3rd annual Plant Fest July 8-14th, 2005 Florida

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
Sal****er 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 sal****er 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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