One fun thing to do during the Florida winter is to get out and look for manatees. These gentle giants come up the springs looking for warmer water. We sometimes see them at the outlet of power stations and other areas where they might find some warmer water. There are several good spots to go.
We were heading out to see the Stetson Mansion and decided to stop at Blue Spring State Park in Lake Mary. This area is well known as a congregation spot for manatees between mid-November and mid-March. It’s one of the top sites for manatee viewing in Florida, right up there with Homosassa and Crystal River.
About 30 minutes from Orlando and a good 3.5 hours from Miami it is an excellent place to see manatees in the winter. The scenery is also just beautiful, and you can see lots of aquatic birds and alligators too. While it’s a long drive from Miami, it’s a nice place to come for an outing and the picturesque scenery makes it worthwhile.
We had some free hotel nights that were expiring and opted to spend a night in the area to visit a couple of local attractions. This also allowed for a morning visit to the park, when it’s often best to see the wildlife.
We would encourage those coming from Miami to spend the night. Those wanting to spend more time and make a mini vacation out of it can definitely find plenty of things to do in the Orlando and Space Coast areas. Those further afield can also fly into Orlando’s International Airport which is nearby.
Blue Spring and St. Johns River
All the way back in 1766, a famed naturalist, William Bartram visited Blue Spring and fell in love with the area. His writing and artwork inspired many, including John James Audubon. In describing Blue Spring, he has been quoted as saying:
“This creek, which is formed instantly by this admirable fountain, is wide and deep. There are continually a prodigious number and variety of fish; they appear as plain as though lying on a table before your eyes, although many feet deep in the water”.
His quote is true to form even today and does indeed describe the crystal-clear spring fed waters as we saw them on our recent visit. From the shoreline, you could see huge schools of fish just as if they were behind a pane of glass. Manatees, occasionally with their calves beside then slowly swam by and were clear as day.
We came early and booked one of the narrated river cruises with the on-site provider, St. Johns River Nature Cruise. This was a wonderful experience, and we had a highly knowledgeable guide who was a longtime resident and seemed to know just about every species of bird, fish, and plant. She made the trip both entertaining, and informative.
The St. Johns River used to be the main thoroughfare in and out of Florida by steamboat in the early 1800s. There were no roads to speak of and most of Florida probably looked much like the Everglades. The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida, at 310 miles (500km) in length. With a slight elevation of 30ft, the river slowly flows north at a rate of about 0.3 mph and is considered a lazy river. The spring itself stays at a constant 72 degrees year-round, and feeds almost 100 million gallons of water into the river every day. By the late 1800s, railroads eventually replaced the steamboats being faster and cheaper to run.
The scenery along the banks of St. Johns River is spectacular. Huge cypress trees with Spanish moss hanging off their branches spookily adorn the banks. A forest bed of knobby cypress knees lines the banks giving these an eerie feel.
We saw many species of birds such as great blue herons, little blue herons, anhingas, and limpkins with their monkey-like screeches. We saw trees filled with ibis, egrets, ducks, and the occasional hawk. And we even saw a bald eagle flying overhead.
Looking carefully along the shoreline we also saw a lots of gators in varying sizes as well as some Florida coopers.
Our guide explained how in the 1800s, egret feathers were all the rage for women’s hat making. At the time, an oz of egret feathers was worth more than an oz of gold due to the high demand. This brought a lot of egret hunters that almost drove them to extinction. It became illegal to hunt egrets in the early 1900s after which the fashion industry moved towards using ostrich feathers.
Florida Manatees
After the boat tour, we walked the pathways along the canal to some of the viewing points. That day they counted over 500 manatees, some days there are over 800.
While you cannot swim or snorkel with the manatees at Blue Spring State Park like you can at Crystal River, there are many viewing points where you can see them from the riverbanks. You can also do guided kayak tours with them and get even closer. The swimming is off limits during manatee season but open the rest of the year. The water is crystal-clear and looked inviting.
If you’re interested in seeing manatees and are closer to the Miami area, you can also go to the Manatee Lagoon on the east coast near Riviera Beach. We’ve also been lucky stopping at the Canaveral National Seashore on the way to St Augustine, the Manatee Lagoon over in Apollo Beach near Tampa. These protected gentle creatures can be seen almost anywhere in the many inlets in the Miami area too. We’ve sometimes been lucky enough to see one at the Blue Heron Bridge while scuba diving or even just outside our home in the intracoastal.
2 replies on “Blue Springs State Park: Manatees, Birds, Alligators”
What a beautiful place!! I’m trying to plan a trip to see the manatees, any suggestions would be appreciated.
Hi Ann Marie, if you want to see manatees be sure to go during the colder winter months. There are a few other good places to see them in Florida such as Crystal River, Homosassa, and Rainbow Springs