Rainbow Springs, the source of the Rainbow River

This week we take a break from the Fall season already in progress to hit the open road and visit that great adventure land to the south, Florida. The occasion is our annual family vacation, this year taken during a weeklong October school break and spent wandering the back roads and wild areas of the sunshine state.

Most of our trip was spent along the “nature coast”, the area comprising the West Coast of the state from Tampa north to the panhandle. Unlike the rest of Florida, this is one of the relatively undeveloped areas left in the otherwise strip-mall covered and planned-community-intensive state. In fact, tourists unwilling to walk more than 15 feet from their car are likely to be disappointed.

The Nature Coast is a region of otherwise nondescript scrubland dotted with small communities and boiled peanut stands that overlies a plumbing system more complicated than that of ancient Rome. Coupled with the gulf coastline, the result is one of the most unique and interesting water sport areas on the planet.

The main item of interest are the springs that bubble and gush with crystal clear water from the underlying limestone bedrock, offering diving, fishing, canoeing and wildlife watching opportunities that will never be forgotten.

Another view of Rainbow river

Our first stop was at Rainbow Springs State Park, site of the former Rainbow Springs amusement park that was open from the 1930’s until 1974. Mostly demolished by the state, the park is now a natural area surrounding the source of the Rainbow River, a major spring pumping out well over a million gallons of water a day.

The river is a medium-sized affair and otherwise normal, except for the fact that the water is utterly, totally clear, so clear that sandy spots on the bottom appear the color of swimming pool paint. Visitors can swim, tube, boat or canoe in the river and see the variety of fish life living in the clear water. We rented a canoe from the State Park and paddled the river, a unique experience almost artificial in its beauty.

An abandoned ship in the middle of Kings Bay, Fla.

A day later we visited Kings Bay and the Crystal River, located in the town of the same name. This area is the best place to not only see, but swim with the endangered West Indian Manatee. The huge, gentle, slow-moving marine mammals are attracted to the warm spring waters of the bay during the cooler months, in turn attracting snorkelers who want to experience the animals first hand.

We boarded a dive boat out of the Crystal River Resort dive shop and headed out to Three Sisters spring near the head of the bay. On this day, there was only one couple from on our boat, along with Yours Truly and son, joining our guide Jerry. According to Jerry, while our boat was nearly empty, by January and February, their 70-passenger boat would be full every day.

Slowing motoring up the canal toward the spring, we saw our first wild manatees, a cow and calf, easily visible in the clear water. After anchoring, we slipped on our wetsuits and eased into the water, mindful of instructions not to interact with the manatees unless they approached first.

Quietly, we slowly moved within a few yards of the animals. One noticed our group and left the bottom where it had been resting and moved toward the assembled divers. Manatees are all gentle, but some enjoy human interaction more than others. One adolescent manatee the size of an overweight dolphin approached the divers, playfully nipping fins and allowing itself to be scratched. Manatee skin feels like much like algae-covered pigskin that has spent its entire life in water.

We watched and interacted with the creatures for an hour. Several other groups of snorkelers joined our underwater party and it was amazing to see that the manatees tolerated the divers, even some that were too aggressive in their picture taking and cuddling.

During this session, I also noticed a plethora of saltwater fish sharing the clear freshwater canal. At one point, I saw crabs, mullet, sheepshead and bluegills intermingled, feeding on something that the manatees were dislodging during their lawnmower-like feeding. The water was also alive with a variety of sounds, from clicks of the manatees teeth made while grinding the underwater plants, to delicate squeaks that the animals use to communicate.

Later, we found a family group in a deeper spring with only 30 feet of visibility. A huge old cow, moss-covered and the size of a compact car, rose from the bottom to meet our group. It smoothly rolled over, wanting its stomach scratched and we complied. Satisfied, it rejoined the group and they vanished in the green distance, sunlight playing across their backs like a watercolor painting until they were just an extraordinary memory.

IF YOU GO:

Crystal River, Florida is located on US 19, the main corridor to access the Nature Coast.  Peak season for manatee sightings is January through March, though they can be found almost anytime throughout the area. The best bet is to use the services of one of the many dive shops in the area.  Boat rentals are also readily available, but the shallow waters can be tricky so a guided trip is advisable before venturing out.

On the Internet: www.crystalriver.org

Chrystal River & Kings Bay

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