Blue Spring Run

Reflections

It was a perfect day today...and I mean perfect. We had a short paddle at the Blue Spring Run in Orange City and that is the important part. WE as in my wife and me. After three months of nightmares, pain, and uncertainty Wifey and I were able to go back to the water together. I did tell her about Annie, a female manatee who gave birth about a month ago at the Blue Spring vent.. Someone posted a pic of a manatee and a calf in the Blue Spring Run last week. Wifey said she wanted to see it so we gave it a try today and were lucky!!!!!!

 

Put In / Take Out: Blue Spring State Park in Orange City. Check the link for fees and location information.

Juvenile Red Shouldered Haw

I did not really plan kayaking out of Blue Spring State Park but when my wife got excited about the manatee and the calf decided to give it a try. There was a big line waiting to enter the State Park. It took us 15 minutes after they open the gates to reach the parking lot and 15 more minutes to start the paddle. We went directly to the Blue Spring Run, where all the pics, except the Red Shouldered Hawk pics were taken. The plan was to go to the vent, check if the manatee was still there, and then return. I did not want to stress her with a long paddling. Here are pics of what we saw at the beginning of the paddle...

Red Shouldered Hawk

Female Belted Kingfisher

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Green Heron

Green Heron

Green Heron

Gars in the Blue Spring Run

We were past the swimming area when I saw wakes in front of us. Also heard the classic pffffffttttt the manatees make when they surface to breath. Then saw a huge one with a little one going under us and then another one, not a baby but not as big as the first one, went under too. We decided to follow them from the sides assuming they were heading to the St. Johns River. But they stopped in an area past the swimming zone and stayed there. That gave us a chance to shoot some pics.

Annie and her calf

Annie

Surfacing to breath

Annie's baby got curious about us swimming under us a few times

Manatee at Blue Spring Run

Manatee

Curious calf

Hello there!!!!!!!!!

Manatees in the Blue Spring Run

Manatee at the Blue Spring Run

Paddlers started to come up the run and would ask us what we are doing. Also the people on the boardwalk were pointing to the manatees. I was getting crowded so told my wife it was time for us to leave. That gave more room for the other paddlers to see the manatees from the distance without bothering them. So we went up the run to the vent. Did shoot a few more pics but that was it.

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Gator

Green Heron

Our shadows

Blue Spring Run (looking to the St. Johns River)

Osprey

This is it. Just a few pics in less than three hours. Thanks for reading and remember to take a look at the Facebook Page for a few more pics and videos from this and past trips. Hope you come back soon. We will be sharing with you more Views From Our Kayak.

Blue Spring Run