From Keaton Beach we continued south to Manatee Springs State Park for a few days.
The springs in the park provide a haven for wintering manatees.
The turquoise colored springs are what is called a First Magnitude Spring meaning that they produce an average of 100 gallons of clear water daily.
The water is at a constant 72 degrees.
The spring water flows about a quarter mile to join the tannin-stained waters of the Suwannee River en route to the Gulf of Mexico.
The decaying vegetation and leaves changes the color from that pretty aquamarine to the brown color. The waterway at the top of the picture is the Suwannee River.
No matter what the color the water is sparkling clear. You can see right down to the bottom in any of the shallow water.
This photo was taken into the water. Amazing reflection of the blue blue sky in the clear water.
The waters are filled with plant life. Manatees are vegetarians so they feed on these aquatic plants.
Trees near the springs are mainly cypress but there are also sweetgum, maple and ash. There is evidence of spring already.
The waters are filled with fish and turtles.
Certified and qualified cave divers are able to explore several miles of underground caverns which feed into the spring. Rules state that they must keep 50 feet between themselves and the manatees.
Swimming is allowed and the rules about not harassing the manatees are clear. They are not to be touched and care is needed to make sure that a mother and her calves are not separated. Unfortunately the rules are not always adhered to. That brown shape in the middle of the picture is a manatee and this group was madly paddling trying to touch her. She was pretty smart and quickly managed to evade them.
Manatees seem docile and cannot tolerate cold. That is why they come into the springs to winter. They are sometimes called sea cows and I think that is due to their grazing for greens.
Manatees are huge. They can weigh over 1000 lbs and can be 12 feet long. Manatees spend approximately 50% of the day sleeping submerged, surfacing for air regularly at intervals of less than 20 minutes. The remainder of the time is mostly spent grazing in shallow waters at depths of 3 to 6 feet.
You can rent a kayak and paddle the waters. The manatees are curious and will follow the kayakers.
Quiet and peaceful way to spend several days.
Late afternoon was my favorite time at the springs.
There are trails in the woods for hiking.
Lots of epiphytes in these woods.
An epiphyte is a plant that grows on another plant or tree and uses it mostly for support. An epiphyte gets its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and debris from the supporting plant.
Seems like a mushroom should be an epiphyte but it is not. They are not plants but fungi which have no green tissues.
There are sinkholes here. There are hundreds of sinkholes in Florida but the one I always think of is the one that swallowed the Corvettes.
Always so fun to see other RV's in the parks we are staying in. Can't help smiling at a smiley face and a turtle.
While staying in Manatee Springs we took a day trip to Cedar Key.
First sighting of a banana plant in Florida.
The naturalist, John Muir walked 1,000 miles from Louisville, KY to Cedar Key in just two months in 1867. Muir contracted malaria while working in a sawmill in Cedar Key, and recovered in the house of the mill's superintendent. Muir recovered enough to sail from Cedar Key to Cuba in January 1868.
While out on the town pier I watched a fisherman bring in a sting ray. Two local gentlemen saw my reaction to the sting ray and regaled me with stories of the men they knew that had been killed by a sting ray or that had lost a foot due to a ray sting. Suffice it to say...............I am going to be very careful while in the ocean. They also told me that some dishonest restaurant owners remove the barb and sell the ray meat as scallops. You never know what you will learn if you are willing to listen. Do we believe everything we hear???
You can believe what you taste. Tony's claims to have the BEST clam chowder. They have something to base that on besides our taste buds.
"On Saturday June 6, 2009 Tony’s Cedar Key Clam Chowder won the 28th Annual Great Chowder Cook-off and claimed the title, Clam Chowder World Champion.
Back for another title hunt in New England, Tony’s took to the field again on June 5, 2010 and for the second consecutive year won the 29th Annual Great Chowder Cook-off claiming another Clam Chowder World Championship.
At stake on June 4, 2011 was a third title and a chance for the recipe to be retired into the Cook-Off Hall of Fame. Not even a Grand Champion Chowder from New Jersey could deny Tony’s from a third world championship. For the third year in a row Tony’s Cedar Key Clam Chowder captured the title and did so with impressive style in another landslide victory.
With Tony’s third title in three years and the recipe retired into the Great Chowder Cook-off Hall of Fame, the future is still bright for what many fans call the “King of Chowder”."
You can order it online too. Just add heavy cream and half and half. No wonder it is SO good. If you are ever in Cedar Key don't miss Tony's.
We have really enjoyed staying in Florida State Parks. They each have something that is special. Manatees are definitely special.