Swimming with the Manatees

 

Or not:

And I wasn’t going to harass them either. How do you harass a manatee anyway? It’s not like I was going to call them rude names or make manatee tacos. I planned on just giving them a little scratch behind the ears. Oh well…

Which brings us to Blue Spring State Park, home of the aforementioned manatees, and our campground for two nights, Saturday and Sunday:

Blue Spring State Park covers more than 2,600 acres, including the largest spring on the St. Johns River. Blue Spring is a designated Manatee Refuge and the winter home to a growing population of West Indian Manatees. The spring and spring run are closed during Manatee season, mid-November through March. 

For centuries, the spring area was home to Native Americans. In 1766 it was visited by Colonial American botanist John Bartram, but it was not until 1856 that it was settled by Louis Thursby and his family. The Thursby house, built in 1872, remains standing. The spring´s crystal clear, 73 degree water can be enjoyed by swimmers, snorkelers, and certified scuba divers with a partner. The river is popular for fishing, canoeing, and boating. Just not swimming with the manatees.

A short walk from our campsite is a trail that leads to a boardwalk that ends up at Blue Spring:

We spotted a momma manatee with a young one, but it was hard to get photos because you are not allowed to stray from the boardwalk. Probably to discourage jumping in for a dip. This is the best I could do:

That is the baby (about 4 feet long), and those white marks on it’s back are from prop slashes made by a boat, which is one of the major causes of injury and death for manatees. These harmless vegetarians frequent popular watersport areas and I noticed many boaters not obeying the signs:

Blue Spring empties into St. John’s River, which is where we went canoeing on Sunday. The colors were vibrant:

I tried to get photos of some of the birds we saw but it was hard to do from a rocking canoe:

That white speck in the middle turned into this when I zoomed in:

 

We left Monday morning and stopped at Sebastian Inlet State Park for photos. The last one shows a small herd of fisherman on the water:

The premier saltwater fishing spot on Florida's east coast, this park is a favorite for anglers nationwide for catching snook, redfish, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel from its jetties. Surfing is also a popular recreation and several major competitions are held here every year. Two museums provide a history of the area. The McLarty Treasure Museum features the history of the 1715 Spanish treasure fleet; the Sebastian Fishing Museum tells the history of the area's fishing industry.

Three miles of beautiful beaches provide opportunities for swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, shelling, and sunbathing. Canoeing and kayaking in the Indian River Lagoon are also favorite pastimes. Visitors can relax with a stroll down the mile-long Hammock Trail. Waterfront pavilions and picnic areas are great for family outings. Full-facility campsites and a boat ramp are available. Located on State Road A1A 15 miles south of Melbourne Beach.

 

Our destination for Monday is Jonathan Dickinson State Park where we are camping for three nights. Be aware that the Pine Grove campground, sites 1-90, (third photo below) was wiped out by a hurricane in 2006. It was rebuilt but offers no shade.

Located just south of Stuart, this park teems with wildlife in 13 natural communities, including sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, mangroves, and river swamps. The Loxahatchee River, Florida's first federally designated Wild and Scenic River, runs through the park. Ranger-guided tours of the 1930s pioneer homestead of Trapper Nelson are available year-round. Visitors can enjoy paved and off-road biking, equestrian, and hiking trails.

Boating, canoeing, and kayaking along the river are also great ways to see the park. Anglers can fish along the riverbank or from a boat. The nature and history of the park comes to life through exhibits and displays in the Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education and Research Center. Programs for the kids, or for the whole family, are also offered here. The park also offers two full-facility campgrounds and a youth/group primitive campground, for some reason located next to the alligator viewing area. Visitors can arrange boat tours of the river and rent canoes, kayaks, and motorboats.

Tuesday morning we were feeling gung ho and decided to scale the tallest mountain in South Florida. All 86 feet of it:

This is the view from the top :

I decided to enhance it a bit because, well, it needed it.

Wednesday we went canoeing on the Loxahatchee River. Still looking for our first alligator sighting. The chances look good:

We met some kayakers Tuesday night and agreed to meet at the boat launch the next morning. Off we go:

This looks like gator ground:

And thar she blows!

We also came across Ospreys, Blue Heron, and even a turtle:

There were also hundreds of jumping fish. The river had a prehistoric feel to it, very ancient and primeval. A screeching Blue Heron sounds a lot like one of those flying dinosaurs.

I also learned that not only can you not feed or entice alligators, you can’t even molest them. What fun is that?

Regards,

Greg

Rain Rain Go Away

 

The skies opened up on Tuesday night. It rained hard until midday Wednesday. I need an RV. I hate wet tents. This is what it looked like as we were leaving Anastasia:

 

I had to carry my umbrella at our first stop, Faver-Dykes State Park. Here are some photos:

Noted for its pristine condition, this tranquil park borders Pellicer Creek as it winds along Florida's east coast highways down to the Matanzas River. Pellicer Creek is a popular site for birding with more than one hundred bird species seen during spring and fall migrations. Songbirds, including the colorful wood warblers, along with eagles and falcons, return to nest at the park each year. Wading birds, such as egrets, wood storks, white ibis, and herons, feed in the tidal marshes and creeks.

This peaceful park is also home to deer, turkeys, hawks, bobcats, and river otters. Fishing, picnicking, and nature walks are popular activities. Pellicer Creek is a designated state canoe trail and visitors can rent canoes at the park. A full-facility campground is available for overnight stays. Located 15 miles south of St. Augustine near the intersection of I-95 and U.S. 1.

 

Our next stop was Gamble Rogers State Park, more or less a parking lot next to the beach, but very popular with the RV crowd. The skies are starting to clear:

Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, this windswept park is named for Florida folk singer Gamble Rogers. The beach is the most popular feature at this park, where visitors enjoy swimming, sunbathing, beachcombing or fishing. The daily low tide is an ideal time to observe shore birds feeding in tidal pools; summer months bring sea turtles that lay their eggs in the golden-brown coquina sand.

On the Intracoastal Waterway side of the park, picnic pavilions provide a shady place to enjoy a meal. A nature trail winds through a shady coastal forest of scrub oaks and saw palmetto. Boaters and canoeists can launch from a boat ramp on the Intracoastal Waterway. The park's full-facility campground is situated on the dune above the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.  A short walk along a boardwalk takes you to the beach.  Located in Flagler Beach off Highway A1A.

 

We stopped next at Tomoka State Park near Daytona Beach:

Native Americans once dwelled here, living off fish-filled lagoons. Today, these waters are popular for canoeing, boating, and fishing. The park protects a variety of wildlife habitats and endangered species, such as the West Indian manatee. Tomoka is a bird-watcher's paradise, with over 160 species sighted, especially during the spring and fall migrations.

Visitors can stroll a one-half mile nature trail through a hardwood hammock that was once an indigo field for an 18th century British landowner. A boat ramp gives boaters and canoeists access to the river. The Park Store offers snacks, camping supplies, and canoe rentals. For overnight stays, the park has full-facility campsites and youth camping. Located three miles north of Ormond Beach on North Beach Street.

I would love to spend a week here exploring the area in my canoe.

 

Luckily we  found a campsite at Lake Louisa State Park for Wednesday through Friday nights. It is located in the center of the state only 20 miles from Disney World. Glenn left for Ocala to visit friends for Thanksgiving, so I was left to fend for myself. The first photo below was taken Wednesday afternoon as we arrived at the the campground. The rest were taken on Thursday. You can see how the weather cleared up:

Lake Louisa offers some of the most beautiful vistas in Central Florida and is becoming a showcase for upland habitat restoration and recreational facilities. It’s 4500 acres protects six lakes, two streams, and 105 acres of lake shoreline.

Voted one of America’s Top 100 Family Campgrounds by ReserveAmerica, Lake Louisa’s full-facility campground is nestled between Dixie and Hammond lakes, both of which offer fishing piers. Anglers can also fish from boats at four of the park’s six lakes. There are 23 miles of trails for hikers and bikers.

Below are some very enthusiastic campers giving me thumbs up on Thanksgiving. Later on, my neighbors brought me over a complete Thanksgiving dinner. Campers are cool.

I sometimes like to chew on a twig while writing my blog. Imagine my surprise when the one I picked up turned out to be alive. And kind of chewy!

If you look closely you can see the baby stick bug on the mom’s back.

Don’t forget to bring a bathing suit to enjoy the warm lake waters. Just ignore the signs posted:

 

Saturday morning will find us heading to Blue Springs State Park for two nights and possible manatee sightings. I’ll see if I can get some photos. It’s supposed to be mating season.

Regards,

Greg