Blue Spring Snorkel

I work 12:30 to 9:00 today, Thursday, November 6, 2008, so I decided to go to Blue Springs State Park to hopefully see manatees.

I did. No paddling, at least no kayak paddling.

I thought Blue Spring would be a good test for the new underwater housing that arrived Tuesday.

Of course you read about my visit to Blue Springs on Tuesday, October 28. If not, I'll wait for you to read it and come back.

In that Tale, I mentioned a cool front. Two days later, on October 30, 73 manatees were in Blue Springs Run, according to the Park website. Temperatures have gone back up from overnight lows in the forties to the high fifties. low sixties. I did not expect that many manatees today, but hoped to see some.

Few people were at the Park, a small group of scuba divers gearing up. I walked the boardwalk to the diver entrance, looking and listening for manatees. I did not see or hear any. Until I was about to enter the water and heard one surface. I began to snorkel up the Run, and soon saw two manatees resting on the bottom.

A nasty sail fin catfish rests on one of the sea elephants. I swam to the source of the Spring, without seeing any more manatees. Then back down, past the still resting pair, this time without

the catfish.

The Run is full of little brown floating particles. The dots in the photos.

I swam past gar and tilapia.

Would I see more manatees ? (I guess I've ruined the anticipation, dear reader, as you have already seen the pictures). The big one in the second photo swam by.

Then a couple multiple manatee groups.

About 15 manatees all told. The most I have ever shared Blue Springs Run with.

I rested on the steps of the swim dock, then snorkeled back upstream. There were several mothers and calves. Here are two views of one protective mother.

The scuba divers I saw on the way in were now in the water. One was scraping the bottom with a net. Fossil hunting ? Manatees swam near the other two divers, who did not seem to be paying any attention to the seacows. I gave all a wide berth, and swam past where I got in, to the Spring. Downstream again, with the fishes.

I came back to the swim dock, with the intent of swimming to the rope that marks the end of the swim area, then again going upstream to where I got in. Until I heard a "Hey you" and a park ranger told me I had to get out due to the manatees in the Run. It had been fun while it lasted. On November 15, the Run will be off limits to all swimming and boating to protect the wintering manatees. I got out, walked to get my stuff, then came back to the swim dock. I discovered the scuba divers were looking for a type of algae, something python, (I was thinking monty) in the water. "Even researchers have to get out when manatees are around" "That's right"

I trod the boardwalk to the former canoe kayak launch, still closed due to high water. But the clear water of the Run is pushing further out. Here is a manatee from the boardwalk.

The moss draped oak in the photo had been surrounded by a mass of vegetation clinging to the branches in the water since TS Fay. I wonder if it all just floated out into the St Johns, or did the manatees eat it ?

I'll close with a great blue heron.

It's great to have full underwater capability again. I am thinking of going to the Rainbow River Saturday, always great underwater views. Sunday, I may stop at Blue Spring in the morning, then go to Haulover Canal. The Blue Angels are at Kennedy Space Center. Next Wednesday, November 12, Crystal River for some more manatee, hopefully, shots. Stay tuned.