The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-04-28
TAKING THE OKLAWAHA TRIP

Conn, after weeks visit with Mr..
and Mrs. Chas. A. Tremere at Belle
view.
Having planned to see the most
wonderful sights of Florida in the
short space of two weeks, they had
Silver Springs and the Oklawaha river
boat trip written upon their schedules
in extra large letters, for they had
heard that this was the most mar ;,
velous sight to be seen in the state.
Always enthusiastic over my home
state and especially Marion county, !.
my cousins rather embarrassed me to
think / had neglected taking the
river trip and that people from affair
were including it in their sight see
ing with such confidence. So upon
the friendly urging of the girls and
kind invitation from Mr.. Carmi-
chael, we decided upon the Wednes-
day trip, which would be made by the
"Silver Springs" the largest boat on
the line.
To catch that boat necessitated a |
very early start from Belleview and |
with an overdose of feminine instinct |
we had gone to the Springs Monday |
afternoon and made arrangements |
and proven our good intentions to
take the trip and asked Mr.. Carmi-
chael to please not let the boat leave
US, not knowing at that time that
the almost iron-clad rule that some
women travel by was to be broken,
and we were in Ocala twenty minutes
before the big bus was due to leave
for the Springs.
Silver Springs at this early hour is
wonderful to behold, and what struck
the tender spot in my southern heart
was to see the eagerness and enthus-
iasm shown by the crowd of tourists
over the expectation of the trip.
Mr.. Carmichael was on the job to
personally see that the trip was
started in a joyful manner. He at
once started the crowd cut in the
glass bottom boats, and it was then
that I learned something when l
noticed three of the passengers who
were left over after all the rest had
viewed the beauties of the Springs
thru the glass-bottom boats and the
sailing time was near at hand. Mr..
Carmichael promptly called up boat
out that they might not miss any part
of the trip. Everybody must go away
happy and feeling he or she had had
their moneys worth, and we learned
right there that holding the boat was
out of the kindness shown passengers
who have proven their good intentions
to take the trip.
The trip down Silver river was one
of the grandest sights / have ever be
held. Travelling over good part of
Florida to see it's wonders and beau
ties, here, right at my door almost
and inside the borders of Marion
county is the treat of all river sights.
Nine miles of crystal river SO clear
that the fish, both large and small,
could be seen plainly swimming
around, and should gator slip from
;, the shores to evade the tourists, Gag
erness for a glimpse of the native,
all they had to do was to look into
e the water, there he was, swimming
around, plain to be seen.
The turtles were everywhere, al
ways to be seen. If there wasn't the
. excitement of seeing gator, summing
himself on log, or snake hanging
from the limb of tree, or some love-
" bird, there was a congregation of
turtles, seemingly holding a council,
and as I gazed at them the thought
e same to me that the old turtles are
y always with u.s. 1t reminded me of
: the get-together meetings l used to
hear about when child. Those kind
held for the good of the town, ad-
vancement of the state and when bet
ter roads were just coming into style,
k when all the city fathers were called
e together in consultation over a need
Il ed improvement and all the old boys
s turned out and youth, fired with
+ enthusiasm and carrying big pro-
gressive advertising idea, stepped into
Il their midst and and after giving the
r best he had in words to prove his
o idea, was Immediately set upon and
told to hold his peace, which he gen
q orally had to do after venting his
l. feelings, by calling them bunch OF
h old moss-backs, always on the job tc
waylay progress. It's been long time
though since I've heard any one called
moss-back, for they went out Of
style in Marion county years ago. We
is have only the turtles as living
D. memory.
E. AS the boat glided out of Silvel
n river into the Oklawaha il was notice