The Santa Fe River disappears. The leaf stained black water flows into a huge sinkhole
and dives underground. It emerges three miles later in what they call, unimaginatively, the River Rise. People have actually mapped the interconnecting caves by scuba diving through them. Absolutely crazy I say.
The canoe slipped along the crystal clear water through the half-light of chilly, fog drenched air. It was wonderfully silent. Moss draped live oak 
and stately cypress line the banks. A near continuous bed of eel grass bent in the current below us. It is 6:30 in the morning and 35F. We are floating down the Ichetucknee River from its headspring where 67 million gallons of 72F water wells up from the ground everyday. Tributary springs add to the flow to total 212 million gallons a day that then flows toward the SuwanneeRiver.
Unusual visitors
The Suwannee is above flood stage and backing up into the tributaries including the Ichetucknee; so the water is wide and deeper than usual all the way to the Gulf. The manatees take advantage of the opportunity to move up stream to warm water and plenty to eat. They didn’t seem to mind us watching them mill around below us.
It was a great trip for wildlife overall. River otters criss-crossed in front of us. Turtles and lots of fish, including pretty big Gar swam below. As for birds, we saw lots of the usual: great blue heron, egrets, little blue heron, coots, and osprey. Two black capped night heron and a sora rail made appearances. We don’t see them very often.
Overall, fantastic. It only took us a couple hours to thaw out our fingers and toes.
The SuwanneeRiver valley is riddled with artesian springs. The openings created by the springs develop into stunning open pools. The water is perfectly clear. It is unbelievably blue. The surface constantly simmers as the water boils up from underground. Warm, swirling, spring water creates complex erosion patterns in the walls and floors of the pools. Awesome.
They scuba dive in these things. Especially the ones they call jug formation springs where the discharge is actually a necked down section that rises from a larger underground cave or series of caves. They dive down through the neck, against the flow of the spring (think million of gallons a day) into the chambers below. How nuts is that?
22” and 5 pounds. That is a BIG fish. This was the last day for fishing before we pull out and head north (slowly). Kent hooked an impressive bass. It was mine you know! 
He hooked it in the very same place in the lake as one I have had on the hook twice but couldn’t get into the boat. Oh well. If not me, glad it was Kent and not someone else.
Mike and Tracy are married. The handsome groom (of course). The beautiful bride. An ideal setting in the snow covered mountains. A perfect, romantic ceremony. A fun reception that combined great food, traditional toasts and dances, and a not-so-traditional cookie dunking. There was plenty of music and dancing. There were even a few snow flakes to add to the mood. It was wonderful.
Rehearsal night was a great time too. The food at the BBQ was great and constant hum of joyful voices was a perfect start for the weekend. Mike got to show off his awesome fire building skills at the bonfire. My toes were freezing by the time we wrapped up, it was definitely a Mike moment that I wouldn’t have missed for the world.
Carol and I, with some help from our fellows, baked about 40 dozen cookies. Mike and Tracy wanted cookies instead of cake at the wedding. We had great time doing it and they came out delicious.
It looked like they were a hit at the wedding too.
Mike and Tracy
Manatees in Salt
Spring
A trip up Salt Creek to Salt Spring to observe the Manatees.
Osprey showing us how it is done.
It is home for the threatened Florida Scrub Jay. They are curious, outgoing birds. We met a particularly bold pair today. We stopped to watch as they hung out along the trail…this picture tells the rest.
Idle. No wake. Squinting, watching intently for a glimpse of the bulbous snouts or huge fanned tails to float into view. We are moving slowly through the basin that is the origin of Salt Spring. Water is clear and the temperature is 74F here, a cozy 10F warmer than out in the open lake.
One, two, manatees glide by not seeming to even notice us. We move on nearer to the origin of the spring then cut the engine to float and wait. Yes, they glide by just a couple feet below us. One flips its tail at the boat that has encroached on its space. Others, seemingly oblivious to our presence, methodically munch their way through the eel grass that covers the bottom of the lake. We hear the swish of their breaths and watch them peacefully loll in their giant hot tub. They will be heading out into the open waters soon. I am excited to get to see them again.