds. Slaves escaping from the Carolinas
and Georgia could find freedom in Spanish Florida
among the Creek and Seminole peoples.
Throughout this turbulent
period, very real lives were
impacted. With Napoleon’s sale of the Louisiana Territory to the Americans in
1803, Spanish Florida found
itself surrounded by the upstart nation. Spain, exhausted from years of warfare, could do little to prevent rabble-rousers such as
Volume 11, Issue 4
Page 2
The Wakulla II Project By Jeff Hugo
British Loyalist William Augustus Bowles from
trying to create an independent Indian nation in
the Panhandle. He arrived on the Wakulla River
in 1792 to plunder and burn the Panton, Leslie
Trading Post. Spanish reaction was swift. The government exiled him to the Philippines. He returned. By 1800, Bowles raised the Muskogee Nation flag over the Spanish Fort in St. Marks. For
five weeks Indians living up and down the
Wakulla River congregated in their new found
capital. Again, Spain reacted, sending gun ships to
retake the fort in 1800. Bowles escaped to Miccosukee but his dream vanished in 1803 with his
capture and subsequent death in Cuba in 1805.
With the destruction of the Panton, Leslie Store, a
new and wealthy player took the stage opening his
own trading post. Lower Creek Chief John Kinnard, of Scotch-Creek heritage, saw a location in
Spanish Florida as a lucrative business venture.
He and his brother William both moved cattle and
slaves to the Wakulla Spring area. His store houses were filled with corn, some of which was sold to
Bowles at Miccosukee.
John Kinnard, a Lower Creek chief eventually became an officer in Andrew Jackson’s Army fighting the Seminoles and Red Stick Creeks. Illiterate, Kinnard mastered the political changes in
the Creek Nation, even fighting Indians who adamantly refused to modernize according to American rules.
Spanish Cartographer Pintado’s map of Wakulla Spring (Circa early
1800’s)
solicited to dig holes, put dirt in buckets, sift
dirt, refill holes, record findings, and wash,
dry, further sort, photo or scan samples. It
all took place in the woods west of the
lodge on a Monday-Saturday schedule. Work began at 7:30 and ended at 1:30
to avoid the offensive summer afternoon
weather.
Two other areas within the park were also
tested. They include the Meadow (along the
river boat tour route and southeast of the
lodge) and a sand pit within the Cherokee
Sink Tract.
Might it be possible to find evidence of this trading post and the Kinnard communities here at
Wakulla Springs State Park? During an ambitious and long-term archaeological dig at the park
three non-profit organizations are seeking evidence. Dubbed Wakulla II, Phase I, the Friends of
Wakulla Springs State Park, the Aucilla Research
Institute in Monticello, and the Panhandle Archaeological Society at Tallahassee (PAST) will
gather artifacts.
Digging operations for Phase I conclude
September 14. The work and some of its discoveries will be shared at the First Floridians, First Americans Conference to be held
in Monticello on October 1-3. There are
plans for guided tours of the site(s) on Sunday, October 4. On October 5 and 6 visiting
scientists will be invited to inspect both of
the ten acre test areas and the sand pit profile.
Two 10-acre plus tracts are being investigated initially to establish a concentration of artifacts for
future projects. A small army of volunteers was
We eagerly await the revelations those artifacts will bring to a turbulent era of relentless and fruitless struggle for survival.
Volume 11, Issue 4
Page 3
Old Friends, New Faces By Jake Hines
The summer of 2015 has nearly come to a close. High
temperatures have lead to record visitation at
Wakulla Springs and it shows. Boat tours have run
nearly constantly in an attempt to meet the demand
of visitors intent on seeing the wondrous sights offered up by the Wakulla River. For those seeking
more direct relief from the oppressive heat and humidity the swimming area has proven to be an irresistible temptation. The buzz of human activity can be
heard within it’s boundaries from 9:00 AM until clos-­
ing nearly every day.
The happy shouts of children experiencing the chill of
the spring for the very first time echo across the basin.
Families gather under the shelter of ancient trees or
bask in full sunshine between excursions into the
cooling relief of the river water. And, as generations
before them have done, the more adventurous souls
prove their skill and ability with a multitude of flips
and dives from the tower. Attempting to maintain order and safety in these busy surroundings we find the
dedicated lifeguard staff hard at work.
threatening weather developments.
Nathan Tyre is completing his second
summer season as a lifeguard for the
park, but was a summertime “regular” for years before. Always ready with a witty remark, Nathan has a personality all
his own. Like Steven, Nathan is certain
that this is his final year at Wakulla
Springs. Having completed all of his required training, Nathan will be pursuing
a career as a structural firefighter.
Not a returning guard but family none
the less, Tyler Kinard is following in the
footsteps of her older sister, former head
lifeguard Brittany Dybiec. Tyler has
quickly become a favorite of visitors and
staff due to her personable demeanor. A
Leading that team in their efforts, Steven Urling has
taken up his duties as head lifeguard for a third consecutive summer season. Steven has been a fixture of
the summer season at the park for six years and has
always taken his responsibility to our visitors and his
co-workers very seriously. As the head lifeguard Steven understands his role in setting a good example of
how the job is best approached. Nearing completion
of his undergraduate degree in political science, Steven believes this will be his last season in service to
the park, and his absence will surely be felt by all.
Another long term team member, Tyler Handley,
could be seen on guard early in the season. Tyler
brought a wealth of experience and institutional
memory that strengthened the entire waterfront safety team. Tyler left his employment at Wakulla Springs
to pursue a new opportunity in mid June.
Lee Kendall is a second year guard at Wakulla Springs
and has proven to be a valuable asset to park operations in his time here. Known to some as “Boss Man”, Lee is always concerned with safety and an enjoyable
visitor experience. He has an especially keen eye for
Head Lifeguard Steven Urling and
Lifeguard Saranne Beal represent
both an old friend (Steven) and a
new face (Saranne).
Continued on Page 4
Page 4
Volume 11, Issue 4
Old Friends, New Faces (Continued) By Jake Hines
first year lifeguard Tyler has expressed interest in
returning to Wakulla Springs next season.
Tyler Handley’s mid-season departure meant that
a suitable replacement had to be found. That replacement came in the form of Saranne Beal. Formerly a lifeguard for the city of Tallahassee,
Saranne brought with her an existing knowledge
of lifeguarding in a community pool setting.
While the challenges presented by applying those
skills in a more natural environment are many,
Saranne has adapted wonderfully to the requirements of the job. A longtime friend of Tyler Kinard, Saranne has also expressed interest in re- Lifeguards Lee Kendall and Nathan
Tyre do their best to keep their eyes on
turning to Wakulla Springs in the future.
the water.
It is certainly true at Wakulla Springs that the
more things change, the more things stay the same. The summer of 2015 has been no exception, bringing both the familiar and the unexpected. To the casual observer the scene may appear chaotic at times. But behind the scenes and, in some cases, in the public eye a dedicated
staff works diligently to bring order to the chaos. I encourage you to visit the lifeguards on the
beach when you can and let them know how much we appreciate the vital role they play in that
endeavor.
The Summer of Thunderstorms By Scott Savery
It has been a busy summer dealing with downed
and damaged trees from the many thunderstorms that have passed through the park. The
last day of June brought us the most damaging
storm of the summer. With its high winds, the
storm left almost every road and trail on the
park with tree damage.
For the next six weeks, park staff dealt with road
and trail clearing by use of chainsaws, tractors,
dump truck, and even our e-z goes. And it was
hot!! According to one report, every day in July
was 95* or hotter – Every day! And park staff
felt it. Thanks to all who assisted with this long,
hot clean-up.
Snapped trees on the edge of the bus
parking lot speak to the ferocity of the
June 30, 2015 wind storm.
Volume 11, Issue 4
Page 5
Manatee Sightings More Reliable By Patty Wilbur; Photo Courtesy of Patty Wilbur
Midsize and her calf. “Her little one sure is cute!”
late July to say that the tag’s The manatee sightings are being like a weed! Bugs has been signal hadn’t moved for a cou-­
ple of days. It was showing a
coming a bit more reliable as
a frequent visitor to the park
location near the boat dock.
we head into the latter part of
over the years. Hopefully her
It was found up under the
the summer at Wakulla
calf will be too.
Springs. As many as ten indiA smaller female named Mys- bow of the glass bottom boat.
Apparently it got pulled off by
viduals have been seen in retee was also tagged, but is
cent days.
proving to be a bit of an escape the boat dock.
The biggest hit this summer
Some of the visitors have been
artist. Not too long after she
has been a new little calf! It
noteworthy. Out of several
was initially tagged, her blue
manatees that were tagged in
and green tag was found by a
was born sometime in June or
the lower Wakulla River this
boater downriver and turned
July to Midsize, a female
May, two have chosen to spend in at Shields Marina. The teth- who’s an old familiar face time in the park. The one with er had broken at its weak link
around here. Midsize was one
the red and orange tag is a large preventing Mystee from being of the first dozen manatees to
female named Bugs. (She was
trapped by it. Susan Butler
overwinter here, during the
named for Bugs Bunny before
from USGS dropped by the
winter of 2007-2008. She’s her gender was known.) She
park on June 15th and we were
been here every winter since,
has a calf with her that I believe able to zip out and get her reso we’ll probably get to enjoy was born earlier this year. It’s tagged on the first try! Unforwatching this pair for a good
hard to tell though, as it’s grow-­ tunately, Susan called back in
long while.
Page 6
Volume 11, Issue 4
New Perspectives By Jeff Hugo Photos Courtesy of Jeff Hugo
Tiffany’s association with Wakulla Springs is not totally
new. She did her college internship at the park and
worked two summers as a lifeguard.
After receiving her Bachelor of
Science degree in Environmental Studies, she went on to
do an internship with the Nature Conservancy and then
took a position with the Florida Forest Service. She worked
with Forestry for 7 and 1/2
years.
Park Ranger Tiffany Vickery “wants to get kids off their phones and outdoors”. There she became certified on
prescribed burns, proficient
Two new park rangers have be- on exotic plant removal and
come part of the Wakulla
native plant surveys. She also
Springs family within a matter honed her skills as the Fire
of a few months. That just
Prevention Coordinator. Her
doesn’t happen. And… they foregoing role made possible
transferred from other state
her participation in a fire preparks — equally unusual. For
vention clown class. She creatmuch of the past decade and
ed Firefly, the fire prevention
beyond, the vast majority of
clown. It proved to be a great
rangers at the park have had
opportunity for her to do what
Wakulla Springs as their first
she loves —interpretation with
and only state park in which to children.
work. With the advent of Tiffany Vickery and Lance Kelly on
After her time at Forestry, Tifstaff, the prospect of fresh ide- fany took a position as a park
as and new perspectives maniranger at St. George Island
fest themselves.
State Park. She was their Interpretive Coordinator. In just
Tiffany has a real love for inter- one year, she boosted the
pretation. She insists,
number of patrons engaged in
“Anything with kids is fun.” interpretive programs from
She has a passion for involving 300 to 800. Of course, she
kids in hands-on activities. “I could only finagle time for
want to get them off their
most of her interpretation in
phones and get them outdoors,” the less hectic months of Sepshe affirms. Her enthusiasm
tember through February at
and drive is contagious.
the park.
Otherwise, like the rest of the
staff, she was engaged in a
tumultuous effort to check in
campers, take entrance fees,
pick up trash, patrol the
beach for turtle nests, clean
three beach restrooms and
two campground bathrooms,
arrange for primitive camping
reservations, rent kayaks, answer phones, and more.
Tiffany is looking forward to
coordinating the Jr. Ranger
Program at Wakulla Springs,
something she enjoyed at St.
George Island a s well. She
will lead a Literacy Day event
at Wakulla Springs on September 12 from 11:30-12:30
and she has plans for some
Campfire Cooking programs
in the fall and winter.
‘Firefly’ the Fire Preven-­
tion Clown, made an appearance at the 2009 Literacy Day event at
Wakulla Springs.
Page 7
Volume 11, Issue 4
New Perspectives (Continued) By Jeff Hugo Photos Courtesy of Jeff Hugo
He is used to being busy.
While a park ranger at St.
Joe Peninsula State Park,
there was a wide variety of
activities that kept him on
the go. Being a camping
park, a lot of time was put
into property maintenance. It was work that
included sprucing up
campsites, regularly cleaning the seven park bathhouses, and the neverending work of collecting
litter.
Park Ranger Lance Kelly relishes the unexpected occurrences
along the river and really enjoys interacting with park visitors.
To say that Tiffany is conscientious,
diversified, and hard–working
paints too narrow a brush stroke of
her capabilities. We look forward to
the broad spectrum of colorful skills
she brings to the canvas of Wakulla
Springs State Park.
Park Ranger Lance Kelly enjoys
work that offers him diversity. He
has had a varied employment history as a car mechanic, roofer, and appliance repairman. His portfolio of
skills has already proven valuable at
Wakulla Springs.
He has exhibited the traits of a selfstarter. He has fixed the leaking
outdoor shower and a running toilet,
repaired the PA system on the river
boats, mended holes in the boardwalk, replaced a broken part on the
ranger station generator, and more.
He also gained experience
with park resource management. He participated
in prescribed burns within
the park and assisted with
the park’s sea turtle pro-­
gram.
Although riding up and
down the beach looking for
signs of turtle crawl during
the early morning may
sound glamorous, finding
sea turtle nests, protecting
them from beach goers and
park predators (coyotes,
raccoons) involved demanding physical effort
under often harsh environmental conditions.
Once the baby turtles
hatched, their numbers
were recorded — not so
bad. But the nests would
then need to be dug up to
discover any wayward
young and how many eggs
were rotten and inviable.
The sand took a toll on his
fingernails and hidden objects like broken glass were
serious wounds waiting to
happen. For Lance, it was
all in a day’s work. It was a day filled with variety,
challenges, and successes.
At Wakulla Springs, Lance
witnessed a park with
heavy day use — a contrast
from St. Joe. But he was
not unfamiliar with
Wakulla Springs. He grew
up in Tallahassee and was
acquainted with swimming
there in the summer. He
well remembered the glass
bottom boats and clear water from his youth. And he
always wanted to interpret
the river on the boat tours.
Now that he is here, leading tours on the river boats
is one of the highlights of
his experience at the park.
He relishes the unexpected occurrences along
the river and really enjoys
interacting with the park
visitors.
Wakulla Springs State Park
has already reaped benefits
from the knowledge, skills
and experiences both Tiffany and Lance have brought
with them. Their insights
from other parks enrich
the visitor service team.
It‘s a welcome window that allows all of us to better understand and appreciate our place in the Florida Park Service.
Page 8
Volume 11, Issue 4
What Can Be Recycled? By Jackie Turner
The park can recycle glass, plastic, paper, aluminum, and steel. However, not all types of these materials are recyclable. Please see below for information about the materials that can be recycled.
Glass: bottles and jars CAN BE recycled.
Drinking glasses, china plates, and light bulbs CANNOT BE
Plastic: most plastic CAN BE recycled
Plastic bags and Styrofoam CANNOT BE.
Paper: Most paper (newspaper, junk mail, cereal boxes) CAN BE recycled
Waxed paper (e.g., milk cartons) & paper hand towels CAN NOT BE
Aluminum and Steel: all food containers CAN BE recycled.
Glass: Bottles and Jars
Plastic: All types — except bags and Styrofoam
Paper: All types — except waxed (milk cartons) and paper hand towels
So That’s What I Signed Up For! by Pete Scalco
visitors should be easier and
more relaxed.
If you felt like this summer
was particularly busy, you are
right. The parks attendance
grew by around 16% from last
year and July posted an 18%
attendance increase.
Well, once again the summer
madness is behind us and
some of you are saying that
“driving boats around in cir-­
cles” will be replaced by a more pleasant river boat tour.
With fewer crushing crowds,
providing a sometimes once in
a lifetime experience for our
Now is the time to savor the
fact that you once again found
a way to give the public a quality outdoor experience without
their being aware of the park
having fewer team members,
encountering electric motors
that burned out and being surprised by batteries that exploded. The public missed out on
the miscreants acting out and
the clean up from storms that
downed trees. But you knew
about all the fun summer
stuff!
We have some great projects
being planned for the cooler
months ahead along with
some exciting scientific explorations centered on archaeology and our aquatic environment which are now underway.
Take a moment to enjoy your
surroundings and remember
why you are here in the first
place. You should be justifiably proud of your work this
summer. Thanks for all you
do.
Page 9
Volume 11, Issue 4
Chimney Chit Chat By Jeff Hugo Photo Courtesy of Jackie Turner
On Saturday July 25 and Saturday August 22, park
volunteer Stuart Funke-d’Egnuff was once again on hand to share his data regarding the chimney swifts
that descend into the lodge’s chimneys. Few people are ever aware of the chimney swifts early evening
activities and often mistake them for bats. Stuart
works hard to clear up the confusion and invites
park guests into his world as a citizen scientist.
Park Volunteer Stuart FunkeThanks to his weekly work collecting data on the
d’Egnuff speaks to a group focused swift population roosting in the lodge chimneys, we
on the sky in search of chimney
now know that the swifts return to Wakulla Springs
from South America by late March. Their spring numbers seem to peak by mid May and then
begin to decline as more and more birds disperse for breeding purposes.
By July 25, 2015, there were only 5 swifts to be seen — a rather disappointing showing for a special event. By mid-August, the numbers of swifts were on the increase. By August 22, there were
about 175 chimney swifts roosting in the fireplace chimney. The choice of the fireplace chimney
was a change of venue for the roosting swifts. In previous years, they had roosted in the unused
utility chimney.
Stuart’s work and presentations set the stage for the culminating chimney swift event at the park
– A Swift Night Out. On Saturday, September 12, park guests will join people from all over the
nation as they stand beneath their local chimneys to tally the swifts entering their roosts. We are
hoping for a spectacle involving hundreds of birds.
A Summer of Service By Jackie Turner
Photos Courtesy of Jackie Turner
The sharp eyes and nimble fingers of the Tallahassee Home School students made
bits of litter disappear on park grounds.
Summertime is always a very busy time at the park. This year, we were fortunate to have the
Volume 11, Issue 4
Page 10
Lots of Little Litter By Jackie Turner Photos Courtesy of Jackie Turner
service of many volunteers, who provided much needed assistance. They picked
up litter, cleaned up roadsides, sorted
recycling, and cleaned boats.
Tallahassee Home School (THS) and Cub
Scout Pack 320 (CSP) from Thomasville
Georgia assisted with litter patrol in the
picnic area. The children were told that
litter can hurt wildlife and were asked to
look for very small pieces of trash. When
it comes to finding and collecting small
bits of litter, kids are the best. THS volunteered one day in June and one day in
July. CSP assisted one day in June.
In July, the SEEK (Saving the Earth’s Environment through Knowledge) conference was held at the park. SEEK is an
environmental conference for Florida
high school students that is sponsored by
the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.
Students conducted a wildlife survey and
an aquatic investigation. For their service project, they removed litter from 2
miles of Shadeville Road that included
Upper Bridge. Students collected a combined total 140 lbs. of materials (trash in
black bags and recyclables in white
bags).
In June, July, and August, three high
school students volunteered as part of
the 100 hour community service requirement for their Bright Futures Scholarship. During June, July, and August,
Odessa Deng and her mother came to
park five times to collect and sort recyclables. (Ask Randy or Red. This is not a
glamorous job). In July, Matt Zdrazil
assisted with landscaping and cleaning
boats. He spent most of his time cleaning the Limpkin, Heron, and half of the
Wood Duck. In August, Karl Cooley
worked one day collecting and sorting
recyclables. He will return in the fall to
clean boats.
TOP: Cub Scout Pack 320 makes quick work of
litter removal.
CENTER: SEEK participants collect a small
mountain of debris and recyclables from park
roadsides.
BOTTOM: Matt Zdrazil used plenty of elbow
grease to make the river boats spic and span.
MISSION: To provide resource-based recreation while preserving,
interpreting, and restoring natural and cultural resources
Page 11
Photo by Bob Thompson
Wakulla Springs State Park
465 Wakulla Park Drive
Wakulla Springs, FL 32327
Phone: 850-561-7276
Upcoming Events!
Saturday,
September 12
11:30am –12:30pm
Smokey Bear Literacy
Saturday,
September 12
7:30pm-8:30pm
A Swift Night Out
Saturday,
September 19
9:00am — Noon
Coastal Clean-Up
Saturday,
September 26
9:00am—10:30am
Morning Nature Walk
Saturday,
September 26
9:00am—Noon
Natl. Public Lands Day
Saturday,
October 3
8:00am—9:00am
Early Boat Tour
Getting Ready for a Big Prescribed Fire Season
By Scott Savery
Just as park staff completed burning its 10th burn of last fiscal year to
achieve another 100% completion of Wakulla’s burn goal, we started plan-­
ning for the next burn season. The 2015/2016 fiscal year will be a good
year for prescribed burning with 14 burn zones scheduled to be burned.
These zones contain an estimated 900 acres and we hope to complete all
14 zones with 9 to 10 burns. The burns will be completed by the Wakulla
Springs Burn Team - Members are Patty Wilbur, Jake Hines, Jonah Snelling, Lance Kelly, Scott Savery and Pete Scalco. The park will also be
counting on assistance from other nearby parks and other agencies to
meet the goals established for Wakulla Springs.
Apple Snail Population Sees Modest Improvement
by Scott Savery
The summer survey of apple snail egg clusters has shown an increase this year as the
specie tries to rebound from the flooding
impacts of Tropical Storm Debby in 2012.
With less than average counts in 2013 and
2014, this year’s count has already sur-­
passed those years and could approach pre
TS Debby numbers. With only August left
to survey the total number of egg clusters is
at 845. While this is nowhere near a record high count, it is still the best
count in the last 4 years and much improved from 2005 and earlier .
Saturday,
October 10
9:00am—5:00pm
World Water Monitoring
Apple Snail Egg Clusters 2005-15
Saturday,
October 10
9:00am—10:00am
Medicinal Plant Walk
2800
Saturday
October 17
9:00am—10:30am
Morning Nature Walk
Egg 1600
Clusters 1200
Saturday,
November 14
9:00am—10:30am
Morning Nature Walk
400
2000
800
0
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20
09
20
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20
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Saturday,
December 5
10:30am—12:30pm
Hidden Spring Bike Ride
2400
Year