Paddling on the Santa Fe River
The Santa Fe River is a relaxing and peaceful place to spend an afternoon. I got to take my kayak out with some friends today and completely enjoyed it.
If you've never been on the River you can rent canoes or kayaks in High Springs. The outfitters let you float downstream then pick you up a few hours later and bring you back to your car.
It's been dry in north Florida this summer, so the river levels are pretty low. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, because most power boats can't get very far upstream on the River, places upstream of Rum Island are especially quiet.
Low river levels also mean that the river is a lot more clear than normal, so you can see the animals that slither and swim in the River. For every one turtle I would see sunning on a log I would see five more resting on the bottom of the river as I floated past. I saw four or five alligator gar, (only two or 3 feet long)... and lots and lots of fish.
A lot of the water that's in the river right now is coming from the springs that line in the bank . The water gets pushed up out of the Florida and aquifer, it's crystal clear, cool, and refreshing. It's really beautiful and it's a little bit of a miracle.
I found a bubbling spring just downstream from Poe Springs on the River today and included in the video for you.
