A group of 10 of us ventured down to the Blue Spring State Park to see the Manatees that winter there.
Gary is enjoying it
We spot our first Manatee
They winter in the springs because they cannot tolerate water colder than 68 degrees for long periods, the temperature here is a constant 73 degrees
The one has propeller marks on its back. There were 804 deaths in Florida waters almost reaching the record of 830 in 2013. Major killers are cold, boat accidents and red tide.
There is a nice raised boardwalk along the river offering lots of view points
A cormorant drying it's wings
We turn and go the other way and find a lot more Manatees
There is a slight breeze so the surface of the water is not very clear
They are large animals are 10-12 feet long weighing from 882lbs to 1,210 lbs. Newborns are 66 lbs on average
Even the cormorants enjoy watching them
This beautiful Great Blue Heron flew in to check out the fishing
The Manatees are herbivores so there are plenty of fish around
The St. John River is their way in
It was a really nice way to spend the day. Afterwards to went to dinner at Fire on the Bayou in Orange City
I had the McFish Sandwich
and Gary had the Bayou Burger
Good food, good friends and a good day
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