All this water means there is a great variety of wildlife. I'll show and tell you some of it.
There were two spots left in the parking lot when I arrived a bit past 10:30. The parking fee for a car without a trailer is $2.12. A one boat asphalt ramp is the only spot to launch a boat on the Chass. Next to the ramp is a sand/ grass area (depending on the tide) perfect for yak launching.
I launched and checked the area just east of the ramp and dock for manatees. Chassahowitka Spring is located just off the ramp. I saw manatees here my last visit, in September. None this time. I thought of paddling over the main spring, up a short run to a series of beautiful, small, interconnected springs. But seeing the full lot, I thought that area would be crowded, so I headed downstream. A spring run enters the Chass from the north a few hundred yards from the ramp. I considered checking them out, but a line of canoes was coming out, so I stayed on the Chass. My next destination was Houseboat Spring, a third of a mile from the launch, on River left.
Houseboat Spring forms a circular cove, right on the River. I have seen manatees here on prior visits. I paddled in. This is not a classic clear spring, visibility is someone limited. Not so limited that I could not see snapper. Hundreds of snapper. But, after several minutes, no manatee. I was about to move on when one surfaced, briefly. I decided to get in the water. It took a while. There is no good place in the cove to get out of a kayak-or any craft. The entire shore has muck that sucks your leg in as soon as you step on it. I have snorkeled here before, so I knew there had to be a way. I went to one downed tree, not good. A second tree, this may work. Hung my shirt on a limb, made sure things were secure and stepped out , on to a branch below the surface- and rolled the yak over. It completely filled with water. I took out all my stuff, put it on the log, then emptied the water. Which was hard to do balancing on the underwater branch so I would not sink in the muck. Finally, I was ready to get in the water. The snapper population was amazing
The manatees were pretty cool as well. One youngster, and two adults.
One uncool thing, the nasty prop scars on both adults. That red spot may be blood. The other, unpictured adult had a vertical gash. A flap of skin along the scar reminded me of a cut in an old leather chair. The little one, has not yet encountered a boat, or so it seems from its smooth back.
Hopefully good parenting will keep it away from boats- but as with all kids, curiosity may get it in trouble. It began to follow me. I'd see it below me, move off as I felt I was to close, and there it was again. I stood on the bottom, and it rubbed against my leg. Like a kitten, I thought. Like a kitten indeed. Later, canoers came in the cove, and one said the little one was nursing. Yup, just like a cat, leg rubbing when hungry. Several canoers, kayakers, and a rowboat came in, maybe 10 in total. Not all at once, but enough for me to jokingly say, "so much for my secret manatee spot". And otter. As I carefully removed my snorkel gear and got back in the yak, and otter began to swim and dive in the spring. All those fish made it otter heaven.
I continued down the Chass, which was very low, lowest I've ever seen. Then I remembered, its a full moon, so the tide is extreme. That made birds happy, feeding on exposed mud flats along one of the many tributaries
Prior to that detour, I saw two dolphins, just before this Refuge sign.
I saw one dolphin on my first visit to the Chass, back in 2005. These are the first I have seen since that time. They zoomed past me, aggressively feeding. I tired to turn back and watch, hoping to maybe see some of the same teamwork I saw on the Homosassa on Thanksgiving (if you have not read that post, I highly recommend it), but the wind and current took me away from the action and I decided to go with the flow.
Manatees, otter and dolphins. So far so good. But Iwanted more. Bald eagles. I have seen them several times near the spot where Crawford Creek, a spring fed creek enters the Chas. I arrived at Crawford, headed up it a ways, but saw no eagles. I went back to the Chass and paddled upstream. The wind and current/tide diminished, so the paddle back wasn't bad. And, I saw a bald eagle, flying overhead. No picture, but here is a Chass avain gallery, Woodstork, yellow crowned night heron, blue heron.
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There were a lot of storks along Potter Creek, a beautiful spring fed creek entering the Chas from the north. Potter is influenced by the tide, when I passed it on the way out, there was no way I could have entered it.This is Potter Spring. The Great Blue Heron you see had company. A Great Egret, a blue heron and a couple wood ducks were in the area when I arrived.
Potter is nice. At the back of Potter, extremely clear water flows into the spring. This is Ruth Spring Run, a short, narrow, jungle like spring run of less then 200 yards. One of the most scenic I have seen. Here is Ruth Spring.
This is Ruth Springs Run.
On the way out Potter, I saw another otter. Back in the Chass, another bald eagle.
The final picture is my yak over the interconnected springs I mentioned at the top. The "Solution Holes" are blue, beautiful and fun. I have entered one hole, swan thru a short tunnel and popped out on the other side. Did not do it today, as it was getting late. Longtime readers may notice I did not visit Baird Creek, and "The Crack". The Chass has so much to offer, a November day is to short to do it all. 
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