20210728 Rock Springs, FL with Tommy Moch

This is the first time I have returned to the place my parents used to take me as a young boy during our HOT SUMMERS in Orlando, Florida. Daddy would bring a watermelon and cool it in the 68 degree spring water before eating. Momma would fry chicken then cool it in an ice chest for us to eat for lunch. Sometimes we would cookout hot dogs and hamburgers, those were such great times with my older brothers Jack and Nick!!! The last time I was at Rock Springs was when I was in high school skipping of course with my friend Pete Perez who would drive, it had to be 1972. That's almost 50 years AGO!!! Wow!!! We were danger/thrill seekers and would penetrate the cave at the mouth of the spring and explore rooms without any light. The protective cage has been removed. It's a different configuration today and filled with lifeguards. There was only one a long time ago stationed at the large swimming area where most of the kids swam and the current was not so swift. In the narrow channels the water is moving. It's filled with rocks and not a great idea to attempt to navigate upstream. A lot of people were tubing today, wore protective water shoes, some had mask and snorkel. I met many people from out of state who were really enjoying Rock Springs! It's a great value, $3 covers (2) people in a car and $5 covers (8) people in a car, extras are $3 each. They accept cash and CC. There is a cafeteria onsite for refreshments, hotdogs, hamburgers and such. You have to get there early. The park opens at 8:am to 8pm in the summer and 8am to 6pm in the winter. There is limited parking (about 275 spaces) once they are filled the park does not accept any more vehicles and walk-in entry is not permitted. Although the water temperature remains a constant 68 degrees it's not all that menacing because the average size person will not be any deeper than waist deep at any given point along the spring's route and a lot of the spring is much more shallow than that. The only exception is the entry at the mouth or cave. It's over your head when you jump in... There is much more information to be seen on the Rock Springs, Florida, Orange County website. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did reminiscing today...