I returned to the Rodman Reservoir the last week of drawdown to see if water levels had changed.

They began a drawdown of Rodman Reservoir in October – the first in six years. I drove to the dam to investigate.

I traced the Ocklawaha to its meeting point with the St. Johns River. But instead of an ending, I found a deeper connection.

I joined Captain Erika Ritter on the Anhinga Spirit to visit the places she knew before the dam. We explored forgotten springs and talked about the river’s future.

Jenny and I journeyed through the Middle Ocklawaha River, uncovering Florida’s wild beauty and the history that lingers around every bend.

It was the 4:15 a.m. alarm that finally succeeded in yanking me from the silence. I rolled out of bed and onto my feet.