Travel Review
Spring 2020
Blue Spring State Park Central Florida
Trend Magazine Online™

The good thing about Blue Spring State Park is that the main tourist areas are in proximity to each other so it does not take long to see a lot. The walk from their parking lot is less than 100 yards from their office, restrooms, and small cafe. This place is designed for small groups in cars and not so much motor coach crowds which would be a bit overwhelming. I would guess that if you did have such a large group it would be wise to call ahead to see if they could accommodate you on your proposed arrival date and time. My first impression when I arrived at the main tourist area is quaint family fun. Of course the camping areas are available for larger group options as mentioned during my intro above. My purpose again was on Manatee sightings.

On that note I headed up the side walk to what looked like the place to begin watching over a wooden bridge to the river. There is a sign at the beginning of the path that appears to explain some of the other wildlife that calls this wonderful place home; however, my mind was set on seeing me some Florida Manatee. The nice lady Ranger at the entrance said that there were about nine of the typical 300 on site so my expectations were lowered. She also said that Tuesdays and Wednesdays were better days for mass sightings; this was a lazy Sunday. The site was clean and well maintained and there were several small groups of patrons frolicking about; some with their dogs which by rule are permitted in designated areas only and must be well behaved and kept on a leash no longer than six feet.

As I got closer to the wooden bridge there was another sign; this one pointing out the directions to the Blue Springs Enterprises, Manatee Gift and Camp Store, Refreshments and Tube Rental, Swimming, Diving; St. John River Cruise, Canoe and Kayak Rentals, Boating and Interpretive Tours as well as Scuba Diving and Snorkeling and more. This lets me know that there are lot of things to do here that could easily fill an entire fun-filled day or two or more. I personally would have opted for one of the tours since that is what I do when I am not engaged in travel writing or providing transportation. I made a mental and pictorial note for future reference but again, my purpose was to hopefully get up close and personal with these Florida treasures who have recently been reclassified from endangered to threatened by the U.S. Department of the Interior largely due to the educational efforts of places like this park and we at Trend Magazine Online^tm. Blue Spring is a habitat for at least 15 threatened or endangered animals and/or plants.

I also came across a display that detailed the history of this park but due to my late arrival and aforementioned purpose I did not have time to stop and read as I typically do but lo and behold that same historical information was included in the pamphlet the nice lady Ranger provided me upon entry. It details how British Colonial Botanist John Bartram paddled into Blue Spring in 1774 (two years before this colony declared its independence in 1776), and how Gold-Rush Prospector turned Orange-Grower Louis Thursby purchased a portion of this land in 1856 (five years before the American Revolutionary War began in 1861) and turned it into a hotbed of steamboat activity. In addition, an episode of one of my favorite childhood adventure shows was filmed here in 1971; The Underwater World of Jacques Cousteau's "The Forgotten Mermaids (Manatees)." Although a pretty fascinating tidbit it was not enough to deter me from my mission of spotting those whimsical creatures of the Florida Rivers, bays, and seas.

Alas I arrived at the wooden bridge that extended to the spring 1/3rd of a mile from the St. John's River and there I encountered and had a very interesting conversation with a guy who stated that he was an Air Force Veteran and Chaplain who now operates chapels at various truck stops along Florida's highways and byways. Then there was this other guy who said that he lived nearby and would be coming back in the wee hours of the morning to hunt. He also said that he could oftentimes hear the loud mating call of those gators along the river banks. At that point I made a mental note to never go hunting with that guy. Instead I focused on my memorable trip to a quaint small town called Palatka located just 64 miles northwest of here along the St. John's River. It was a short walk to the docks along this portion of the river and it did not take long before people around me began to point and gasp. Based on my previous sightings between Hallandale and Hollywood I knew exactly what to look for which are water circles emanating from their blow holes just before they surface -- just like whales. It was as equally exciting to see them from a distance but that excitement eventually turned into pure awe as one surfaced near where I was standing on the pier. It doesn't get much better than that folks. I cannot imagine how much more thrilling it would be if the typical 300 Sea Cows would be in house. Perhaps I will make a return trip, this time on a Tuesday or Wednesday as suggested by the nice lady Park Ranger.

Blue Spring State Park is open from 8 A.M. to sunset 365 days a year and is located at 2100 West French Avenue, Orange City, FL, 32763, and you can find them on the web at FloridaStateParks.org, their phone number is 386-775-3663.