I probably should have been showing maps all along, but I must admit I was feeling lazy about it. At any rate, the farthest green marker to the left on the map above shows Pensacola, part of the Emerald Coast; the purple markers show the Forgotten Coast; and the green markers to the right show the Nature Coast.
To be honest, I was disappointed in this area. The big draw is manatees, because of the hundreds of freshwater springs. During the winter, manatees hang out in the springs, because the water is a constant 72 degrees. As surrounding waters warm during the spring and summer, the manatees will wander farther out.
What I did not like is that all the vendors offer the opportunity to "swim with the manatees", and people do, in large crowds. In my estimation, wild animals should not be habituated to people. Some people are trustworthy, and some people are not. Some people harm without a second thought. It is better that manatees not learn to trust people.
There is one company that says it is best to go early before the crowds arrive. People on this tour are instructed to rest quietly in the water (with snorkel and face mask), and wait for the manatees to approach. These people have been touched and even hugged by manatees, and say it is an incredible experience. I don't doubt it. Unfortunately, the crowds later in the day include loud, unruly, noisy, splashing, excited children and adults who invade the manatees' resting places.
Much as I love animals, I decided it just isn't right to invade the privacy of these gentle creatures. So Lee and I went on a boat trip launched from a small town north of Crystal River, on the Withlacoochee River. It was a very pleasant ride, although not nearly as thrilling as the trip we took at Wakulla Springs two years ago. (I will put a link to my post on Wakulla Springs at the end of this post, for those who would like to revisit it. Wakulla Springs is north of Crystal River, closer to Tallahassee, and is a place I still remember with great fondness.)
We boarded a flat-bottomed boat in Yankeetown, just 10 minutes west of Inglis. Yankeetown is small, quiet and charming, very unlike the noisier Crystal River. I had to borrow a photo of the boat from their web site, because Lee and I both forgot to take a picture:
It turns out this was a very busy river 150 years ago. A company was founded in the area that excavated phosphate, and barges were constantly on the river transporting it to the port on the gulf. It was big business. The mining went from boom to bust, and today the port on the gulf no longer exists. From inside the boat, looking down the river:
Today, Yankeetown is a small fishing town, with a few boats and small docks along the river:
The Withlacoochee River is very picturesque:
We saw many birds, like this young male red-breasted merganser:
And several pairs of osprey. These birds have made a strong comeback in Florida, and seem to be flourishing. We have seen them all along the Gulf of Mexico, from Texas to Florida, in great numbers.
We saw our manatees, but I am sorry, no pics. We saw a cow and her calf, and a male swam under the boat. If a manatee swims under the boat, it is required that the boat shut off the engine until the manatee comes out on the other side, which is what we did. We also saw alligators. Here's a big guy. Lee and I have discussed kayaking, but we are both kind of afraid of the 'gators. They are stealthy creatures, and incredibly fast and strong. Those eyes are always watching. I have a great deal of respect for these guys!
We watched a bald eagle soar for a long time, and finally land:
My goal this trip is to get close to spoonbills. So far, no such luck. They are shy, and are good at keeping their distance from people. Apparently, this area gets a couple of hundred spoonbills as the weather warms, but Florida was cold this winter, like the rest of the east coast, and the spoonbills have been slow to arrive.
Lee took this great closeup of a double-crested cormorant:
I enjoyed the boat trip, it was relaxing and pleasurable, and the guides were knowledgeable about local history.
Our next stop was Sarasota, were we spent time with a close friend and her family, then on to Sanibel Island. I have not yet decided if I will do posts on these two stops, since we had visited both locations two years ago and I posted then.
I said I would leave a link to my post on Wakulla Springs from two years ago. The water was crystal clear, and we saw baby alligators there! A truly magical place. Here is the link:
http://eileenscrosscountrytrip.blogspot.com/2012/04/wakulla-springs.html
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