Deland Florida

Blue Spring State Park

A Visit to the Manatees

I am taking a break from our Journey to the Land of Water Wind and Fire, to bring you an update on our latest journey. We were in Florida for the Thanksgiving Holiday. While there, I decided I was going to do something I have wanted to do for a long time, see some Manatees "in the wild." I had seen them at Walt Disney World when we visited there back in 2000. But I had never really seen them, in their "element."


We had de-trained in Jacksonville and rented a car. After making a few visits there, we turned toward Lakeland. In the process, we made the decision to stop at Blue Spring State Park. I knew from what I had read that Blue Spring was home to a lot of Manatees in the winter, and so I was hoping for cool weather early on. As those of you who are regular readers will remember, my Wooly Worm predictor said it would turn cool early. And by golly, he was right. I checked on the Internet the day before we left and found that the Park Superintendent had posted a notice that the cool weather had brought the Manatees into the spring area. And so, it was decided, DeLand, and Blue Spring State Park here we come!


When we arrived at the park, the Ranger at the gate confirmed that they had approximately 144 Manatees in the spring at this time. He also told us where to go to see them. And so we were off.

And, yes, we saw the Manatees.

But we also saw something else, something very disturbing. Many of them, indeed once I scanned them with my binoculars, most of them, bore scars and gashes from "boating accidents." The white splotch on the mother manatee in this picture is just one example of what I saw on most of the Manatees I viewed.



Now, I know that the state of Florida has made an "attempt" to cure this problem. Indeed, I have seen signs of their attempt in many places.





But folks, I am sorry to say, that at least for the population of St. John's River Manatees that I saw at Blue Spring in November of 2008, the attempt is not working. Instead of seeing a population of healthy animals, I saw instead a collection of what we used to call in the service "the walking wounded."


Now, I do not know what needs to be done. More signs? Maybe, but I doubt it? More vigalent enforcement of existing laws (how about hiring more enforcement staff for the Fish and Wildlife Department?), maybe. Posting more areas as being completely off limits (what good would that do without increased enforcement staff?)?


I don't know. But I do know that something needs to be done. What has been tried so far is not working.