RAINBOW SPRINGS
Wow, I might just have a new favorite day!!!
I'm not even sure where to begin. Today we went to Rainbow Springs State Park. First, we went on a trail. It's a walking trails and they are really proud of themselves for it being ADA accommodating. Translation....it's not hard walking at all. The trail takes you to some man-made waterfalls. In the 1930s they decided to turn the springs into a tourist attraction. They created the waterfalls, had a zoo feature of some native animals and botanical gardens.
We walked the trail and saw the waterfalls
Rainbow Springs, Florida
I LOVE waterfalls. Even man-made ones are beautiful. The sound is just so hypnotic.
Rainbow Springs, Florida
We saw lizards, squirrels and a close up of a pileated woodpecker. I also saw some plants I had never seen before,
Rainbow Springs, Florida
Rainbow Springs, Florida
After the short walk I went to the car for our sandwiches and more water bottles. It was time for kayaking!!!
We rented two kayaks. I asked about manatees
This particular body of water, the Rainbow River, has a dam so there are no manatees coming up river. We started down river. First thing was a great white heron hunting along the reeds. He was not bothered by us at all.
We saw really large turtles sunning themselves and in the water. We also saw beautiful mallards, And what I thought were cormorants but are anhingas. At one point there was an anhinga swimming with his head in the water three feet from my kayak! We paddled a good bit and made the turn to come back. On the way back we saw a deer in the woods.
Rainbow Springs, Florida
We returned the kayaks in exactly one hour...which wasn't even my plan. And I came in way under budget...I thought it was $45 each for an hour and he billed me $40. For both.
We found a pavilion and sat at a table to have our sandwiches. And now ..the moment I had been anticipating...only now I had a little trepidation. What if I forgot how to swim???
I asked the guy at the kayak spot about the life jacket but I would have had to rent it…and y'all know I'm a cheap skate. But the gift shop sold pool noodles and was now open. Why the big deal, you ask? There is no shallow end. This was a large square area marked off by buoys for just swimming. But you had to enter by a ladder off a platform. In most spots the depth ranges from 10 – 18 feet.
Rainbow Springs, Florida
I had my pool noodle and my mask and my snorkel. I was ready. I went down the ladder backwards... When you first get in 72 degrees feels chilly. I straddled the noodle and I was in….and panicking. Gary got in and was no help at all. Neither of our pool noodles were going to save our lives! I headed for the side and the rope. I needed MORE help than I was getting from my noddle!!
Eventually I relaxed and just tread water. Putting my mask and snorkel on while trying to stay afloat was interesting. But here it was, the moment I had trained for. I put my face in the water and breathed out the tube and saw. Friends, I saw the bottom. I saw some pretty fish. Not coral reef tropical fish, but pretty fish!! I would make way around in a circle and come back to Gary. Turns out my water loving husband does not tread water. He found a rock and he and his pool noodle hung out on his tippy toes on the rock. 😊
I would tread for a while, I floated on my back, I watched fish. WoW. I really did it. I started to tire and we climbed out. But I was sad we didn’t have any photos. Gary offered to go back to his stuff to get his phone and then I got back in the water and he took a video of me snorkeling. Here is me…grinning behind my mask. Because I did IT!!!!
