The Cross Creek Canoe
It was nothing more than a mildewed skeletal form sitting on top of two saw horses, the salvaged remains of a boat on the banks of a Creek separating two bodies of water known as Orange Lake and Lochlossa Lake
During an exploration of this area, looking for my next inspiration of the perfect old Florida painting that I was to work on, and it was in this area that I found that charm, a place with many old stories and a history of the Creek and the lakes.
To the untrained eye it was nothing more than an old used up wood canoe, and at closer inspection, it looked like a lost cause.
I knew nothing of repairing a boat, but this boat seemed to call out to me, it somehow has given me a new excitement, I inquired at the residence, but there was no answer, but there was a phone number in which I jotted down.
That evening I made the call and made the arrangements to purchase the boat for $175.00, I was very excided, when I arrived to pick the canoe up, I got a much better look at what I was getting myself into, it had no seats, no gunnels or in Wales, no keel, the shell was mildewed, it looked like a mess. But I still wanted it, I loaded it into the back of my truck, as I traveled down the road, I looked down into the waters as I crossed the cross creek bridge and its many stories, with the Cypress trees and Spanish moss lining the banks, old boat docks and fishing cottages too, and I felt good that I was soon to restore a part of this place, with this old wood strip canoe, to keep alive the old wonders of this land in North Central Florida.
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