The Manatees at Blue Spring State Park

Despite the warm weather we've seen the last two days, it's been cool in central Florida which brings the gentle giant's into the warm springs along the St. John River. Sea Cows grow up to 12 feet and can weigh up to 3900 lbs, if they can survive all the challenges they face. Human presence means danger to these docile mammals and the scares across the backs from boats is found on many of the adults. If the water temps drop below 68 degrees for an extended length of time, the stress can kill them as well. The last time we were in Florida a cold spell killed hundreds of Manatee, very hard on an already stressed population. But Blue Springs State Park is a shelter for these exceptional creatures. We got up early this morning to walk the boardwalk along the spring, our reward, spotting over 25 Manatees, best of all, the little calf, a new addition to the family this year. They share the springs with several species of fish, like the Gar and Tarpon, even an occasional Alligator can be spotted fishing the springs.