March 29, 2012
Today we left Manatee Springs, and drove to Florida Caverns State Park. This park has the only tour able dry cave system in Florida. (The others are all underwater, like at Manatee Springs) The cave was discovered in 1936 and excavated by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps.)
This cave system had a huge variety of formations including soda straws (small tubes that are the beginning of stalactites) helictites (stalactites that form with a spiral shape), draperies (also known as “cave bacon”) and one formation that is rarely seen – a solution dome. We saw these on the roof of the cave. They are formed when the cave is still underwater and a whirlpool forms, eroding the top of the cave. Usually these are only viewed from above, when the whirlpool erodes enough limestone to break through to the surface and cause a sinkhole (like the one we saw yesterday at Manatee Springs.) Can you find evidence of past earthquakes in two of the photos?
On a side note, The mosquitoes here are Tremendous!!!
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