First Magnitude Florida

When was the last time you had a good time by breaking a rule or two? Deviating from the guidelines every now and again might add some some much needed spice to your life. Personally drawing nearer to the dreaded decade of the 30’s, the most exciting part of a typical week is dinner or drinks with friends at a new restaurant… Not bad, but there is certainly some room to up the ante.

No need to get too crazy with it – just a slight departure from the rulebook to add some adrenaline to your bloodstream. At Silver Springs State Park there is a prominent sign stating “No Drones” as you drive in to the entrance…

There are also signs, and were verbal reminders, that no swimming is allowed in the park. Removing the nuisance of drones and the damage of aquatic life caused by swimmers is a noble effort, and part of the state park’s mission to protect and restore the already damaged (but resilient) ecosystem. Yes, the large majority of visitors should follow the rules! Absolutely. However, the springs pump out clear, 72-degree fresh water that is extremely enticing during a summer kayak paddle.

Adding some adventure to your life is mostly about great Instagram photos of your new Wrangler or Suburu, or your mountain bike or kayak, but it is also (partially) about getting out to new areas for hands-on exploration. To live a little as your ancestors did, playing and roaming outside. This may mean you have to get into the water!

If you need the location of a secluded log to disembark from the kayak and go for a dip at Silver Springs, get in contact with me. You may get yelled at by a park ranger, but that will take 15 minutes at least. Please be sure to let the true residents, the American Alligator, pass by your swimming hole before enjoying the refreshing shock of the cold water.

There are discrepancies on the World Wide Web regarding Silver Springs’s size. No doubt that the spring group is one of the largest in Florida and the world, but is it THE largest? Perhaps that distinction does not matter much… It is a gorgeous river and spring group, and one of Florida’s first magnitude springs.

A dated US Geological Survey (1995) describes Silver Springs as the “largest inland spring in the state”, with average daily discharge around 516 million gallons per day. Below is a photograph of the deep crevice which is known as Mammoth Spring, with a glassbottom boat tour entertaining and educating visitors.

Next time you need some excitement in your life, go for a visit to Silver Springs, respect nature and most of the rules, and enjoy a weekend adventure!

The Silver River

The river formed by the massive freshwater springs flows for five miles before meeting the Ocklawaha River, then the St. John’s River, and finally the Atlantic Ocean. The river is protected from fishing and surrounded by conserved forest land. This may be one of the last places in Florida where the natural habitat looks and feels like it has for millennia.

Humans still leave their mark – scars and cuts on manatees, non-native monkeys, laughing and shouting kayakers – but it is a well-conserved place to go and see Florida in all her beauty.

Helpful Tips & Information:

Silver Springs boast’s Florida’s oldest tourist attraction. Dating back to the 1870’s this semi-natural amusement park features river tours, kayak tours and rentals, and the famous glass bottom boat tours. At some point in history, non-native monkeys were added to the area, complimenting the native otters, turtles, black bears, alligators, deer, and anhingas. Rumor has it, the monkeys were imported when the movie Tarzan was filmed at Silver Springs in the 1930’s. Take the glass bottom boat tour and find out if this origin story is true.

The park once had thousands of visitors a day, but most tourist now head straight for Disney. Under state ownership since 2013, Silver Springs State Park is well-run and certainly worth a visit next time you are in the Ocala area. Entrance is just $2, with kayak rentals worth the $20 fee, and glass-bottom tours starting at $13 . A day spent on a guided kayak tour of a first magnitude spring beats a trip to Disney Land, in my opinion.

Check out the extended glass-bottom boat tour if you can – $25 per person for a 90 minute tour. Well worth the money, and you will get to see all of the springs and wildlife down the river.