Back in the early 1900s a little known citrus grove was planted at
this very spot along the St. Johns River. Not much is known about
it. Old aerial photographs from the 1940s show it covering quite a
few acres. Interestingly it was all built around a huge shell
midden known as the the Indian Fields. A closer examination of the
aerial photographs shows a house with a dock built right next to
the mound as well. If you were to go out there today, you would be
hard pressed to find any sign of the house or the grove. Everything
has pretty much been taken over by oaks and palm trees, but you can
still find orange trees, grapefruits, guavas and even surinam
cherries intermixed with the native vegetation. A regular
smorgasbord of "delicious" wild fruits awaits you. Just get ready
to pucker up if you decide to bite into anything. :-)
Some of the highlights you'll want to see is the old Indian
mound with the huge oak tree perched on top of it. If you go out by
the river edge, you should be able to see the old pilings from the
dock as well.
It's a beautiful place out there. Hope you get a chance to see
it. Also be sure to check out the nearby Indian Fields
cache.
Contents & Container:
The initial cache items include a log book, mosquito head net,
some bug juice, a venus fly trap (just add flies), a first aid kit,
water purification tablets, a mini-maglite, a bunch of sea shells,
fishing lures (Subwort & Husky Jerk) and an emergency whistle
with built-in compass & thermometer. There's even a bonus cache
for the first lucky finder. All you have to do is figure out where
it's hidden. The main cache container is a black ammo-box.
Directions:
There are a number of ways you can get to this cache site. If
you like long hikes (10+ miles), or have a horse or mountain bike,
then you might want to start at the main entrance at N28° 38.389
W80° 53.400. For the more daring types, you can park along Hatbill
Road at N28° 37.858 W80° 56.841 and try fording Snake Creek.
Depending on the season, the creek could be almost bone dry or
there might be 4 feet of water to try and swim across. The
advantage of this route over the previous one is that it knocks off
more than half the distance. Finally, if you prefer a nice peaceful
paddle along the St. Johns River, you can put in at the Hatbill
boat ramp at N28° 36.345 W80° 57.728. The current might be a bit
strong in certain places and when the water levels begin to drop,
you may find yourself lost in the tall weeds, but it's probably the
best route of the three.
Bonus Cache:
7327-248-43-6327-3786726-43-873394844-61003-338. For assistance,
try dialing 0.
Bonus Finder:
Moochie & Overrover
Important Information:
This cache is located within the Salt Lake Wildlife Management
Area. Visitors should be aware of seasonal hunting and abide by all
area regulations while on the area. Please visit http://www.myfwc.com/viewing/recreation/wmas/lead/salt-lake/
for more information. For hunting days, please see the on-line
calendar at
http://www.myfwc.com/viewing/recreation/wmas/lead/salt-lake/when-to-visit/.
Cache has been approved by the Florida Fish & Wildlife
Commission (Permit # GEO-20053) and the St. Johns River Water
Management District.