Wednesday Notes, January 10, 2024
Take a glass bottomed boat tour at Silver Springs State Park . . .
Imagine sitting in a pontoon boat looking down through a glass bottom at river life below – fish swim by, a turtle or two, maybe a manatee. Eel grass sways in the current dancing to a melody only eel grass can hear. Above water birds rest on tree limbs. Alligators sun themselves on fallen logs.
Silver Springs is the largest artesian spring area in the world, discharging some 500 million gallons of water a day. Along with other springs, it feeds into the Silver River. Glass bottomed boats have been floating down the river and wowing visitors since the 1870s, making it perhaps the oldest attraction in Florida.
My family is one of those wowed over the years by this boat ride.
At an early age my parents brought me to Silver Springs. We went on the glass bottomed boat ride, looking down at the underwater world. Eel grass swayed with the current. Huge catfish looked up at us as we floated by overhead. Big gar with long snouts swam underneath us. I was enchanted.
Years later, married with children, I brought my three boys to Silver Springs. We took the glass bottomed boat ride. They loved it.
Today taking a glass bottomed boat ride still goes on. Land on both sides of the river is managed by Silver Springs State Park. There are two rides, a 30 minute ride and a 90 minute ride. A friend and I opted for the 90 minute ride. Reservations are highly recommended as both rides are very popular.
Joining a line waiting in a covered pavilion, tickets in hand, the wait is not long. Boarding is simple and quick. Passengers include families with young children, teenagers, couples, seniors and even a couple of visitors from foreign lands. The captain asks for a show of hands from those who have been on a glass bottomed boat tour before – more than half raise their hands.
A bench lines each side of the glass bottomed boat. Both benches fill up fast. The pontoon boat engine is electric – quiet – making it easy to hear our tour guide who is also the boat captain. The boat dock is located at the largest artesian spring, but our tour guide saves that for last. And so, we start down the river, passing over smaller springs. The boat slows so we can see bubbles coming up out of the sand – a small spring water gushing up from deep underground. Fish gather around the opening.
Quite a few fish also gather under the boat. Of course. Boat equals food. The captain tosses out some fish food pellets. Look closely and see there is already fish food in the water! From previous boats. No hungry fish here. The boat glides on to the next spring.
Coming up the river towards us, on this December day, is a flotilla of canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards. It is a parade. Everyone dressed in Christmas garb. Our captain tells us a boat club puts on this Christmas water parade every year. And we are lucky. Today is the day.
Also on the water are kayaks made of clear plastic, so you see what is going on underwater – very cool. I had not seen on of these before, only heard about them. Gliding along our captain reels off a long list of movies and television shows, all doing underwater scenes right here on the Silver River, in the artesian springs.
Going upstream are two boats filled with divers. They are researchers studying the river.
Along both sides of the river are a treasure trove of trees – some bare, it is late fall, and some showing their fall colors – leaves of gold, brown, orange, russet, and red. Beautiful.
A manatee and her calf are spotted resting in the shallows. Already a cluster of canoes and kayaks are gathering in a semi-circle around them. Our pontoon boat approaches slowly and stays at a respectful distance, so as not to stress the manatees.
It is never a guarantee that on a boat tour something amazing like a manatee will be seen. This is special and the whole boat knows it.
Returning up the river our tour boat makes a slow circle around the Silver Springs. Statues from a long ago film still lay in the water. A cave opening on one side has also been used in movie scenes.
Tying up at the dock, everyone disembarks. Will we be back? Yes. Taking this ride is a tradition. It never gets old, only better.
Silver Springs Glass Bottomed Boat Tour
Duration: 30 minutes or 90 minutes
Cost: $12 to $25 depending on tour
Location: Silver Springs State Park,
5656 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, FL
Phone: 352-261-5840
Website: https://silversprings.com
Text and photographs copyright 2024 Lucy Tobias
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Thanks for the info.