Clearly Spectacular: Winter is a great time to take a kayak tour of Silver Springs

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Posted December 31, 2021 | By Susan Smiley-Height

The area’s current sunny days and mild temperatures offer amazing opportunities to get outside and enjoy our natural Florida in all its winter splendor. One of those ways is by climbing into a kayak for a tour of Silver Springs.

Now that there is less foliage and leaf cover, you might have a better chance of spotting wildlife, including our state’s beloved manatees — and what better way to do that than in a clear kayak that offers an incredible glimpse into the watery world below.

Get Up And Go Kayaking offers clear kayak tours at several locations around the state, including Silver Springs, Rainbow Springs, Crystal River and Weeki Wachee.

On a recent excursion at Silver Springs, guide Bryce Neal led a group of eight eager adventurers on this ride on the wild side. As soon as the see-through kayaks were in the water, there were audible murmurs of “Ooh, look at that,” chorusing from the paddlers.

Because the waters of the Silver River and headspring are so clear, it was easy to see such aquatic plants as eel grass, coontail, Southern naiad, sagittaria and hydrilla through the bottom of the kayak.

After navigating a narrow canal into the massive headspring, the view below changed to brilliant blue hues that darkened with the depths of the main spring, which is classified as first magnitude because it discharges more than 64 million gallons of water per day. Those waters form the Silver River, which flows 4.5 miles east until it merges into the Ocklawaha River.

In the main spring, from which the world-famous glass-bottom boats launch and return on multiple trips each day, Neal pointed out three Greek statues underwater that remain from the filming of the “I Spy” television show. As the gentle current pushed the kayaks eastward, he pointed out several smaller springs, some of which were used in filming such motion pictures as “Moonraker,” “Rebel Without a Cause,” “Distant Drums,” “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and six Tarzan films, as well as the “Sea Hunt” TV series.

“This is definitely one of the easiest places to paddle in Florida,” Neal said. “There is a no wake zone the whole way through and it’s not that bad of a current. I’ve had a lot of new kayakers come through here and they love it; it’s an easy paddle for them.”

Neal pointed out birds such as anhinga poised on tree limbs with their wings spread wide to dry, tall and elegant herons and egrets, feisty hawks and darting kingfishers.

Over the course of the tour, the members of the group called out to each other to point out sights like the years-old iconic twisted “photo op” palm tree on the bank, a massive cypress tree with a ring of polished “knees” and a fat bellied alligator lazing in the sun on the river bank.

Beneath the kayaks were numerous turtles and such fish as long-nosed gar, mudfish and bass.

And then there were the monkeys!

As the tour made a right turn from the river channel into a side canal, a rhesus macaque monkey sitting on a fence post went about its business with no apparent interest in the human being who was shouting, “There, over there! I see one!”

In the heyday of the Silver Springs attraction, before it became a state park, Colonel Tooey ran the jungle boat cruise. He brought six monkeys to the park and let them loose on an island, thinking they couldn’t swim away. But they did. And they multiplied. Now, wild monkey sightings are highly sought after by those who navigate the waters of the park. While the monkeys are intelligent and highly adaptable, they are completely feral and the Centers for Disease Control warn that they carry disease, so visitors should not try to feed or coax them into closer contact.

In fact, care is taken on all excursions to not disturb any of the wildlife or the natural surroundings. And if you are lucky enough to spy manatees in the water, it is expressly forbidden to feed, harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, annoy or molest them in any way under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978.

“Our natural springs in Florida are incredibly special to us and we love that we have the chance to introduce others to the natural beauty of the Sunshine State every day,” said Justin Buzzi, owner of Get Up And Go Kayaking. “I always feel rejuvenated after kayaking out here. It puts me into a super relaxed, almost meditative mode instantly. There are studies showing that people who spent two hours a week in natural settings were much more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those who did not spend any time outdoors.”

So while you are on vacation from school or work, or perhaps visiting our lovely region from cold northern climes, treat yourself to a couple of hours of soaking up some sunshine and getting an up-close look at one of our area’s most beloved and unique natural attractions.

Get Up And Go Kayaking tours at Silver Springs are by reservation only, with the website currently indicating there are openings available beginning Saturday, Jan. 1. To learn more, visit getupandgokayaking.com.