So do you have any tentative dates, costs, etc. .... for PlantFest 2005?

Greg

2 nd week of July most likely.

Less thunderstorms and away from the Hurricane season which I missed out on last year.

Regards,
Tom Barr

We are talking the FL Plantfest correct? Not the CA version that you've proposed as a possibility for the future.

And do you have any change ups in areas to vist planned for the two year vetrans of Plantfests past?

Florida!
Yes, I have some changes in store.
Ever seen plecos and plants? You will think you are in the Amazon for sure this time.

You missed the Santa Fe river trip last time.

There will be the salty version if you want to really see new things.

CA? Naw, I can take folks to the delta, but it's a weed infestation is all.
We got cool wood though! Canoe trips down the Russian and Eeel rivers.
Manzy neata wood, Ribbon woods, Grape woods etc.

The locals are too far apart to make a good trip here.
The Santa Ynez would be wonderful to take folks down and get some Echinordus berteroi, the only western sword plants and native of CA.

It's 3 hours from Monterey if folks are really interested in a neat side trip.
Pretty drive also.

The river is awesome hiking and damn gorgous. Good swimming too

Regards,
Tom Barr

So, the plecos are in the Santa Fe? Didn't anybody have a camera?

When I broke off with GWAPA last year we went down to Blue Hole, the gar were cool. There were a bunch of mollies or some other livebearer all along the edges it seemed. But I don't know for sure becuase I am not a bait man.

So, what is the basic outline at the moment? Ichetucknee, Santa Fe and what else?

Salt springs, Rodman reservoir, there are 3 other springs out that way.

Then of course, there's the Salt water version.
That's a blast.
Swim with some sea Turtles and dolphins....

Regards,
Tom Barr

New things are happening!

I will be speaking at the Tampa aquarium society that Sat in between the FW and Marine fest. We will stop and take a tour of Everglades Aquatic plant wholesalers as well! We will get a tour by their new owner and see their operation.

So we can add more to this event.

The AGA event is not going to happen this year, so this will be the only national plant event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have never been, better come, this will be a packed year I think and the marine version will be something to talk about and be inspirational for years to come.

These trips are cheap as folks can get cheap flights to JAX or ORL, we stay at the Motel 6, 29.99 a night, less if you share.
Don't worry, we don't stay there except to rest, folks are hog tired at the end the day.

The Marine version is limited to 15 people and includes a bioat trip the reef, a mangrove forest and lots of snorkeling and island hopping with a drunken evening in Key West and shopping, sight seeing the last night. I drive the drunks back home(I don;t drink). Rates run about 20-25$ for the rooms on the water per night, and the boat ride runs about 10-20$ and is well worth every penny. We can get another boat if folks want to collect and go to more isolated islands. There are few weeds on the reefs, most are along each island in the soft sediments and along the rocky intertidal.

Folks eat out together if they chose, I suggest cheap places to eat.
We car pool as best we can and I try to organize folks so that we keep cost down and share things, but if someone wants to have their privacy, nothing wrong there. I charge 75$ for the event per person, most run off with several 100$$$ worth of driftwood, plants, and marine plants.

It looks like the event will be 8-11 of July for the FW and the 12-15 July for the Marine version.

The Tampa part will be the 11th at the Public Aquarium and we will go to the Everglades plant farm on either side of this day. we may be able to go that Sat and then head to Tampa right after for the society meeting.

We will hit some pleco places so you can see them in the springs, a rather odd experience.

The Marine Plant/reef experience will blow you away. Hard to beat the price.

Bring underwater cameras.

Regards,
Tom Barr

What are the exact dates?

Here's the skinny:


Plant Fest 2K5 in Florida July 8-14th (FW days 8-11th and then the Marine version 12-14th)! Swim with plecos loose in the wild, Everglades aquatic plant nursery tour, trip to Tampa Public aquarium presentation at Tampa's aquarium society, more driftwood than you shake a stick at, native fish, weeds and more weeds. Stop watching the Discovery channel and do the Discovery channel.

Float down tranquil submersed clear water springs in an inner tube on a warm summer day passing by ancient Bald Cypress forest, Turtles, fish, 15 submersed plant species growing below you. Canoe down a clear water river, see invasive Crypts, canoe down a black soft water river full of fish and plant, swim with plecos, we may opt to stop by one of the rare Saltwater springs (there are plants- Potamogeton, Hydrilla and Val growing very well). We will also FW tidepool along the Suwannee river blackwaters. We will tour the Center for Aquatic Weeds at UF one afternoon or early morning, time permitting.

David Hewck will be giving us a tour of Everglades Exotic Plants nursery on July 11th (folks will also be allowed to purchase plants I believe) and we will all go to the Tampa Bay Aquarium society later for a presentation later that evening and tour the Public Aquarium in Tampa.

As always, we will make a trip to Tom's for driftwood and petrified wood. If you are coming in from JAX, best to stop there on the way in/out.

Marine plant fest is more formal and truthfully will have many folks going salt. I set it uop moere like a class that is out to gather ewxamples of the various species of macro algae and marine plants. We stay in dorm like like settings and collect during the day, speciate at night and hangout, eat, drink and tend sun burnt backs.
Day one we will take a boat out to a reef and snorkel. On the way we will stop by and see Cladphora ball formation. We wills stop along the bay and collect plants, the gaint Caulerpa, and other rarer species on the boat trip. Then we will travel to the other side of Key Largo and snorkel in the Mangrove forest. This is not to be underestimated, the life under these forest is incredible. Day 2 we can opt to rent a boat to head out to an uninhabitated island evening BBQ, and Day 3 we will island hop in the morning and spend the evening/late afternoon in Key West shopping, eating and sight seeing.

Registration is required this year and the groups are limited to 15 people for each event.
This is an inexpensive opportunity to see some awesome freshwater planted ecosystems and saltwater plants in perhaps some of the best places on earth, we do not have to go far to see plants in nature. Registrants need to be able to swim and handle warm humid weather.
Each day you will have a chance to get very wet and cool off.

ORL, Tampa and JAX are close by and cheap flights in/out are available, Busch Gardens, Disney and many other theme parks and events are close so spouse and kids can do other activities as well. Spouse and kids are welcomed and generally have as much fun as the plant zealots on the fest( it's happened in the past).

I will have announcements later as to the cost and items that will be paided for. I am likely going to rent a van with 18 people capacity and we will use that to go to the various sites. This will be dependent on what folks are wanting, it'll make things cheaper and easier to go to each site. Should other folks wish to rent their own or drive down (or have a van), they are welcomed to. Snorkel equipment is available across the street from the Motel we will be at and rates run 29.99 a night and 22$ person in the Marine version(it's right on the water). Food we all share (BBQ after the ride down the rivers) or do ourselves, fees for canoes/tubes, state parks we all pay as we go and are cheap. This is the cheapest way to do this and keeps cost down for everyone.

Regards,
Tom Barr

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