Manatee Springs State Park

Monday, February 20, 2023

Hi Blog!

After yesterday's bike ride, we were looking for a local hike to stretch our legs. Just down the road from our campground was Manatee Springs State Park. They have a trail system that contains over 8.5 miles of hiking trails and boardwalks. 

We started our adventure by walking over to Manatee Springs itself.  Manatee Springs is a first magnitude spring that flows directly into the Suwannee River by way of a short run.  A first magnitude spring discharges an average of at least 100 cubic feet of water per second. That constant flow of crystal clear water makes it easy to see into the bottom of the spring.

We watched a Pied-billed Grebe dive and swim in the water. Part bird, part submarine, the Pied-billed Grebe is common across much of North America. These small brown birds have unusually thick bills that turn silver and black in summer. These expert divers inhabit sluggish rivers, freshwater marshes, lakes, estuaries and springs. They use their chunky bills to kill and eat large crustaceans along with a great variety of fish, amphibians, insects, and other invertebrates. 

The Manatee Springs Run that leads to the Suwanee River is only 800 feet. However, it is the longest spring run on the Suwanee River. 

The Suwannee River, at approximately 246 miles long, is the second largest river system in Florida. Originating at its headwaters in the Okefenokee Swamp in southeastern Georgia, the Suwannee River flows south and southwest to the Gulf of Mexico. The river derives its dark color from decaying vegetation in the Okefenokee Swamp and maintains a black tint as it flows south.

As we made our way back along the boardwalk, we noticed some manatees had come up the run toward the spring. We were able to spot at least five of them. The light reflecting on the water made it difficult to photograph them. Here is our best shot:

After visiting the spring, we hiked over to the start of the North End Trail. With our Self-Guided Nature Walk brochure in hand, we began exploring the ecology of the park.

First stop: all about bald cypress. Did you know they are called "bald" because they lose their leaves each year? Unlike other bald things, their leaves grow back. They also have really cute knees which help them breathe and provide stability in wet soil.

The saw palmetto have saw-like teeth on the leaf stem. Native Americans used the berries and leaf buds for food. Today, the dried berries are used to treat enlarged prostate, improve urinary function, and enhance hair growth. Some also use the supplement to boost libido and fertility and reduce inflammation.

There is very little elevation change in Florida. Yet a definite change in vegetation can be seen with just a slight rise. The wetland cypress gives way to the upland hardwoods. The sandy soil builds up higher. The white quartzite sand has little organic material. The water in the uplands quickly filters down to the porous limestone.

Kathy takes a break to hug a Loblolly Pine.

At the Listening Post, we stopped and took in the sound of the wind shaking the Loblolly needles.

This palm is known as Sabal or Cabbage Palm. It is the Florida State Tree. It's name comes from the edible terminal bud or heart at the top of the trunk. Once the heart is removed, the palm dies.

Even after death, trees abound with other forms of life. Bacteria and fungi are decomposing the plant tissues. Ferns find a place to sprout, while termites, beetles and ants are feeding within.

It is easy to spot the Southern Magnolia among the Bald Cypress. The large green leaves stand out against the bright blue sky. In spring the Southern Magnolia sprouts fragrant white flowers that are six to nine inches wide. Too bad it's not spring. Those flowers are a sight to behold.

Being tall has its advantages. The taller you are, the more sunlight you get. However, you also make an easier target for lightning to strike. This tree bears a scar that runs down the whole length of the trunk. Trees rarely survive a strike and often fires are caused by one. The tree attempts to heal the split by producing a resin which can resemble candle wax.

There were dry sinkholes along the trail. These sinkholes were formed when acids from the leaves and water weakened the limestone cap over a below-ground cavern.

The park constructed a replica of a chickee, a Seminole dwelling. However, the Seminole were not the first Native Americans to inhabit the Manatee Springs area. Tumucuan Indians were living on the banks of the Suwannee River when the Spanish explores came to Florida. In the 1700s, the Seminole Indians, or “wanderers” from the Creek tribe of Georgia, were on the Suwannee. Old logs buried deep in the river were perhaps once parts of rafts on which they drifted down from Georgia.

Fresh water ponds serve as a watering hole for deer and other forest creatures.

Periodic fire is necessary for a healthy forest. It eases overcrowding and minimizes the spread of pests and disease and recycles nutrients back to the soil.  This section of the forest was subject to a prescribed burn and is only now starting to regenerate -- except for the trees, most of which survive the minor fire of a prescribed burn:

We found a berry bush we had never heard of before - sparkleberry.  Sparkleberry is a small, deciduous to evergreen shrub or tree that may grow 10 to 20 feet tall. It can be found in rocky woodlands, sandy woodlands, and on cliffs. The leaves are alternate with a smooth or finely toothed margin. The bark is shredded and patchy with reds, browns, and grays present. Sparkleberry is a Florida-native tree and a close relative of blueberry, huckleberry, lingonberry, and cranberry. Fragrant, small, white flowers hang like bells from its twigs for two weeks in the spring. Green summer foliage and blue-black berries in the fall make sparkleberry a thing of beauty all year long. However, because it is winter, the sample they showed left a lot to be desired.  It looks like a small dead tree in front of the saw palmetto in this photo:

Longleaf Pine has fine yellow wood and really big pine cones. Unfortunately, almost all of the virgin forests of Longleaf Pine were harvested for timber. In 1954, Manatee Springs was the first spring to become a Florida State Park after it was sold to the state. Since then, the Longleaf Pines have been able to grow back.

There's nothing like Lichen. The multi-colored patches on this tree are not paint spots bu "dual plants" - fungus and algae that live together for mutual benefit. The fungus supplies the algae with water and minerals and the algae's chlorophyll uses the sun's energy to convert carbon dioxide to sugar to feed the fungus.

Along our hike, we met Dale Simmons, a retired professional photographer. Dale was doing a video tour of the park on his high-tech, tricked out electric bike. There were several video cameras, as well as a remote mike so he could narrate the video as he went along. He told us that he publishes the videos on his YouTube Channel, "Paddling and Pedaling Adventures Florida." Now that's a channel right up our alley. 

When he posts his video of Manatee Springs, we'll make sure to include a link. In the meantime, here is the link to his YouTube Channel and website.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2CaKmOzPqkJWjC4VmFWluQ

https://paddlingplaces.com/

All in all, we hiked a little over five miles, with a short stop for lunch.  The trail gave us much greater appreciation for the environment in this region of Florida, and, while we will be leaving for Georgia and the Okeefenokee Swamp this Wednesday, we look forward to finding more springs to paddle and more forest trails to explore!