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the Manatee

Blue Springs Feb. 22, 2019 - Trip Report Dee and her husband, John, went to Blue Springs State Park on Friday, Feb. 22, to see the last of the manatees who over-wintered at Blue Springs leave for the St. Johns River. This February, the river waters quickly warmed so that the many manatees who came to Blue Springs to escape the cold (just like our friends who come to Florida in the Winter) could leave early for better feeding grounds. The more than 500 manatees who spent the Winter near the warm spring water (constant 72 degrees Fahrenheit) ate most of the aquatic (water) plants (floating or submerged) along the St. Johns River shoreline near Blue Springs, so many started to travel further and further from the springhead to find food. Because their favorite vegetation floats on the surface, manatees are not often observed while eating. Look for disturbances like waves and plants being pulled down; these indicate that a manatee may be feeding below. Manatees have been known to remain submerged for as long as 20 minutes!

It’s a good thing that manatees cannot read, or where would they go to escape the cold? While manatees breathe air, they never leave the water. That is, unless they are a mosaic statue! Here’s Dee with a wonderful artistic interpretation of a manatee wearing a mosaic of Florida icons (beach, fish and palm trees). This statue may be found on the boardwalk trail leading from the headwaters of the Blue Springs to the landing where the St. Johns River Tours depart daily. This is the ONLY time you should touch a manatee— they are a protected species!