RiverFest Paddle – Springs Hop with Master Naturalist Lars Andersen

A nine-mile section of the Santa Fe River, from the Hwy 27 Boat Ramp to the Hollingsworth Boat Ramp, will be paddled and guided by Master Naturalist Lars Anderson. The tour will include the river’s famous springs and siphons:

Poe Springs – a Gilchrist County-owned park surrounding the spring that flanks nearly a mile of riverfront and has a short hiking trail, boat ramp, and other facilities.

Lily Springs – where you were once able to meet “Naked Ed,” the resident caretaker who had lived in a little thatch hut alongside the spring for nearly 20 years. As his name implied Ed only slipped into his fur loincloth when he had visitors. Otherwise, he preferred to hang out (pun intended) as nekkid as the day he was born. No trip on the Santa Fe was complete without a visit with Ed.

Mermaid and Rum Island Springs – a Columbia County-owned park with a small history from the bootlegging days, a boat ramp, picnic areas, and restrooms.

Blue Springs – a park that was recently purchased by the state. Hurricanes destroyed the boardwalk and the jumping dock was recently dismantled. Camping, swimming, and picnicking is still enjoyed with the occasional sitting of manatees and alligators.

Ginnie Springs Complex – home to Devil’s Ear, Devil’s Eye, Ginnie, Dogwood and Twin Springs.

Other features along the tour will include Little Awesome Springs, Big Awesome Siphon, and Myrtle’s Fissure.

Of all the rivers in north Florida, there is perhaps none with the fantastic population of turtles that you’ll see on the Santa Fe River. Most common are peninsular cooters, Suwannee cooters, red-bellied turtles and chicken turtles. Occasionally you might see a Florida snapping turtle.

There are plenty of otters in the river. As with so much of Florida, feral hogs are well established. Campers near the Santa Fe River Park, will usually spend much of the night listening to these ‘piney rooters’ churning up the landscape around their campsite.

The animal everyone wants to know about are the alligators in the Santa Fe River. While some visiting tourists are eager to see gators on their paddle trip, most people are happy to know that Santa Fe River has fewer alligators than almost any river in North Florida.

TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT, YOU MUST CALL (386) 497-4214 (Adventure Outpost) or EMAIL : RiverGuide2000@yahoo.com Tour is $60 (with or without boat); limited to 25 people; Launch at 12:30 p.m. Hwy 27 Boat Ramp at Santa Fe River End Point at 5:30 p.m. Hollingsworth Boat Ramp at Santa Fe River