For those of you that could not make it, the “Get Out & Explore Rainbow Springs” program was a great success. Even the rain didn’t deter 70+ participants from coming out and learning all about one of Marion County’s most well-known natural features. I thought the rain might hold off, but around 10:30 a.m. the bottom fell out and it continued to drizzle for the majority of the day. Almost all of the participants came prepared for wet weather. Although, I did see a few folks wearing trash bags.

Dr. Mark Clark (University of Florida), Dave Dewitt (SWFWMD), Jeff Sowards (Rainbow Springs/Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve), and Rangers Ralph and Paul (Rainbow Springs State Park) did a wonderful job at presenting a variety of information about springs ecology. I think all the participants walked away (in wet shoes) with a better understanding of the uniqueness of our local springs.

To top off the day, about 25 of the participants took a canoe or kayak out on the Rainbow River. I haven’t gotten any calls, so it looks like everyone made it off the river safely. 🙂

I’ve got some great pictures, but I’ve reached my data storage limit. I’m trying to figure out how to get around this.

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