Withlacoochee Bay Trail Cross Florida Greenway
This is the ending area of the Withlacoochee Bay Trail on the gulf side of the Cross Florida Greenway.
Website:
Trans Florida Barge Canal & Florida Greenway
We had the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, Withlacoochee Bay Trail all to ourselves.
Cross Florida Barge Canal at The Withlacoochee Bay Trail
Stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the St. Johns River, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway occupies much of the lands formerly known as the Cross Florida Ship and later Barge Canal projects. This section is by the Gulf of Mexico where the Withlacoochee Bay Trail is. There is a multi-use trail where you can get see these views of the canal.
Withlacoochee Bay Trail
An overview of the Withlacochee Bay Trail located north of Crystal River, Florida Produced by Lee Berger Media Productions leebergermedia.com for Bike Florida bikeflorida.org
Cross Florida Barge Canal - H. H.. Buckman Lock
Used to lift boats and barges from the level of the St. Johns River to the level of the Rodman Reservoir, about 18 feet above the mean sea level.
The idea of such a canal was first proposed by Philip II of Spain in 1567. It was repeatedly considered over the years but found to be economically unviable. Secretary of War John C. Calhoun once again proposed a canal in 1818 in order to solve the losses due to shipwrecks and piracy. The Florida Railroad, finished on March 1, 1861, served a similar purpose, connecting theAtlantic Ocean at Fernandina to the Gulf of Mexico at Cedar Key. In the 1930s, regional politicians lobbied the federal government to fund canal construction as an economic recovery program, including the creation of the Canal Authority of the State of Florida in May 1933.[3] President Franklin D. Roosevelt allocated $5 million in emergency funds in 1935.[4] Local opponents of the canal protested that the canal would deplete Florida's aquifers, and work was stopped a year later. Work was reauthorized in 1942 as a national defense project, with dams and locks to protect the underground water supply. Support for the project from Washington was sporadic, and funds were never allocated to USACE to actually start construction. Planning was once again given the go-ahead in 1963 with support from president John F. Kennedy, who allocated one million dollars to the project. The next year, Lyndon Johnson set off the explosives that started construction. It was hoped that the canal, along with the St. Johns-Indian River Barge Canal, would provide a quicker and safer route across Florida by 1971. The project was officially cancelled in 1991.
Withlacoochee Crab Swarms
2008 May 5 @ Withlacoochee Bay Trail, near Yankeetown, Florida
Bike ride down the Withlacoochee Bay Trail, a 5-mile paved state trail along the Cross Florida Barge Canal and part of the Cross Florida Greenway. The end of the trail marks where the Barge Canal and the Gulf meet and offers a spectacular vista.
Along the shores, I witnessed what appeared to be HUNDREDS of wading fiddler crabs. Amused, I decided to harass them, enacting what I would call a scene from Godzilla.
It's not like I was out to hurt them...just harmless entertainment!
Dolphin In Waccasassa Bay
A very short dolphin encounter in a wintery creek in Wacasassa Bay, Florida.
Dunnellon Bike Trail
Dunnellon Bike Trail
The Crab Commune
2009 May 27 @ Withlacoochee Bay Trail, near Yankeetown, Florida
Bike ride down the Withlacoochee Bay Trail, a 5-mile paved state trail along the Cross Florida Barge Canal and part of the Cross Florida Greenway. The end of the trail marks where the Barge Canal and the Gulf meet and offers a spectacular vista. I went along the shore and witnessed hundreds of fiddler crabs. Skittish as they are, they all quickly disappeared, but after 5 min. or so of patient and stationary sitting, they became unaware of my looming presence and carried on their seemingly intricate society. Disputes of territory and quarrels to determine the right to mate are quite evident in this segment. At times there appears to be acts of communication as well, as many were waving their fiddler arms about.
Lock System on the Oklawaha 00484.mts
The system was built for the Cross Florida Barge Canal which never fully panned out. But a lot of the infrastructure was built.
Cross Florida Barge Canal Bridge Ruins
Bridge ruins from the Cross Florida Barge Canal Project that was never completed. The bridge was began construction in 1935 and halted in 1936. Today these ruins still remain as a reminder of history you can see not far from The Florida Trail in Santos. Check out this link for some detailed history on this canal project -
Vandal Cave in the Withlacoochee State Forest, Citrus County, Florida, USA
Located at N28,42.557 & W082.26.576. This is a dry limestone cave in Florida. Video taken on 11/1/2010. Great place for spelunking
Ruins of the Cross Florida Barge Canal
These ruins are in Belleview, Florida hidden just yards from the highway. I stated in the video these were constructed in the 1970's , but that is not correct. They were built in 1935 in anticipation of the canal. Work was begun digging the canal in the 1970's, but were stopped for environmental reasons, namely the salt water intrusion would have destroyed the Florida aquifer.
The Barge Canal by bicycle, near Inglis, Florida
The Barge Canal by bicycle, near Inglis, Florida
Inglis Lock on the Cross Florida Barge Canal
Description
The Case for the Canal (1970)
This film describes the Cross Florida Barge Canal. A state geologist describes the lock system, and viewers see phosphate and mines. Much of the film is the same footage as CA006, Florida's Canal Main Street. Various testimonials are given as to the quality of the canal project. Produced by Leroy Crooks.
To see full-length versions of this and other videos from the State Archives of Florida, visit
Repository: State Library and Archives of Florida, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL
Persistent URL:
Eastern Part of Lake Rousseau
a Drone View of the Eastern most part of Lake Rousseau, in Dunnellon, FL. it was filmed as part of another video,
it includes multiple boat ramp lots included with the house.
Cross Florida Barge Canal Promo #1
Cross Florida Barge Canal Promo #1
Nov '15 Rainbow River Gator!
Florida's Canal Main Street (mid-1960s)- Clip
Gov. Haydon Burns introduces this film describing the reasons, location and other details of the Cross Florida Barge Canal. The canal was being built at the time the film was made. The film has illustrations showing proposed design, testimony by the geologist, sequences of Florida industry, footage of flooding in March 1960 and an enemy submarine threat sequence. President Johnson sets off the first blast in construction. Produced by Leroy Crooks; sponsored by FDC and the Canal Authority of Florida.
To see full-length versions of this and other videos from the State Archives of Florida, visit
Repository: State Library and Archives of Florida, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250 USA. Contact: 850.245.6700. Archives@dos.state.fl.us
Persistent URL: