http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/Our-Forests/State-Forests/Tate-s-Hell-State-Forest
The Legend of TATE'S HELL...
A tale that has been told for many years recounts how Tate's Hell Swamp got its name. Local legend has it that a farmer by the name of Cebe Tate, armed with only a shotgun and accompanied by his hunting dogs, journeyed into the swamp in search of a panther that was killing his livestock. Although there are several versions of this story, the most common describes Tate as being lost in the swamp for seven days and nights, bitten by a snake, and drinking from the murky waters to curb his thirst. Finally he came to a clearing near Carrabelle, living only long enough to murmur the words, "My name is Cebe Tate, and I just came from Hell!" Cebe Tate's adventure took place in 1875 and ever since, the area has been known as Tate's Hell, the legendary and forbidden swamp.Chuck and I decided to take a drive last week. Most of Franklin County is swamp or state forest. The majority of the population here, is along the beautiful coastline. I have been putting this post off because we wanted to visit the dwarf cypress forest in Tate’s Hell. It has rained 4 days now so I will just do a blog of the dwarf cypress later. But we did go to Cash Creek, one of my favorite places in Tate’s Hell, just off of Highway 65.
Right on Cash Creek is this great pavilion with picnic tables and BBQ!
The sky was an impossible blue, reflected in the creek. Who would have thought that night would bring rain and drizzle that last 4 days so far? We still have big, fat raindrops landing on the roof, falling from the extremely tall pine trees in this RV park!
I have always loved this little park, Cash Creek, I love the tall grasses in the creek, the tall pines all around us carpeting the grass with rusty colors.
There is a boat launch here, seems like this area would be popular with canoes and kayaks. I have never seen another car here, let alone a boat here, in all the times I have visited this park. Tire tracks in the dirt show there have been visitors, we are blessed to have it to ourselves!
Because there are alligators in this creek, we keep the dogs leashed! Radar and DoogieBowser are used to the leashes so no problem.
It is so peaceful here.
My turn to hold the dogs while Chuck take a photo from the dock. This is a little too close to the water for the doggies, they want to swim but I don’t want them to be gator bait. I pull them back!
Wonderful reflections!
We decided to leave Cash Creek and take another nearby road that I had never explored.
Heavily wooded. If you read the link at the top, it tells all about how this forest came to be!
After about 3 miles of nothing but thick, piney forest we decided to turn around.
The next day, Friday, was drizzly rain all day. We had to go to Tallahassee for Chuck to apply for a new social security card. On the way, we stopped in Crawfordville so I could get my Florida Drivers license. 15 minutes and I was done and out the door. Chuck had filled out all his paperwork online for the SS card, but we had to go to Tallahassee SS Office to personally drop it off. This became an opportunity to meet my longtime friend Paula Nichols at Olive Garden!
It was good to see her! These photos were taken with her cell phone! Heck she gets more pixels with her cell phone than I get with my Nikon! LOL!
We got back Friday evening to the news that this RV Park had been sold! The owner is giving everyone 30 days to find a new spot. For some of these folks, that is not going to be easy! Chuck and I have been planning on leaving Dec 1st anyway to go south to Bradenton (south of Tampa) to help daughter Glorianne and her family paint rooms and move into their new home. We also have a boondocking rally to go to in mid-February in central Florida.
http://www.rv-dreams.com/boondocking-rally.html
We have to be back here by the end of Feb. to get new car tags for my car. But we have been fortunate, thanks to good friends Gayle and Jack, we have secured a good camping spot when we return!
Today is Monday, November 18, 2013. We left Truth or Consequences NM a month ago yesterday! Seems like such a long time ago! Yet in so many ways, I feel like I have never left here, Franklin County Florida, it feels like home to me and Chuck likes it too! Feels good being back and seeing old friends and trying new restaurants! However, our favorite buffalo shrimp still comes from AJ’s in Apalachicola! If you were at our wedding, AJ’s catered it and the buffalo shrimp was a hit with everybody!
Hope you enjoyed the visit to Tate’s Hell.
We will be signing off from the MotherShip now! Geri, Chuck, Radar and DoogieBowser.
We want to leave you the words of Thomas Jefferson, consider them please.
