Silver Springs, FL - Saturday, February 4, 2017

I wanted to take Joyce to Silver Springs (next to Ocala, FL) where they have glass bottom boats. They are one of the worlds largest artesian springs & the water flows out around 70 degrees. When I was a kid we traveled to Florida over the Christmas break when I was in school.  I can remember riding the boats and there were statues under the water.  So Joyce & I camped right across the road from the park at Silver Springs RV Park.  We took the 1 1/2 hour boat tour that went down the Silver River.  We saw alligators, Osprey, many other waterfowl and fish. As it clouded over the sun, the temp cooled to around 62 and we were glad for our jackets.

The answer to you question; Yes there were still 3 statues down in the deep spring pool.  Several movies & tv shows had been made here in years past. People could kayak, boat and even paddle board up into the park.  But I don't know if I would want to paddle board after our boat captain told us of a large alligator rolling another alligator and having him up on the bank.

Glass bottom boat

Red-belly turtle sunning.

One of the many blooming flowers.

Joyce enjoying the sweet fragrance

Traveling down the Silver River

Joyce loved the blooming azaleas in February!

Looking at fish through the glass bottom boat

Osprey

Female and male Wood ducks

Alligator sunning himself.

A little to close for comfort...an Anhinga on same log as gator.

This palm tree make a large loop.  They say if you stand inside of it you will get 5 years of good luck.

Randy looking through the bottom of the boat

3 of the statues are still there-movie props from years ago.

Male Anhinga

Little Blue Herron

Female Anhinga & White Ibis

Cormorants are excellent swimmers.

One cormorant kept swimming under our boat to catch the small fish we disturbed.

The boat captains favorite Anhinga.  He called her Lucy.

(Spanish Moss) Wondering what I would look like with long gray hair