Gum Slough and Homosassa Wildlife State Park.

 Launch on the Withlacochee River

Black bellied whistling ducks.

Sharper pictures as the sun rose above the tree line.

 There be dragons

Indian Mound at Potts Preserve.  I have camped next to it.  Checked if it was available this weekend(11-20-16)  No.  Hunting means no camping.

 Gum Slough enters the Withlacoochee across from the mound.

Time to snorkel

Alligator Spring. One of the sources of Gum Slough

I snorkeled into the spring where a couple houses are.  The only ones other than the one about mid Slough

383 more uw to add

 Back on the Withlacochee .  Where an airboat shattered the serenity.

 Imagine the noise reverberating off the canopy in Gum Slough.

Alligator

 If I had the money... it would be nice to buy the land at Turners Fish Camp

I landed, and drove to Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park. A search of the Yak Tales archives reveals I had only visited the land side, once before. In November, 2011.  Then, I took the tram from the parking area to the Park.  This time, a scenic cruise on Pepper Creek.

 Fun at the dock

Off the boat and into the main part of the Park.  You don't pay until after the boat ride.

 Nature's Fishbowl over, and under, Homosassa Spring

Inside the Fish Bowl

The note is about the old, sometimes dirty, windows.

 Snapper

 Snook

 Sheepshead

Sanat, I mean, manatee

Homosassa River

 Lulu

A hippo.  A citizen of Florida.  So designted to allow her to remain after all the other non-Florida animals were removed when the State began to run the Park.

The boats back to the parking area stop before closing time.  There also is a tram.  I walked.

260 mtc