21stCenturyExpeditionist

This journey down the Dead River was delightful and challenging. We paddled upstream through humid subtropical forest. As we navigated the river and swamp, we saw a variety of animals including little blue heron, coots, red shoulder hawks, egret, manatee, and black bear. The river was slow moving, but the current was a little stronger than normal due to recent rains and flooding. We navigated from the river to a tributary and had to push our way through thick hydro vegetation, primarily water lettuce. Once we completed the difficult and strenuous paddle through the overgrown hydro vegetation, we reached our target destination. Disembarking our watercraft, we hiked through a fairly open terrain and walked the whole island's circumference. We saw large mound formations consisting of sand, limestone and chalk deposits. There were a few areas littered with aquatic snail. A positive identification was made that these large formations were indeed built up by the Florida Indians when we saw scattered potsherds and animal bone refuse. Most of the potsherds had the characteristics of plain type, but we also saw incised type potsherds. Most of the animal bones looked to be either tortoise or turtle. It was--overall---a fantastic day and adventure.

On this escapade, we paddled up the Ocklawaha River into a tributary thereof and visited an ancient Native American bluff shell midden. At this site, there were many discarded aquatic snail refuse, limestone varieties of rock, and animal bones. There was a lot of napping from the chert/flint and soapstone and other various forms of limestone-fused rock. The ancient Florida Indians made use of the different mineral compositions of limestone rock to build weaponry, storage vessels, chiseled figurines, tools, and much more. Here we saw some decorative potsherds with incised and check-stamped imprints. This part of the Ocklawaha had a steady and strong current until we reached the tributary. It was a fabulous day, but a little hot.

On this trip, we canoed up the Ocklawaha River from the mouth which empties into the St. John's River. We saw many alligators ranging from adolescent 4 foot to adult 8 to10-foot alligators. There was a variety of winged foul present which included great blue heron, great white egret, little green heron, pileated woodpecker, and osprey. The temperature was pleasant in the mid-'80s and the sky was clear. This area of the Ocklawaha is part of the Ocala National Forest's Little Lake George Wilderness and across the lake is Welaka State Forest. This river---as many of Florida's rivers---flows north. It flows from Lake Griffin to the St. John's River. Part of this river has been canalized and Lake Apopka has a canal that feeds the river.

On this trip we paddled up the Withlacoochee River to an ancient shell midden. Along the way we saw Florida limpkin, great blue heron, common moorhen, great white egret, osprey and American alligator. The temperature was perfect, about 85 degrees, and the sky was cloudless. The water was clear and the mosquitoes were minimal. We ventured up the Withlacoochee to some tributaries and paddled through areas overcome by thick hyacinth. Nonetheless, we managed to reach our destination. The Natives who lived in this area were associated with the Safety Culture Indians. Later, the Seminoles inhabited this area for a spell. In 1539, the Hernando de Soto expedition explored this area and bivouacked for a season while being sustained by supplies from the Indians who lived here.

On this journey, we canoed up a stretch of the Withlacoochee River and visited two ancient Florida sites. Along the way, we encountered a variety of winged fowl. We saw snail kite, great blue heron, great white egret, common moorhen, anhinga, and commorant. We also---as expected---encountered the American alligator. Our first stop was a typical shell midden (kitchen midden) which also included sea biscuit (sea urchin) fossils. This area was the part of Flordia which first arose from the sea as Florida was being formed. We suspect the sea urchin fossils date back to that time period. After visiting the shell midden, we travelled onward to an ancient site that was likely used for the production of weaponry, tools, storage vessels and other items necessary for the survival of the people who inhabited this region. Here we saw potsherds in the water and lithic scatter throughout the landscape and many limestone boulders. Also, at this site, there were many massive and old southern live oak trees. One can only speculate what this area looked like when these forgotten people lived here.

On this day we visited an Ancient Florida Indian shell mound near the St. John's Upper Marsh. We saw several fossils such as a deer jaw with intact molars, vertebrae, and an alligator scoot. There were St. John's incised, linear check stamped, punctated, and plain type textures at this site. Next, we trekked through the woods to another ancient shell mound. This mound was covered in Brazilian pepper plants. There were three shell mounds at this location. The second mound was fairly large about 2 acres in size. One could suppose that this site sustained a fairly large population of Natives in Precolumbian times.

On this trip, we took advantage of the cooler weather to trek through snake and alligator territory, which would usually be too dangerous to navigate. We passed multiple alligator beds as we strenuously hiked through difficult marsh terrain full of wiregrass and marl. At this site, we saw multiple texture types imprinted on discarded potsherds. Most of the ornamental textures were St. John's period check stamped, linear check stamped, and there appeared to be mat impressed. Parallel to the mound site was a hardwood hammock of trees. Since, this is such a large midden covering an acre or two, this hammock of trees and the areas surrounding the mound was likely where huts and living quarters were located. At one time Florida was inhabited by millions of Native Americans. This section of the St. John's River with its many middens and mounds must have supported a fairly large population.

On this hike, we visited an ancient pond midden tucked away deep in the woods. This site is similar in appearance to the Windover Pond site in Brevard County Fla. The Windover site is an ancient burial site where the Natives interred the dead in a pond. The perfect PH balance preserved the remains for thousands of years. DNA samples were taken from those remains. This site likely is just a shell midden. After visiting this location, we ventured over to the St. John's River and observed a shell mound at the water's edge. There were multiple heaps of muscle and aquatic snail shells. This is a fascinating place and the rain amplified the experience. One can only visualize how this subtropical terrain and waterway teaming with life enabled the Natives to survive the four seasons and difficult Florida weather for centuries.

On this trip, we trekked along the St. John's River floodplain and visited a few Native American sites. This vast area once had a large thriving population of Native Americans, likely of the Ais tribe or in association to. These mound sites have varied geometric patterns. Some are oblong and oval. Some have a nearly perfect 360 circle. Some are box-shaped and some are shell ring-type mound formations. One has to wonder about the significance of such geometric shapes. The Floridians like many Ancient cultures were dependent on keeping track of the seasons through astronomical alignments of the stars and planets. They had to know when to sow and to reap and when it was time to prepare for winter. They surely kept track of the winter and summer solstice. Their ritual beliefs were likely influenced and centered around these astrological events.

On this trip, we biked and hiked to an ancient Native American complex near the headwaters of the St. John's River. Pre-Columbian Floridians inhabited this region and later the Seminole Indians thrived along the river. This area of the St. John's has vast a floodplain and marsh where one can enjoy a spectacular view and see for miles. We encountered a variety of birds including red shoulder hawks, great blue heron, tanager, and others. We followed an old railroad tram and made our way down to the river. There were multiple paw paw trees. One can only imagine what is was like in ancient times. The natives must have enjoyed the sweet and savory fruit of the paw paw.

Take a trip with Wild Florida Adventures through Alexander Wilderness. On this trip, we visited an ancient shell midden. This area was inhabited for thousands of years by endurant Florida Native Americans who lived off the land and persevered through every difficulty and weathered every storm. One can only imagine what ancient Florida must have looked like. Remnants of their ancient cultures survive today. They deposited shellfish and bones of all sorts and built up pyramidal earthen mounds and middens. Attestation of their exuberant culture can be seen in the detailed artwork imprinted on potsherds that remain today.

Take a journey with Jungle Jay Adventures to an ancient Florida Indian site with a spring. On this journey, we encountered a variety of birds; great white egret, kingfisher, crested cormorant, anhinga, little blue heron, wood duck. There were many adolescent American alligators and river otters. This tributary of the St. John's river is a peaceful stream surrounded by vast wilderness. we saw multiple issuing springs feeding this waterway. While there we visited an ancient Florida Indian shell ring with a crater-like borrow pit in the center.

Take a journey with Florida Trailblazer up the Withlacoochee River to a spring and an ancient Ocale Indian shell midden. In 1539, Hernando de Soto and Spaniards encamped and wintered along this river. They used the maize (corn) supplied by the Ocale Indians to sustain themselves.

A journey to an ancient Ais Indian shell mound. This part of the St. John's river---by conjecture---was inhabited by a large tribe of Native Americans called Ais or tribes who shared the language and culture of the Ais. The Ais Indians who lived along the Indian River were well known to the Spanish. The ancient Indian town of Ulumay was documented by Spanish cartographer and explorer Alvaro Mexia in 1604. The Mayaca Indians who lived in the southern vicinity of Lake George along the St. John's reportedly spoke the Ais tongue. The supposed area of Ais influence and culture along the John's River stretches from Lake George to the Upper St. John's Marsh. Not much is known about these tribes who lived on the St. John's River.

Take a trip with Florida Trailblazer to a few Ancient Florida Indian shell middens. According to the documentation of the Hernando de Soto expedition in 1539, a tribe of Indians called the Ocale inhabited sections of the Withlacoochee River. The Withlacoochee River is a Florida waterway that flows north and is approximately 141 miles long. Not much is known about the inland indigenous peoples of Flordia. By the early 1700's most of the indigenous people of Florida went into extinction through disease, warfare, and subjection to European conquest.

A canoe trip to an Ancient Native American Complex along the east coast of Florida documented by Spanish explorer and cartographer Alvaro Mexia in 1604.

Take a journey with Florida Trailblazer along a tributary river of the St. John's River to an ancient Mayaca shell mound (kitchen midden).