Caverns marianna fl clawfish9/21/2023 ![]() ![]() When Britain ruled Florida between 17, this area was called West Florida and extended all the way to the Mississippi River. The Apalachicola River, located east of Marianna, divided East and West Florida. Now we know we can drive six hours and feel like we are in the foothills of Appalachia. Herb and I have traveled all over the country to experience areas with different elevations and climate. When the lights are off, the rooms appear like they did to early explorers. Blind crayfish scurried about in pools of water near our feet. After five p.m. a guide leads flashlight tours. In the summer, tourists visit to take refuge from the heat. However, during the summer rainy season, some passageways are flooded. With fifty degree temperatures outside, we enjoyed the warmth the rooms provided. The temperature inside the caverns is a constant sixty-eight degrees. These stalagmites formed from water dripping year after year in the same place on the cave floor.Ĭolored lighting in several of the rooms created unique special effects. It takes one hundred years for one cubic inch of calcite to develop. Without light, none of the calcite formations would be visible. They also wired the caves with electricity. Known as the Gopher Gang, these young men worked for a dollar a day to dig out trails and chisel tunnels through solid limestone. The next morning Herb gave Buddy some anti-anxiety medication, and made him comfortable inside the trailer. We met a guide at the mouth of the caverns for a tour.ĭuring the tour we learned the Civilian Conservation Corps enlarged the passageways during the 1930’s. After everything calmed down, and Herb left his shoes outside, we relaxed in our warm trailer with a hot meal. Buddy responded with a panic attack and tried to run out the open trailer door. Later, I forgot to turn on the overhead stove fan when I cooked dinner and set off the smoke alarm. Our first night in the park was eventful. Herb stepped in dog poop in the dark. Groundwater eventually dissolved crevices in the rock and shazaam! Caves were born. As the sea retreated, all of these materials hardened into limestone. During that time shells, corals, and sediments accumulated on the sea floor. Millions of years ago Florida was submerged under saltwater. That’s right, there are caves in Florida. Our mission: experience the only caves which exist in Florida. We were tired after six hours of driving from Orlando to Marianna, located in the Florida panhandle. He could see well enough to unhitch and level the Viking. The distant sound of dogs barking added to my apprehension.įortunately, we brought an extra light which Herb attached to the side of the trailer. After all, it was a Wednesday in December, with temperatures expected to dip into the forties that night. There were few lights or campfires in the area. I turned on my flashlight and guided Herb as he backed the trailer close to the hookups. Now it was dark, very dark. Great, we need to set up camp in the dark. We pulled into Florida Caverns State Park at dusk, checked in at the gate and drove a couple more miles to the campground. ![]()
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