Swift Creek

[IowaCaveDiver]

The family and I did a couple of days backpacking a section of the florida trail over the holiday weekend, most of which was along the suwanee. A couple of miles from where the suwanee intersects with I-75 there is an intersecting stream called "swift creek". I would much rather have been cave diving than hiking, so this was the best part of the trip for me... we crossed a narrow bridge with steel cable guide wires to get over this rapid stream of water. The creek lay about 20' below the bridge, the walls of the creek of course being of limestone all the way down to the water and the water discharging into the river was pretty clear, especially compared to the black water of the suwanee. I couldn't help but wonder if this flow was produced from a spring/vent further upstream or if it is just the collection of runoff from the region to the north. I referenced our trail map and checked google earth when we got home, and it seems swift creek runs for many miles north. Does anyone have any experience with this area... are there any springs feeding this creek? The river is super low right now and I'm sure if there are any caves that are typically non-detectable, now would be the time for them to "show themselves". I am anxious to get back up that way and do a creek hike upstream to search for possabilities. Can anyone shed some light on Swift Creek?

[ARY]

Been there a couple wks ago. There is a spring under the bridge (I75) did you check it? Also there is a syphon hole called Blue Sink to the east from Swift Creek on south bank of Suwannee. I did not dive it but info says it is 65'+ deep.

[IowaCaveDiver]

I didn't check any of them.... my wife had been wanting to start backpacking and this was her birthday present weekend.... ( I was not allowed in the water on this excursion). On the last day we went back over swift creek and stopped to cool off by wading in the cool creek water, but not long enough to do any searching. fortunatly we all hated the backpacking experience (we camp a lot but just out of the truck) and fortunatly we be back to diving next weekend. Thankfully I talked her into letting me sell off the frame packs and other un-necessary gear so I can upgrade a few pieces of dive equipment instead.

[faulguy]

Man, that sounds like it would be a fun trip up there to explore the area.

[Me]

Awww, why did you hate backpacking?

[Sludge]

Awww, why did you hate backpacking?

It probably had something to do with all that walking while carrying a heavy backpack...

[MORGAN]

It probably had something to do with all that walking while carrying a heavy backpack...

That's what switched me to canoe tripping.

[IowaCaveDiver]

Sludge, I think you put it best. We had actually been excited about it for sometime... my wife bought packs 2 christmas's ago and we accumulated lots of backpacking gear (ultra light sleeping bags/pads, cook stove, water purification, etc) compared to our bulky heavy normal camping stuff. We camp all the time, especially when diving places like jackson blue or Ginnie. She really had the itch to start backpacking, so we did. I think we were overly ambitious about what we could accomplish on our first excursion... we ended up doing 5 miles the first afternoon, it got dark quick and right as we lost light we lost sight of the trail blaze markings and had to setup camp... the next morning we realized we were only 20 yards off the trail, so we packed up and continued on towards our next check point, 8 miles away. About 4 miles into it, we realized we probably wouldn't make our intended camp site before dark, we were all exhausted and since we were planning a "through" hike (we had a second car at the end of our intended trail) we decided it would be better to turn the hike and head back, camping 4 miles shy of our original start point. We made decent time and hit the new planned camp site at around 3pm. All of us being super tired, smelly and hungry (dehydrated food in a bag gets old quick... we miss brats and steaks over a camp fire) We debated whether we wanted to camp another night or try to hump it out and do the last 4 miles and go home to have pizza. We decided on the pizza option. We made it back to Stephen Foster State Park just before dark. Blister covered feet, cramped up leg muscles, aching backs and necks, we were ready to throw in the towel. Plus, every weekend I would have been backpacking would be that many less opportunities to be diving.... I would rather be diving.

[Wizard]

It probably had something to do with all that walking while carrying a heavy backpack...

Walking yes, heavy pack, no. Todays wonderful super lightweight, and pricey gadgets make it so much easier.
My daypack well stocked without water is 3.5 lbs. Overnight weighs in at 12 lbs and 3-4 days with winter clothing is 22-ish.
Man, I remember the good ol' days of 45 lbs and you didn't have everything you needed for 3 days. For a week it was lucking to be under 70 lbs.
Why can't they make a LP 104 at 5 lbs with all these new materials?

[JamesK]

My rucksack still weighs a ton.

I like backpacking, but can't get the wife to do it. I would have to carry two backpacks, then make sure a Hoilday Inn Express was nearby that she could sleep at.