Soulbait Springs Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Have you ever crossed a stream and wondered where it came from? It was our passion for exploring places well off the beaten path that led to this hide.
One day Viv & I were travelling through the Ocala National Forest, and we stopped to look at a stream called Mormon Branch, which crosses under Hwy 19 just South of the Juniper Run. We noticed how clear the water was, and figured it must be spring fed. I decided to explore the area, and found several very small boils which feed into the main creek.
The hike in was a fairly intense bushwhack combined with a lot of stream wading. There are absolutely no paths back to the springs. If your idea of Nature is a clump of palmettos in a well manicured, sterile city park, then this cache is not for you.
I've taken the liberty of naming this spring after Soulbait in a fit of revenge over his Palatka Park Shelter, an incredibly frustrating micro. Jim, this one's for you! It's safe to assume you'll get your feet wet on this hunt. A hiking staff should be mandatory equipment. If you see the bottom of the creek turn from sand to black silt, avoid it. I tried walking across an area like this very near ground zero, and before I could blink, I was sunk up to mid thigh. I probed the muck with my staff, which is about 6' long, and couldn't find the bottom. Be careful!
This particular cache is all about the journey, not the hunt. At ground zero, you'll find a well camo'ed ammo can sitting in plain sight. I figured since the location is so difficult to reach, no one other than geocachers would be crazy enough to go there.
FTF prize is a Pilipinas 2 Piso coin.
Good luck!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)