East Bay River

{{Infobox river

| name = East Bay River

| name_native =

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| name_other = The River Jordan, Chester River

| name_etymology = East Bay

| nickname = The Red River, East River

| image = File:Pensacola and Choctawhatchee Bays 1700 cropped.gif

| image_caption = The East Bay River (here listed as El Rio Jordan, or the River Jordan) on a 1700s Spanish map of the area

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| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = United States of America

| subdivision_type2 = State

| subdivision_name2 = Florida

| subdivision_type3 = Region

| subdivision_name3 = Santa Rosa County/Okaloosa County

| subdivision_type4 =

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| subdivision_type5 = Municipality

| subdivision_name5 = Navarre, Mary Esther, Valparaiso

| length_mi = 15

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| discharge1_avg = {{convert|40|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}

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| source1 =

| source1_location = Hurlburt Field, Mary Esther, Florida, United States of America

| source1_coordinates=

| source1_elevation = {{convert|31|ft|abbr=on}}

| mouth =

| mouth_location = East Bay, Navarre, Florida, United States of America

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| tributaries_left = Several unnamed creeks

| tributaries_right = Panther Creek, Alligator Creek, and several other unnamed creeks

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The East Bay River (also called the East River{{cite web|url=http://tlhdwf2.dep.state.fl.us/ambient/swtv/stn5.htm |title=EAST BAY RIVER AT FL 87 |publisher=Florida Department of Environmental Protection |access-date=2007-12-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051223225809/http://tlhdwf2.dep.state.fl.us/ambient/swtv/stn5.htm |archive-date=December 23, 2005 }} and historically known as The River Jordan or the Chester River{{Cite web|url=https://navarrepress.com/headlines/navarres-earliest-recorded-heritage-began-spanish-explorers-1693/|title=Navarre's earliest recorded heritage began with Spanish explorers in 1693|date=2016-07-06|website=Navarre Press|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-18}}) in Florida is a {{convert|15|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed April 15, 2011 river located in Santa Rosa{{cite web|url=http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/zoning/propcomp/3-3rivers_etal.pdf|title=Santa Rosa County Future Land Use Map Series Map 3-3 - Rivers, Bays, Lakes, Floodplains, Beaches, Shores & Estuaries Map|access-date=2007-12-07}} and Okaloosa counties. It flows from east to west, forming near Hurlburt Field, and empties into the eastern portion of East Bay (Florida) near the towns Holley and Navarre. The river forms part of the southern boundary of Eglin Air Force Base.

There is one public boat launch ramp located on the river, along State Road 87 in Holley, near the outlet into Pensacola Bay.{{cite web|url=http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/parks/eastriver.html|title=East River Boat Ramp|publisher=Santa Rosa County Citizen Service Center|access-date=2007-12-07}}

Named tributaries include Alligator Creek,{{Cite web|title=GNIS Detail - Alligator Creek|url=https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:3:::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:277791,Alligator%20Creek|access-date=2021-11-09|website=United States Geological Survey}} and Panther Creek.{{Cite web|title=GNIS Detail - Panther Creek|url=https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/board-on-geographic-names/domestic-names?p=138:3:::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:288459,Panther%2520Creek|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-09|website=United States Geological Survey|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109211656/https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/board-on-geographic-names/domestic-names?p=138:3:::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:288459,Panther%2520Creek |archive-date=2021-11-09 }}

The average discharge rate is 40 cubic feet per second.{{Citation|title=Atlas of Florida|date=1981|others=Fernald, Edward A.|publisher=Florida State University Foundation|isbn=0960670807|oclc=8000329}}

The Legend

According to a popular legend, Ponce de León discovered Florida while searching for the "Source of Eternal Youth." Although legends of waters capable of restoring youth and vitality were widespread on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean for many years before Ponce de León, the account of his search for these waters was not attributed to him until after his death. In his Historia General y Natural de las Indias of 1535, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo wrote that Ponce de León was searching for Bimini's waters in the hope of curing his sexual impotence. Then, in 1575, Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, who survived a shipwreck, found himself living for 17 years with the indigenous people of Florida (in the "JordanRiver") .

, published his memoirs, in which he placed the Fountain in Florida, and reported that Ponce de León had probably looked for it there. Although Fontaneda doubted that de León had actually travelled to Florida with the intention of seeking the Source, this account was included in Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas's Historia general de los hechos de los Castellanos (1615).

References

{{coord|30.440|N|86.863|W|region:US-FL_type:waterbody|display=title}}

Category:Rivers of Florida

Category:Bodies of water of Santa Rosa County, Florida

Category:Bodies of water of Okaloosa County, Florida

Category:Navarre, Florida