three converging water slides , known as the Silver River Rides . This unfortunately was one of the large wooden structures that we were prohibited from climbing up , but I was able to get a great shot of the three slides entering the splash pool at the bottom . This scene shows the essence of the park , with the large trees and Spanish moss hanging down . Truly a beautiful place to spend a hot summer afternoon .
Alligator Ambush was a newer ride built in 2008 , and consisted of a long enclosed drop into a circular “ toilet bowl ” structure that would spin you around and spill you out the bottom .
There was a surprise waiting inside the bowl – a giant ( fake ) alligator that spit water at you as you spun circles around it . When we heard about this feature from the ranger we HAD to get a closer look inside the bowl . Since the restrictions were that we were not allowed to climb up any of the rides , I had to wait until the ranger was on a very short bathroom break , and scrambled up the lower slide into the bowl to snag some quick handheld shots of the gator ! If you are from the State of Florida and are reading this ; my apologies for the very mild act of disobedience ! It simply could not be avoided in this case .
The Silver Bullet Flumes were on the far edge of the park and were the only speed flumes at the location . The flumes had two dips on their way down and were not simply a straight drop . The discarded pool noodles laying around added some nice splashes of color to the scene .
After nearly eight hours of exploring and photographing we decided to call it a day , and wrap up the shoot .
Wild Waters closed permanently in 2016 . The State cited many financial reasons for it ’ s closure , but the main reason was that they wanted to bring a more natural aspect to the park as a whole , putting less of the focus on man-made attractions , and more attention on the natural beauty within the park . This closure has caused many locals to voice their dissent , as Wild Waters was a mainstay for both the community and tourists for decades . However , with Wild Waters under the control of the state ’ s Department of Environmental protection , there is a conflict of interest because the objectives and mission of the Department is at odds with the operation of a water park .
It ’ s difficult to let go of a place that holds so many childhood memories . Generations of families have visited Wild Waters over the decades , and it ’ s very emotional to see a cherished summer getaway closed down and eventually taken away . Hopefully seeing some of these images will bring back memories for those that once frequented the long running Wild Waters .
PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE 19