After we left Tallahassee, we traveled south to Chiefland, Florida. This RV Park - Southern Leisure - is beautiful. Full concrete pads and patios, with large grassy areas between each site. The park is huge, with a clubhouse, pickle ball courts, and a pool. We're staying a week, and got in on their $99 special - which is great because their normal price is $56/day!!
After we saw Zmuda the filly on Wednesday we drove south to just north of Clearwater, and then drove north along US19. We stopped at The Crab Plant in Crystal River for lunch. I had shrimp and grits (oh it was good), and Mike had shrimp linguine. It was right on the river, very nice!
Today, 3/19, we went to Manatee Springs State Park. It's only a few miles from here. Crystal clear springs, hiking trails, and swamps. The springs run into the Suwanee River. The springs are where Manatees go in the winter to get warm; they are a constant 72 degrees. There are miles of caves in the springs, and they do allow cave diving, but the divers must be cave certified. They also allow swimming in the spring, and there were lots of families splashing and swimming. You wouldn't get me in there though. GATORS AND SNAKES! UGH!!
We took a 4 mile hike through really pretty scenery. It went from the swamp to higher land with pine forests.
We didn't see any Manatees, but we saw lots of other stuff. A woodpecker with a bright red head (but he flew away before I could snap a pic), alligator, snake, and turtles sunning themselves. A really enjoyable day.
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| This gator is just across the pond from all the swimmers. Yikes! |
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| Turtles sunning themselves |
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| We decided this is a Florida Brown Water Snake. He has a triangular head. I'm glad he's on the log! |
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| The swamp is really pretty. You can't tell here, but the water is very dark from all the tannin. |
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| The boardwalk ended at the Suwanee River |
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