When we first visited this park we weren't ready to place any
caches and just milled around the entrance. We were amazed at all
the life in and around the large lake; cranes were sunning
themselves on the banks, numerous ducks were paddling in the water,
and fish were jumping here and there. Then a strange movement in
the northeast corner of the lake caught our eye; something was
porposing in the water, not a bird or a fish. We realized it was an
otter - there's something you don't see every day! We watched him
play for several minutes, and even saw a second otter in the same
area. We dubbed the pair Slip and Slide, and knew we had to bring
other cachers out to this amazing place. So find the cache quick
and sign the log in a hurry, then run over to the lake and see what
animals are in Slip's playground today!
Reddie Point Preserve is one of nine Regional Preserves included
in "Preservation Project Jacksonville." These preserves ring the
ciy in such a manner that no Jacksonville resident should be more
than a fifteen minute drive from a regional preserve.
Reddie Point is 102 acres and contains a beautiful hardwood
hammock and an Indian burial mound. The land also has ties to
Zephaniah Kingsley, as his nephew lived in a log cabin there.
Amazingly, the area was poised for development in the 1980's by
Ellis Neder, Jr. Permits were in place for 422 dwelling units and a
62-slip marina; remnants of roads, retention ponds and dock pilings
still remain. Neder was later convicted of 30 counts of wire and
bank fraud and 2 counts of tax fraud. Following a lengthy appeals
process, the City bought the land in 2000 with the help of a
Florida Communities Trust grant. Its purchase ensures that the land
will be preserved for recreation and open space.
Initial plans for the park call for a fishing dock, picnic
pavilions, wildlife observation areas, multi-use play field and
nature and exercise trails. The preserve will function as a part of
the Jacksonville Blueways Network, serving as one of the focal
points along the St. Johns River, linking boating visitors between
Fort Caroline, Theodore Roosevelt Preserve, the Timucuan Preserve
and Blue Cypress Park. A Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND)
grant was awarded to design the docking facility and fishing pier,
and the city will apply for a FIND construction grant after the
design is complete.
For now, the park contains nothing but nature. The scenery
varies from dense vegitation to wide open space, from small ponds
to grand river views. A variety of birds can be found nesting along
the waters edge, and burrows of small yet unidentified critters
abound. A pair of otters live in the large lake near the entrance.
Be aware of all the usual Florida residents like spiders, snakes,
and bugs. Also be on the lookout for neighborhood paintballers and
the occasional local partier; a few spots would really benefit from
a quick CITO.
We spoke with two police officers at different times and both
said it was perfectly fine to park at 30 23.097N 081 36.967W,
despite the "No Trespassing" sign there (the one right next to the
City Park sign, go figure.) In fact, we recommend that as the only
place you might park; you can drive closer to the caches we've
placed but we can't guarantee that parking anywhere else is okay.
Besides, you really shouldn't miss out on the beautiful walk!
SOURCES:
http://www.coj.net/Departments/Parks+and+Recreation/Preservation+Project/Preservation+Project+Jacksonville+Parks+List.htm
http://www.coj.net/NR/exeres/34E21285-2887-4488-9B86-37E3390093E4.htm?NRMODE=Unpublished
http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=10713&folder_id=250
http://cl.bna.com/cl/19990616/971985.htm
http://www.whistler.arts.gla.ac.uk/biog/McNe_CD.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/drummond.htm
This cache was placed by a member of the
Northeast Florida Geocachers
Association