On Sunday, August 3, 2008, I floated down Coldwater Creek with my family and friends. It was a beautiful day here in Milton, FL. It started out a little cloudy which was great while we were filling up the tubes, floating chairs and boat (yes someone brought an inflatable boat without any oars). For those who have ever gone on a tubing trip in WI this is nothing like that. I would compare this to a trip on the lazy river in The Dells. We had 10 people in our group and 13 floatation devices. You have to someplace to put your cooler. My little cooler was to small to fit in the smallest tube so I did the Redneck Thing and put my tanktop over the tube. I had my cell phone in that cooler and couldn’t afford to have it get wet. It never did get wet, I had it doubled bag and protected it with my life.
Now to the river portion, we got to the river at about 11-11:30 but because we were doing this on our own we have to have vehicles on both ends of the river. When we unloaded at the start of the river we only had 8 of our group (the other 2 were a little slow in the morning). The 3 guys left the 5 women at the river with all 13 tubes in the middle of the road blocking the path to the water. There is a cop, keeping the peace, laughing at us ladies drag tubes and coolers out of the way. I would have laughed too.
The clouds had now cleared and it was hot so Lisa (Emily, my sis-in-law’s, cousin) and I headed to the river to sit on one of the two sand bars. I am so glad we did that because we had a front row seat to see all the crazy people try to get on their tubes and get them loaded with coolers or tied together. There was a group of about 25 with what looked like 40 tubes trying to get in the water. The area you get into the water at is not very nice, there are tree stumps and roots everywhere. The water level changes drastically everywhere. I was walking along and next thing you know I am chest deep in really cold water (thus the name Coldwater River) and tripping on roots trying hard to keep my phone dry, I’m sure there was someone laughing at me.
After 30 to 45 minutes of waiting for the other half of our group we finally got on the river. When you float on any river here you have to watch out for snakes, spiders and maybe gators (not likley but still). We only saw turtles and had little fish nibble on us a few times. One of the guys in our group had his fishing pole. It was a good day but most of the people in our group were more interested in getting drunk than just having a relaxing day and that is not what I am about so I don’t think I will go with any of them again. I think that was part of the reason Brad didn’t go.
I now know where to go to tube for free since we own our tubes. We have to get a cooler and a tube for it and decide if we want to take the kids. There are a ton of sand bars to stop at with nice sand beaches and some of them have rope swings or log jumps to jump from and water deep enough to jump into.
I don’t think I will be going out in the next couple weeks I am way to sun burnt today. My legs are tore up from being dragged by the current across the sandy bottom in the shallow parts and they are bruised from tripping over roots and stumps. The 5 hours ont the river was enough for me for a while. I will be going again but it may have to wait till next year.
I did have fun but it could have been better for me. Thank you for those who did go I will float with you again but only if my car is at the end so I can leave when I am ready to.
I’m going to do something in the house this week can’t handle the sun now.
Carmen
PS for those of you who are following my job hunt I have a good possibility I will let you know when I know more.
