Back to Nature 2009
The two events I attended at the October SWCC Back to Nature weekend were great fun. Starting with the River Safari Saturday morning we bundled up and hopped on the boat at 9am. The air was brisk and the bay was rough but it gave us a look at the Choctwahatchee from a perspective other than simply looking over the edge from our car window as we drive over the 331 bridge. There were magical things to see and the river guide talked about the flora and fauna as well as the good fishing. The highlight of the tour for me was being underneath a huge Osprey nest that sits on the top of a very tall tree on the edge of the riverbank. The angle was unusual. How something that size can stay sturdily balanced there is remarkable.
Sunday I toured the Coffeen Nature Preserve at the Four Mile Village community founded in 1946 by John and Dorothy Coffeen. Our tour guides, and the current managers of the property, told us how after the Coffeen's had purchased the property in the early 1940's. Shortly after that, the U. S. Military (Army Air Force) "requested" use of the land for an important military mission during 1944-45 to test the JB-2 missiles (the American version of German V-1). When the Coffeens finally were able to settle on the land in 1946, the military mess hall became the Coffeen home and the Preserve managers still live there today. Although Mother Nature is slowly covering evidence of the military mission, I saw one of the four bunkers and walked two of the missile ramps. It was an interesting tour that ended with a wonderful reading of an essay written by Dorothy Coffeen explaining her love of the land and her keen desire in keeping the property preserved.
Sunday I toured the Coffeen Nature Preserve at the Four Mile Village community founded in 1946 by John and Dorothy Coffeen. Our tour guides, and the current managers of the property, told us how after the Coffeen's had purchased the property in the early 1940's. Shortly after that, the U. S. Military (Army Air Force) "requested" use of the land for an important military mission during 1944-45 to test the JB-2 missiles (the American version of German V-1). When the Coffeens finally were able to settle on the land in 1946, the military mess hall became the Coffeen home and the Preserve managers still live there today. Although Mother Nature is slowly covering evidence of the military mission, I saw one of the four bunkers and walked two of the missile ramps. It was an interesting tour that ended with a wonderful reading of an essay written by Dorothy Coffeen explaining her love of the land and her keen desire in keeping the property preserved.
Comments
Post a Comment