Manatee Springs (Florida)

[dangermouse01]

From June 28 to July 01, myself and my girl spent a few days camping at Manatee Springs State Park, located in Chiefland Florida.
http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/default.cfm
Did a little paddling from there and some walking around there. Thought it was very cool while in the park and driving to the camping area to see a deer off to the side of the road, that was until we woke up the next morning and saw a small herd of about 7 less than 15 feet from our tent. There were deer continually walking thru the camping area. Not getting into your stuff, just being deer. Very cool.
The actual spring feeds into the Suwannee River.
Heres a few sunset photos taken from the boat dock out on the Suwannee river.
There was a storm that rolled thru earlier in the day, and acting like another one wanted to.

During the spring and summer months the Gulf Sturgeon migrate up the river to mate or spawn or something. The small print on the sign says they can grow to 8 feet and weigh 200 Lbs.

http://cars.er.usgs.gov/Marine_Studies/Sturgeon_FAQs/sturgeon_faqs.html
From the dock you could see them jump every once in awhile, more often I would just hear the very loud KERPLOOOSH!! of them landing back in the water and turn towards the sound and just see the large splash. Sounded like somebody chucking large rock or bowling balls into the water.
On Friday we put in at the canoe launch down at the spring. Couldnt paddle into the actual spring area so we

paddled with the current towards the Suwannee river.

Heres the Suwannee River where the spring runs joins.

Any houses where on the West side of the river, the East side was all protected property in this area. Nice little over hang of trees to paddle under. We were paddling on Friday morning and afternoon so there was not that much boat traffic on the river.

We paddled North aways and then turned around and paddled past the spring run South aways, then returned, About 6 miles altogether.
Only gator we saw. Did see lots of birds, limpkins, herons (great blues, little greens, nights) egrets, red shouldered hawks and a few osprey. And the jumping sturgeons.

Heres a few pictures of the actual spring head. Nice cold water (72 degrees all year) to jump in after a hot summer's day of paddling.

DM

 

[a Bald Cypress]

tr

Very nice.

Perhaps a bit more about the campground?. Could be usefull for anone else thinking about going there.


thanks

 

[Kayak Jack]

Looks like a nice trip, Mouse. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[hairymick]

Stunning picces mate,

Thank you for sharing. sounds like a great part of the world. I can't believe just how clear the water is. beautiful.

 

[catfish]

Hey mouse good looking pics & story. Believe I would like to give that place a try. BTW that fish is some good eating. DOn,t know if it is like around here now cant catch them now , Are on endagered list.

 

[Anonymous]

Great on the water shots!

 

[FlaMike]

dangermouse01,

Far too many years ago, my sister and her husband owned and ran a small dive shop right outside the park entrance. They also ran the little concession stand next to the spring.

I made many a dive into the spring, and in "Catfish Hotel," that sink about 50 yards from the main spring. Those two are connected by an underwater tunnel. I've been down to both entrances of that tunnel, but never made the trip through.

The view down below is simply beautiful.

I'll be taking my Pirogue up there, once it is done. As I recall, the lower the water table, the faster the flow from the spring. Did you have any trouble paddling back up to the dock, from the Suwanee?

I spent many a night on the Suwanee River, right around that same area, gigging frogs. Learned one valuable lesson, when you light one up, make sure the glowing eyes you see are not more than a couple of inches apart! Otherwise, you might be about to really tick-off a gator with your frog gig. . .

One thing I liked about the Suwanee River itself, is that any time you saw a little creek flowing into it, most of the time you could paddle up that creek and find another small spring than few ever get to see. Some were holes that vanished into the darkness, many just water bubbling up through the sand in a shallow basin.

Made my first night dive just off that River, in Fanning Springs. With a full moon and that clear water, a dive light really wasn't needed. Interesting to see the bottom of the spring under moonlight, with the only other light being the glow of the light sticks tied on each of the tank valve.

Anyway, thanks for this post, it makes me want to get done with the build that much faster and move the Manatee Springs trip way up on my list of places to go.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

 

[oldsparkey]

Looking at the picture it makes me smile thinking about when the Indians lived in the area , they probably camped right at the spring and had one good time.
Fresh water for drinking , bathing , fish and wildlife for there meals and the natural veggies that grow in the woods and water , ( they did have gardens) a hard but nice life living in harmony with nature.

Chuck.

 

[catfish]

Amen to that Chuck I believe I could have lived back then too. The simple laid back life. I have to say you geezers in fla have some mighty pretty spring waters & rivers very nice. I hope to explore some of them in the futer .

I wish we had something like that up this way. The only thing we really have is the okee.

 

[dangermouse01]

Looking at the picture it makes me smile thinking about when the Indians lived in the area , they probably camped right at the spring and had one good time.

Chuck, that is exactly what my girl said while we were paddling along the banks of the Suwannee from there. Looking at the undeveloped land you could "see" the Indians living along the shore in times past.


Catfish, the sturgeon are a protected species and cannot be kept if caught (in Florida). We did come across a very recently dead one on the water and got to get a good look at it. Very prehistoric looking. Armour plating and all, it was about 4 foot and not hard to imagine a boater getting hurt when getting hit by a jumping one.

DM