Last week our travels landed us in Northern Florida to visit family. We had not seen them since Thanksgiving of last year, so it was a much over-do visit. It was Birthday celebration time for my husband’s son.
After Moe’s Southwest Grill catered the party, we set out on a journey of tubing down the springs. The springs are quite different than the river here in the NC mountains. You can actually see straight to the bottom in the crystal clear water at the Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
The girls were over the top excited to go on their first tubing experience. Unfortunately, I had some anxiety going on. I was terrified that the girls would fall through the tube or they would float too fast from me. Ashley tried calming my fears. L rode in a boat tube so she was fine. M is the one that I had to worry about. My nephew and her decided to share a dual tube.
The fun began. We jumped off the dock and hoped we landed on the tube. Success! We are doing a great job. This will be relaxing. Wake-up to reality Jen. The springs current was not taking us in a straight direction. We were headed straight for a huge tree right in the middle of the springs. Titanic hit an iceberg, we were going to hit a tree and deflate our tube. The hubby and I are paddling fast and trying to steer. Laughing, paddling, laughing harder and paddling harder… we detoured and back on track without hitting the tree.
I have L and R (our little granddaughter) connected to our tube but somehow M and my nephew get stuck in moss. This is not good. My nephew is yelling… pedal, pedal, pedal. I said, Z… peddling is not going to get you anywhere. You better paddle. We all start laughing. Unfortunately, paddling was not helping and they were getting farther away from us. My heart starts beating fast and I decide to escape my tube and jump straight into the springs. Fish you better move out of the way. I am on a mission to save my precious M and Z.
The current is strong, so since I am swimming backwards to them, I am up against a fight with the current. There was no current going to stop me. M needed me and this mama bear needed her cub. With a one track mind, swimming hard, I made it to M. All I wanted to do was hold her and not let her go, but we needed to catch up with the rest of the family. I start swimming and pulling both M and Z behind me. We finally reach hubby. Please hold onto them and DO NOT LET GO! My next mission is jumping back into the dual tube with hubby. Once.. no go Twice.. this is not working… all hubby says… Jen you are going to turn us over. Not, let me help you honey instead. Sigh! It’s you are going to turn us over. That’s all I needed though. The adrenaline was pumping. Third try, I jumped successfully back onto the tube and all was well in the tubing world.
What a journey…. but I would do it again in a heartbeat to save my loves!
We went down two more times. M, L and Z all wanted to go down again. I think we may have a new family tradition when we head to Florida.
I would expect no less from your hubby. He is just too funny. Seriously girl your adventures are so funny, you keep me in stiches.
Hi Jen, I would have to agree with Nanette. Funny what your husband said and your adventure seemed awesome with laughs, thrills and chills. You do make me smile and laugh. I had lived in Florida for eight years and never had gone tubing, man have I missed out. Should I ever have the opportunity to do so I will , seems like so much fun!