Florida’s reefs were never kind to early sailing ships. Wreckages literally line Florida’s east coast, especially southeast Florida because the Gulf Stream lies closer to land than in any other part of North America.

The thrill of seeing a sea turtle or dolphin break a placid surface, a diving osprey or pelican, the rare breach of a whale or manta ray or school of flying fish. It might be breathtaking sunrises and sunsets that cast lavender colors across water and sand, bathing all in its path. Perhaps it is the feel of warm sand on feet and body and the steady, soothing mantra of breaking waves. It might be the thrill of hooking a tarpon or other fighting fish or gathering scallops across the sea floor that hearkens back to a hunter-gatherer era.

Florida politicians love to brag about how much money they have spent “restoring and protecting” Florida’s springs, but we haven't seen actual results to back that up.

The Chipola is one of those rivers that has a bit of everything—springs, bluffs, caves and mystery

The 1st District Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the Florida Springs Council has a right to challenge the Seven Springs/Nestle bottling permit.

When Florida’s coast dips into the remote Ten Thousand Islands, the white sandy beaches end and a maze of undeveloped islands and tidal creeks begin. It is a world unto its own.

People who live along or frequently visit a river often develop a personal relationship that is familial. But instead of thinking of the river as a child growing up or as an elder eventually passing from this earthly existence, the river spans innumerable generations.

The 75-mile Santa Fe River originates in Lake Santa Fe near Keystone Heights and flows north of Gainesville before doing what several other Florida rivers do—swirl underground.

We’ve all heard the saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” When it comes to creating a Better Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) for the Santa Fe River, that’s exactly what the Florida Springs Council did.

Excerpt from Florida’s Rivers: A Celebration of Over 40 of the Sunshine State’s Dynamic Waterways by Doug Alderson

Excerpt from Florida’s Rivers: A Celebration of Over 40 of the Sunshine State’s Dynamic Waterways by Doug Alderson, published by Pineapple Press in 2021