Homosassa Springs, United States Travel Journals & Blogs

Traveler Anni & Henni on tour
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- Jan 29, 2019, 1:47pm
- ⛅ 16 °C
- Altitude: 5 m
- United States Florida Citrus County Homosassa Springs 28.799871, -82.59323928°47’60” N 82°35’36” W
Day 130
Schnorcheln mit Seekühen
January 29, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Hier in der Umgebung gibt es viele heiße Quellen, aus denen Flüsse entstehen. Dort verbringen die Rundschwanz-Seekühe ihre Winter, weil es immer mindestens 22 grad im Wasser sind.
Da Henni morgens immerhin kein Fieber mehr hatte, haben wir uns für eine Schnorcheltour zu den Seekühen entschieden. Wir sind mit einem anderen Paar in einem kleinen Boot durch den Fluss gefahren (vorbei an einer kleinen Insel, auf der 4 Affen leben) und haben kurz vor einer Quelle geankert und konnten ins Wasser gehen. Schon vom Boot aus haben wir gesehen wie riesig die Tiere sind (bis zu 4Meter!). Als wir im Wasser waren, hat es nicht lange gedauert, bis sie neugierig zu uns gekommen sind, wir mussten eigentlich nur still im Wasser liegen und warten. Wenn sie zu einem gekommen sind, konnte man sie streicheln und sie sind teilweise richtig lange bei einem geblieben. Manchmal sind sie auch mit ihrem Gesicht direkt vor unseres gekommen und haben einen angeguckt. Außerdem haben sie sich teilweise einmal um ihre eigene Achse gedreht, damit man sie am Bauch streichelt.
Es war so toll, dass wir gar nicht gemerkt haben, dass wir eineinhalb Stunden im Wasser waren (auch wenn es zum Schluss trotz Neoprenanzügen ziemlich kalt war). Auf dem Weg zurück haben wir dann zur Krönung noch ein paar Delfine hinter einem anderen Boot herschwimmen sehen.Read more
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Traveler Coastal Crescent, 2018
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- Jan 25, 2018, 2:27pm
- ☀️ 18 °C
- Altitude: 49 ft
- United States Florida Citrus County Homosassa Springs 28.79923, -82.5872528°47’57” N 82°35’14” W
Day 33
In search of the wild manatee [Ocala]
January 25, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Drove up to Crystal Springs, Fla. in search of manatees. The ranger station, empty like the park, had a flyer telling us to go to Homosassa Springs State Park if one wanted to see manatees. We drove back south and discovered we were in a wild life /rehab park! Not what we had in mind, but fascinating nevertheless. There were 4 resident manatees and 3 being fattened up after a cold snap paralyzed them, but soon to be released. Gentle giants. But also saw bright coral pink flamingos, a pair of endangered whooping cranes, a green heron, golden eagles, and spoonbills. Plus a red wolf and a Fla. panther (poor imprisoned things).

Tons of vultures in this state despite dwindling numbers world wide. Apparently their stomach acid can neutralize anthrax, cholora, and rabies in dead kill. Amazing, go vultures!

Camped at spring-fed Rainbow Springs State Park with a lovely bike ride thru palm live oak forest. Neato!Read more
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Traveler Spring Fever
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- May 26, 2016, 12:18pm
- ☀️ 84 °F
- Altitude: 46 ft
- United States Florida Citrus County Homosassa Springs 28.799069, -82.58729628°47’57” N 82°35’14” W
Day 39
Homosassa State Park
May 26, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F
This was our change to see manatees without having to take a boat ride! We would not be held hostage for hours in the bright hot sun! And... And... (I am shaking with excitement), there is an underwater viewing chamber!

So with that we stopped at the Homosassa River State Park, just after 11am. We expected to walk in, plop down our $13 each, march into the viewing room, see the manatees, ooh and aah, and be back on the road in 15 minutes. Plenty of time before lunch.

The first warning, which we ignored in our rush to the bathrooms, was the little old lady who directed us to the boat that would take us to the park. In our brain addled rush to the bathrooms, I figured that the viewing room must not be in the visitor center located right on the main road, but perhaps just a few feet out into the marsh. So after visiting the little boy and girl rooms, we hopped into the boat.

There in the boat, waiting for the 11:30 departure, I noticed that there was no awning on the boat. mmmm... maybe I better run back and get my hat. But there wasn't enough time, so coverless, I faced the boat trip, expecting the hot Florida sun to beat down on my newly shorn head (I got a haircut last week, number 1 cut, which to me is the 1/16 inch attachment, but for this barber it meant no attachment).

The ride out to the visitor center was nice. Mostly in the shade of lots of trees. The boat man, a nice volunteer, gave us a history of the park and the animals we might see. I was expecting a wild animal experience, but this state park use to be a private attraction until 20 years ago. The previous owners had imported some animals, including a hippo (which is now the oldest hippo in the world). Carrying on the tradition, the state now releases rescued animals into the park, birds, bears, bobcats, etc. And there was something about the feeding of the hippo at 12:30, and the feeding of the manatees at 1:30. At this point it was not sounding very wild, but rather a visit to Disney Land.

At the end of the nice boat ride, we exited, crossed a road, saw plenty of parking, and exclaimed: "what! we could have driven here! Why didn't anyone tell us that!"

We entered the visitor center, handed over our $26, and the very nice lady told us the feeding of the manatees was at 1:30. Heather not so politely asked where we could see the darn manatees, but the lady, who stopped being so nice, repeated in her best school marm voice, "the feeding of the manatees is at 1:30."

They stamped the back of our hands with something in the shape of a chicken, though if I turned my head sideways and held my hand at an awkward angle, someone might thought it was the shape of a manatee, but only if they had never seen a chicken before.

One of the other visitors came to the rescue of the schoolmarm and told us the manatees could be seen anytime. So, with our spirits rubbed raw but not broken, we went into the park.

We walked over to the viewing platform... to be continuedRead more
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