Manatees, Manatees, and More Manatees: Blue Spring State Park

It was a windy afternoon when we arrived at Blue Spring State Park and checked into the campground. Once settled we decided to explore the park, walk a few trails, and find the canoe launch. So, off we went towards the spring which is a short walk from the campground.

Blue Spring - afternoon
Look for the manatee below the surface

Blue Spring is a first magnitude spring bubbling more than 104 million gallons a day from the Florida Aquifer into the St. Johns River. With a consistent water temperature of 72 degrees the spring becomes a wonderful swimming hole – refreshing in the summer and invigorating in the winter. However, you can rarely swim in the winter as the spring is inundated with manatee! Approximately 200 manatee call Blue Spring home in the winter where they can stay warm, darn snow birds.

Blue Spring and Manatee
early morning, a chilly one at that!

Speaking of snow birds, there is a constant flow of visitors along the boardwalk to view the manatee and most are winter residents from the snowy lands. The boardwalk fronts the entire length of the spring run from the head spring to the St.Johns River.

A quiet moment on the boardwalk which
carries hundreds of visitors each day through
the marshy area to the head springs

Far up the spring the area is crystal clear and a deep blue with tinges of green from algae and vegetation. Now as the water leaves the spring there is little oxygen and nothing for fish to eat.  But with the bubbling spring the oxygen enters allowing algae and other vegetation to grow.  The manatee help to clean the algae and vegetation during their winter visits, guess you could call it their traveling vacation or their trip to the cafeteria.

Clear bottom of the run to the St. Johns River
Manatee near the surface

There are many other residents of the spring area: the Florida scrub jay, gopher tortoise, black bear, the rare Okeechobee gourd, along with other plants and animals. The area has a long history of human habitation as evidenced by journals and the Thursby house built by Louis Thursby in 1872.

Louis Thursby House
built 1872 and home to
his wife and 12 children

The park literature reports 44 variety of fish in the run where viewed huge native fish. I guess the fish know fishing is not allowed in the run and they are safe here.

St. Johns River
looking back to Blue Spring run

 Wonder how many venture into the St. Johns River where fishing is legal? And, how many return to the safety of the spring?  Well, at 73 degrees in the run and appreciably colder water in the river, I know where I would be... in the run with the beautiful clear water.
  

Timucan Nature Trail

But let me not forget the park has a short nature trail, the Timucan Trail, cabins, a beautiful campground with many interlocking trails, and a 4.5 mile backwoods Pine Island Trail.

Pine Island Trail
into the backwoods
where you will find ample animal tracks
and few human tracks!

As with most of the Florida State Parks, this is a park with something for everyone.