Olustee Creek / Upper Santa Fe River

On this trip we explore the quiet, upper reaches of the Santa Fe River to the confluence of Olustee Creek.

 

This one is only a 35 - 40 minute drive north from Gainesville. 

 

The cost is $50 per person. ($39 for "wanna go" members). With your own boat it's $40 per person. ($29 for members).

 

Calendar of Tour dates: www.adventureoutpost.net

 

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Description

 

Beginning just above O'leno State Park, we paddle upstream against a very slow current to the confluence of Olustee Creek, one of the Santa Fe's main feeders. It's a small, winding, high-banked creek which will not appeal to those interested in wetland communities and/or easy paddle trips. We usually don't go far up Olustee, especially in low water. 

 

Wildlife

 

There's a fair population of deer in this area, but high banks discourage them from spending much time at the riverside. There are some 'gators - especially one sizeable fellow whose lair is in the area near the confluence of Olustee Creek and the Santa Fe. Of special interest are capybaras, a number of which have escaped into the wild reaches of the upper Santa Fe and lower Olustee basins. I first spotted one in the mid-1990's. Since then, I've been sent nearly a dozen reports of sightings from other paddlers and boaters. These huge rodents (the largest in the world) are native to South America, but judging from the reports, are finding life in North Florida to their liking. 

 

History

 

The first section oif this trip takes us up a remote section of the Santa Fe River. When Hernando De Soto came through in 1539, the ancient Indian trail he was following forded the Santa Fe here. The village of Cholupaha, which is mentioned by the expedition's chroniclers, was situated on a high hill, and commanded a beautiful view of the river valley.

 

In the early 1600's, there was still an important village here, called Tolosa. Spanish missionaries established a mission here as part of the chain of missions which stretched across north Florida from St. Augustine to the Tallahassee area. This mission, named Santa Fe de Tolosa, was the namesake for the river.

 

The name Olustee was immortalized on Feb. 20, 1864, when Florida's largest battle of the Civil War was fought near the stream's headwaters, far to the north of the Santa Fe, at Ocean Pond. When the smoke cleared from the battlefield, nearly 300 men lay dead - 93 rebels and 203 from the Union side. Nearly 2,000 more were injured. The Battle of Olustee was a victory for the Rebel forces, but it would be a short-lived celebration with the confederacy losing the War a year later.

 

Questions or reservations: e-mail - riverguide2000@yahoo.com , or call   (386) 454-0611