Silver River State Park

My recent paddling trip down Silver River proved to be one of the most awesome river trips yet!! The exquisite beauty of the water and the amount of wildlife you see really takes this adventure to another level!
Silver River is a spring fed river so the clarity of the water is perfect! It even looks bright blue in a lot of places and you can see all the way to the bottom the entire time. There were many different species of fish swimming in schools below us and countless different turtles relaxing above the water. We spotted several alligators of all sizes sunning on the logs by the bank.
The most extraordinary thing about this trip, however, are it's many troops of wild Rhesus monkeys. Yes! Monkeys! In the 1930s, S. Colonel Tooey ran a Jungle Cruise boat tour and in an effort to drive business to the area, he released several monkeys from Southeast Asia on a small island. This island became known as "Monkey Island". S. Colonel Tooey was aware these monkeys could swim and they eventually swam off of the island and populated the surrounding area. This led to 6 Tarzan movies being filmed on Silver River in the 1950s.
We were advised by several people on the river to keep an eye out for the trees to move and that would indicate that monkeys were there. We eventually came up to a troop by the bank. There must have been 15-20 in this group. There were even infants clinging to their mothers! We stayed for a while watching them in awe that we could get as close as we were.
You could tell they were only interested in us because people must feed them but the park rangers discourage banking along the river and forbid feeding the animals. As cute as the Rhesus monkeys are, they do carry diseases like Hepatitis and Rabies so you should avoid any close contact so that you do not get bitten.
The state park is very affordable. There is a $6 per vehicle entrance fee and you can rent a canoe for $5 per hour. (They do not have kayaks for rent but there are places in the area that offer kayak rentals.) The trip took us a little over 4 hours. There were so many breath taking spots to stop at and coves to explore.
I recommend bringing snacks and plenty of fluids for hydration. Don't forget the sunscreen and a camera, of course!

www.floridastateparks.org/silverriver/default.cfm

*Special thanks to MangyJ for letting me use some of your awesome pictures! Mine weren't nearly as good! :)

Tampa's Florida Aquarium Dolphin Encounter

If you are ever visiting the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, go ahead and spring for the Wild Dolphin Encounter Boat Ride! There is a $2 discount if you have purchased a ticket to the aquarium. It's a great thing to do for a family outing or on a romantic date. ;)
Weather permitting, you will have a chance to see some of Tampa's 500 bottlenose dolphin, manatees (an endangered specie) and many types of birds. I even spotted a sting ray swimming at the surface. It's a great opportunity to get some awesome pictures or videos!
The tours last about an hour and a half will take you through the port of Tampa (one of the busiest ports in the southern states) and By Harbour Island and Davis Islands. You will also have a nice view of downtown. The tour guides are very knowledge about at the animals and landmarks that you will see and they are happy to answer any questions you may have. The main goal of the encounter tour is to educate the public about Tampa Bay. It's very educational and relaxing! There is indoor seating that is used while the boat is traveling to and from the bay. They also have snacks and drinks (including beer) for sale.
The dolphin are accustomed to boaters being in the area so they will swim right up to the side of the boat. The day I went, we must have seen at least 15 dolphin and there was even a mother with her baby! I've never seen that many dolphin together in the wild before. VERY AWESOME!!
When you've seen all the Tampa Aquarium has to offer, check out Channelside. There is plenty to do there. You can shop, go bowling at Splitsville, see a movie at the Channelside Imax or hang out at Wet Willy's for a drink. (I recommend "Call a Cab", just so happens it's the strongest one.) There is a really good Thai place called Thai Thani. Very tasty! If you catch it in time, you can take the trolly down to historic Ybor City and see a comedy show at the Improv. Channelside and Ybor city are some of the most popular places in Tampa for restaurants and night life. You'll never run out of things to do!

**They do not feed the dolphin, manatee or any animal you may see on the the encounter tour. If the animals are fed to often they could be in danger of being injured or killed so boaters are encouraged never to feed the wildlife or litter. **

Interesting dolphin fact: Dolphins have life long partners of the same sex. They will only leave their partner to mate but will always return to the same dolphin.

www.flaquarium.com
www.channelsidetampa.com
www.thaithani.net
www.splitsvillelanes.com
www.channelsideimax.com
www.tecolinestreetcar.org
www.ybor.org
www.tampaimprov.com

Shelling in Central Florida

These are shells I found at Caladesi Island and on the north beach of Ft. De Soto. All of these shells came from just two trips to the beach! They are typical of what you can find beach combing on Central Florida's beaches. Be careful though! I accidentally brought home a hermit crab with out realizing it and he died before I could take him back to the beach. Let that be a lesson to always inspect the insides of shells to ensure you don't bring a living creature home with you. I see a lot people on the beach taking home buckets of sand dollars that are still alive. If the sand dollar is brown/green and has little hairs all over it, it is very much a live and needs to stay in the water. However, if the sand dollar is white and doesn't have any hairs on it, then the organism has died and those can be brought home and bleached to bring out the beautiful white color.
Along with shells and sand dollars, you can also find bits of sea glass. Sea glass are fragments of broken glass that have tumbled on the shore so much that the edges are smooth. They can be used for many decorative projects. Be careful though because some still may have some sharp edges. See how many different colors you can find!
I'd also like to suggest that If you do go shelling on the beach, try to take a small plastic bag to put any trash in that you may come across. We need to keep Florida's beaches clean and it only takes a second to pick up something that has washed up on the shore.
So get to the beach and start your own shell collection!

Ginnie Springs Park

Ginnie Springs, High Springs (just outside of Gainsville), is one of my favorite places in Florida!
I've been going there ever since I was a kid so, of course, I recommend it. Ginnie Springs is a privately owned park set on over 200 acres. It sits on the Santa Fe River and has several different springs to swim in. Three of the springs have caves with tunnels that go for miles underground! Check out the map of the tunnels posted in the main office. You'll be surprised to see that while you're enjoying a nice cooked meal by the campfire, cave divers are literally swimming right beneath you!
Of all the springs (Devil's Eye, Devil's Ear, Ginnie and other small springs), Ginnie Spring is my favorite. You can dive down 10-15 feet and take a peek into the cave below. Some swimmers can swim into one opening and out another but I haven't developed the lung capacity for that yet. You'll see many different species of fish, turtle and plant life so bring an underwater camera!
If you're not used to cold water you might want to rent a wet suit at the main office. The water is 72 degrees all year round. I always jump right in and get distracted by the awesome scenery and forget about how chilly it is.
You can always tube down the lazy river if you get tired of snorkeling. You'll see people floating on air mattresses, floats that could hold up to 10 people and groups of friends tied together with rope so they don't get separated. I recommend bringing floating cooler stocked with your favorite cold beverage. ;) They allow you to have alcohol in the park but they ask that you don't bring kegs or glass bottles. Please clean up after yourself, too!
The main office has any and everything you could possibly need to buy (except for alcohol) or rent for your stay there. You can rent wetsuits, tubes, kayaks, canoes and scuba equipment for very reasonable rates or just bring your own! They also have a deli if you need to get drinks or a snack. Their hot boiled peanuts are always something I stop in for.
I love to camp there for at least 3 days but it never seems like enough! The place is full of awesome campsites so don't stress about finding the best one. They are all great. Just let the campsite find you! With all the water activities, you'll really enjoy relaxing by the fire in the woods! The camp ground is miles from any large city so the stars so don't have the bright lights of a big city to compete with. The view is amazing and I guarantee you will see shooting stars through out the night.
Ginnie springs is a magical place and is great for people of all ages. There are campsites with electric and water hook-ups for an additional fee. There are public bathhouses throughout the park as well as water spickets to wash dishes. Just bring your tent, food and some firewood and you are set! (Don't forget sunscreen and bug spray, of course. This is Florida.)
While in High Springs, you can also visit Blue Springs and Poe Springs but the locals say that Ginnie Springs is the best! I would have to agree! That's why I make sure to go there almost every two months. If life starts to feel overwhelming, that means it time to take a road trip to High Springs. Something about that park resets me and I find that I can deal with life's stressors a lot easier after a few days in those waters.
So put Ginnie Springs on your to do list!

*Interesting fact: A lot of bottled water comes from High Springs, FL.

www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com
www.floridasprings.info/2007/11/poe-springs-park-alachua-county.html
www.bluespringspark.com

Ft. De Soto

Ft. De Soto Park, located in St. Petersburg, is a place with so much to offer! If you like nature and history, this park is for you! The islands in the park were once inhabited by the Tocobaga Indians, visited by the Spanish explorers and were utilized during the Civil War. It wasn't until 1898 that the fort was built for the Spanish American War but was never a site of major battle. The fort remains very well preserved and is open to the public at no charge. For a small fee, you can take a ferry to Egmont Key where you can explore the ruins, kayak by the shores and reflect on this historical place. Ft. De Soto is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The fort divides the north Beach from the south Beach. Venture toward the south beach and you can relax on the shore with an awesome view of the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Farther up the beach to the north end, there is a dog beach where your pups can enjoy the beach with you. Enjoy nature trails that stretch throughout the park. Go farther north and there is a great fishing pier where I've spotted many dolphin playing. The farther north you go, the more beautiful this beach gets. I spent a few hours snorkeling and shelling the shore and ended up with an awesome collection of beautiful shells and sand dollars. The north beach was also named America's #1 Beach in 2005 and is America's Top Beach for 2009. There are plenty of picnic tables and grills so you can enjoy the beach for the entire day. Shelters can be rented for a small fee and if one day isn't enough, they have a camp ground in the park so spend a few days if you like! You will need to book your camping trip in advance because this is a popular spot and there may be a waiting list. Another great thing about Ft. De Soto park is that there are no entrance fees and/or parking fees so if you are on a budget, this is a great beach to visit.
If you are in town for a couple days or live near by, check out the downtown St. Petersburg and Baywalk. There, you can enjoy great food, night life, art shows, movies and shopping.
If you are an art lover, I highly recommend visiting the Salvidor Dali museum right in downtown St. Petersburg. Dali was a very accomplished surrealist with an extremely interesting biography. After the museum, stop by Ceviche for some tapas and Sangria or catch a live show at Jannus Landing, the best venue around!

For park information go to: www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_DeSoto.htm

Check these out for stuff to do in St. Pete:
www.salvadordalimuseum.org
www.cevichetapas.com
www.jannuslandingconcerts.com
www.stpete.org