DUCK WEED! My first encounter. It is like large green grits floating on the surface. Looking at it from the banks you figure it is pond scum and will be nasty. It is just gritty. That is what we found on Catfish hotel a sink hole depression-pond at Manatee Springs State Park.
Once below the duck weed it was clear, but you had duck weed stuck everywhere. It is called catfish hotel for a reason there supposed to be a bunch of catfish in here. I found two or three small ones but the guys told me there where many of them on back on the shelves and holes in the walls. What was nice as our expelled air rose to the suface during the dive it created a large clear spot with no duck weed when we where exiting. I should say unless you where the last one, which I was, it did not take long for the duck weed to drift back an cover the nearly the entire surface again.
Even after a quick rinse at the shower provided by the park, the duck weed still sticks. We walk the short distance across the park to Manatee Spring. There where no manatee this far up the spring this morning, which is good because we could not go diving if they where. Some folks who where out enjoying the park said there where several manatee hanging out where the spring joins the Suwanee River a short distance away.
All of the springs we dove this week are several feet (4-5 feet) below normal. Some locals say it is lack of rainfall, others believe too much water is being pumped and diverted out of the aquifer into the aqueduct system for drinking water. All of which are a concern as well making entery and exiting for diving an interesting challenge, if not comical, in some locations. Most of the dive sites have either a ladder, stairs or platforms to help getting in and out of the water. These aids where where build for the springs normal water level. You take away 4-5 feet of water in some cases the ladders or stairs are just about or completely out of the water. So now there is a drop into very shallow water to get in and an awkward, and as I had made them, comical, exits trying to get back out. I can tell you some of my exits where not pretty. I hope it is lack of rainfall and the area recovers with the next rainy season. I would like to go back and dive all of these site when they are near to at there normal fill and flow.
Manatee Spring is another high flow spring with a cavern-cave. The flow was sufficient that none of us attempted to enter the cavern. The silt area in front of the spring was filled with shells of all sizes and types. We spent most of the dive sifting through them. Everyone was looking for the elusive sharks teeth that are occasionally found. We had no such luck this trip. Beyond the silt bowl shape created by the flow of the spring there was lush grass that filled the spring bed and lots of fish. We had seen more fish here then anywhere else beside Rainbow springs.
We spent the rest of the day hanging out at the park. Had our picnic lunch, then we wandered around checking out the boardwalk that goes out over the swampy areas that runs parallel to the spring then out over the river. Where the river and spring meet there was indeed manatee sleeping on the bottom.
It was a great day.
