Weeki Wachee River is located in Central Florida, with the headwaters nestled adjacent to U.
S.
Highway 19, in the Village of Weeki Wachee Springs.
Originating from a first magnitude spring head, water flows from the Florida aquifer, the crystal clear water discharging at the rate of between 67 to 107 million gallons of water a day, forming the Weeki Wachee River.
Weeki Wachee Springs is best known for the aquatic show featuring Mermaids.
Early explorers, months away from females, often mistook the Manatees that populate the springs and the river with legendary Mermaids of myth.
The show at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park began in 1947 and has had its ups and down since then.
The park, once a private enterprise, is now being maintained by the State of Florida Park System.
With 538 acres, the park offers beaches, boat tours, which are included in the price of admission, picnicking, Scuba diving (divers must be accompanied by an instructor from the dive shop), snorkeling, and swimming.
For those without boats, the park offers canoe and kayak rentals.
This is a great way to explore the river for those visiting the area or those who prefer a leisurely paddle downstream.
Our trip that day began at Rogers Park located at 7244 Shoals Line Blvd.
in Spring Hills.
The park includes a sand beach and swim area.
An observation deck to watch for Manatees is positioned near the river.
Two launch areas are provided by the park, one for motorized boats and one near the park entrance for canoes and kayaks.
After launching, head toward the main river and turn right.
This will take you toward the headwaters and the main spring.
Weeki Wachee River is darker at this point, due to run off and tannins, that are created by the cypress tree needles that drop into the water.
These tannins create the copper color tainting the river.
Paddling east toward the spring head, the water becomes clearer and the flow is more pronounced.
It can be difficult to make headway against the current especially during the low tide, when the water is being pulled out to the Gulf of Mexico.
During our trip, we encountered several Manatees in the river.
Manatees, also known as sea cows, can usually be found in the river until late March or early April.
Though the 72 degree water may seem cold to you, it is far warmer than the Gulf of Mexico in the winter months.
In order to escape the cold waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Manatee travel up the rivers created by the Florida aquifer.
This year has been particularly rough on the sea cows, due to the unusual and extremely cold weather that Florida has experienced.
There were a record number of Manatee deaths affecting an already stressed and decreasing population.
I had heard that the river was crowded on weekends, which is when we visited, but there was not a large crowd the day when we made our journey upriver.
After a day of paddling on the river you may want to get a bite to eat at the Upper Deck Restaurant, just over the bridge from the park.
The beer is cold and we enjoyed the chicken tenders.
I might warn you that the potato skins were over cooked.
We did not sample the entrees, so I can't advise either way on those.
The canoe and kayak rental next door has also a small art gallery featuring local artists and is worth a stop and browse.
For a more intense paddling experience, put in at Bay Port, a nearby historic park, and head east toward the headwaters.
Whatever you choose, Weeki Wachee is well worth a visit.