Subj: [ParanormalFlorida] Yesterday's Investigation Report   Date: 2/26/2005 12:44:18 PM Eastern Standard Time  From: AngelOfThyNight@aol.com   To: ParanormalBuffalo@yahoogroups.com,  paranormalghostsociety@yahoogroups.com,  Paranormalflorida@yahoogroups.com,  ParanormalGhostSociety@groups.msn.com   I first off want to apologize for the lack of sends yesterday I was out most of the evening hiking and investigating so by the time I came home I crashed as soon as I hit my bed. But last night Aaron and I visited the Stark Plantation or at least we were in search of it so we had a nice little exciting adventure deep in the Florida woods. I worked really hard last night to bring you this story it required alot of preplanning and preparation.  We have talked about this place for a couple months even at our meetings which quote very few refuse to show too. But anyhow Aaron and I grabbed some food for our trip then we headed out about 4pm to the forest. Stark Plantation Finding this place really is like a needle in the haystack and although last night we did not find it we did find signs of its existence. But anyhow last night was like a quest as if we were in the movie Lord Of The Rings. I knew this would be an adventure for us and rather then it being just a cemetery this place we visited last night was something to test our skills and strength. Anyways we drove down this dirt road in the woods an area I experienced a bigfoot encounter at and eventually we reached the St. Johns River Docks. There was a few fishermen on boats out there but the area is super secluded. We parked down a secret dirt road got the back pack then headed off. Eventually we reached a private road with a metal gate which Aaron and I went around. We went up this long dirt road it looked like it twisted and turned forever the woods were so thick.  We came up upon a house it looked more like a cabin but this obviously was to new to be a plantation I mean it had a satellite dish and everything. My first thought was oh no maybe the house was torn down only to have a new one in its place.  We stayed in the woods because a car was parked there and I took Aaron on a very unfriendly trail. I looked over and thought I seen a house then when I looked up it was gone. Was this a ghostly object or manifestation I do not know but I know I seen a roof and windows. I seen something and that I can tell you. We walked closer the ghostly house was gone I was shocked maybe the trees the way they lean caused this mirage who knows. But eventually we were hiking on a peninsula surrounded by waters and when I looked in the one channel I believe I saw a few manatees just swimming along peacefully.  Eventually we reached then end of the peninsula and I took Aaron on a different path which was so overgrown that we kept straying in the palmettos and thorn bushes. At that time both my legs had alot of blood on them as I had many different abrasions climbing, crawling and pushing my way through the brush to get us on a trail.  When we went off the trail I found two giant prints in the woods they looked perhaps like an adolescent Sasquatch print about 13 inches a little wide and it had more of a foot mark then a shoe. I was pretty excited over this do not know if the photos will show it or not but will see. At times I found the trail and eventually we came across a very round pond in the woods. We tried to get in closer but it was hard so we went around and found we could not get on the opposite bank. So I had us walk across this giant tree that was very high up and had fallen over this other pond we found. If we did not take it we would have found ourselves perhaps hiking quite a ways through more thorns to get to the other side. So we climbed a few tree limbs and eventually were standing on this log over a very black murky pond.  We took some photos I mean this was the highlight of the adventure having to balance ourselves over this giant tree to get to the other side.  I got across real quick I didn't even think twice about crossing. Then Aaron was ready to cross and I told him to watch for that gator below hahaha he started to cross and almost fell in. The log seemed to buckle a little bit as I was watching not to a point of breaking but it was moving up and down. Aaron did make it across but then I thought what if he did fall in he would have been covered in leeches and who knows what else was in that water. We eventually came up to an open area there was this cage or animal trap Aaron climbed on in it that was our fun stop. We talked were cracking some jokes and were relieved to have came out on a dirt road.  We heard movement in the woods then all of sudden an armadillo came out of the woods looked at us stunned and took of running. They are such awesome creatures to see.  Then we came across a clearing to our left and the road leading towards the right. We took the clearing which went up hill. When we got to the top of the hill there was endless woods and the tops of trees. I believe we were looking at Ocala Forest if that was the case then its no wonder they looked endless. Aaron was worried about being lost but I took him into this area where all the trees were cut down and it looked as if they were installing a road back in here and just clearing out various sections in the woods. Eventually we ended up in the state park and hell we did not even have to pay to get in haha. There was a bike path and I took a service road in the park which led us to two rangers houses at the dead end. We turned around and eventually ended up in the camping area. Oh them burgers and hot dogs smelled good and all these campers were just looking at us all cut up passing through. I think we scared a few of them wearing my big hat and hunting knife on my side. We found our way out of the state park was stared at by a trooper and that was it I was hungry so I took my chicken out of my bag and ate fried chicken while walking down this dirt road.  We were pretty productive in time as we hiked down the road. Eventually we seen about four deer in the middle of the road. They seen us and did not run off we got pretty close. But they were not showing up on camera and by the time I got the right setting and zoom they went off into the woods where we watched them for a little bit. Eventually we reached another gated dirt road. It was getting darker out as it was the skies were overcast so not even a sunset to brighten the dark road. The road split up to the left or right we took the left path first where this old fence use to apparently stand along this road. Eventually when we reached the dead end the land become marsh like. We noticed a pipe in the ground and a bunch of rocks piled up at first we thought it was an Indian burial ground. We eventually sat down and it was almost night out. We heard an owl and I seen it looking at us up in a tree nearby. The area felt very uneasy like something was watching us and I could feel that same feeling I got when I was out near these woods months ago. We hiked down the road then took a left down the road which was still surrounded by woods till we came out into this giant clearing. It was apparent some kind of work was being done back here maybe they are going to turn these woods into a state park eventually or campground. But for now there was clearings every few hundred feet till we came on a part with a narrow trail and alot of woods.  We went further I wanted to see where this would lead and it was getting rough I mean you talk about dark we could not see nothing in them woods. Eventually the road twisted and turned big enough for an ATV to pass through but it was narrow and overgrown. But we reached a dead end and had to turn back. We took the long mile or two road back it was rough I had my knife out most of the time because I felt as if something was out in the woods and in Florida there are some real nut jobs who just live in the woods burying anybody who ventures in them so we had our guard up. We came back out on the dirt road and hiked down it for awhile till we finally got back to the car. It was fairly an easy going quiet walk and the sand on the road was removed so it was an easy walk. On the road I made gorilla sounds and Aaron went oh my god grabbed onto me about to hit me over the head haha. I was testing him to see how nerve wrecked he was from our little dark hike but it was a good test for him and for me to see how he would react.  We got back to the car and at the docks many rednecks were partying so we took on off and I parked at another service road or rather this was no road just a path with hundreds of trees down.  The area was not very woodsy but the spotlight was getting dim so we could not see much. I think I sprained both of my ankles not being able to see all the fallen trees I was tripping all over the place. The path even disappeared on us a few times because of all the trees down. So yes somebody is widening or making a road through here maybe they are going to put houses back in these woods eventually. We eventually found a dirt road and as we walked it become hilly and more narrow each step we took. It lead into some pretty thick woods so we called it a night because our lights were running very low. We headed on back it was quiet but oddly there was some cold spots or perhaps I could feel something ghostly with us here. We did come out to the main road but in a different area a few hundred feet from where I parked the car. We eventually sat in the car and I got out to take some photos. I actually seen some ectoplasm in the flash and it was obvious that what started off in search of a plantation transition to bigfoot chasing to ghost busting lol. So yeah it was quite an odd night but there was alot of cold spot activity near the car. Then all them rednecks passed us in there trucks all following each other. We then concluded the investigation. But all in all I was sad we did not find this hidden plantation in the woods. All we can do is go back at a later time maybe even tonight and hike some more. But this place is very secluded and hidden so its not going to be easy.  We covered miles of hiking last night and believe me the Florida woods are very unfriendly these are not nice trails many of them are thorn covered and have trees with razor sharp branches which can slice you open easily.  But we did find a few strange tracks in the woods, got some cold spot activity and did alot of exploring with various finds. I do believe that there is alot of mystery to this area and we will find the secret plantation eventually assuming it has not been removed or built on top of by another house within the area. Now all we can do is prepare for tonight's adventures and hope to come back here soon in search of Central Florida's most hidden plantation. peace Rick