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Location:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&searchtype=
address&country=US&addtohistory=&address=&city=High+Springs&state=FL&zipcode=
Scanning a map of north
Florida springs, it quickly becomes apparent that this unassuming little river,
which defines the
northern boundary
Alachua County, flows through the heart of
Florida's famous
spring country. In addition to many famous
springs, including Ginnie, Blue,
Poe, Ichetucknee, Mission,
Rum Island, Columbia and July, there
are dozens more that remain unnamed. But, there's
much more. Of all
of the
river's on which Adventure Outpost offers tours, this has
the smallest
population of alligators. Most people are just fine with that. (if you
want to
see gators, there
are plenty in other
nearby waters - we'll gladly point the
way!) On the other hand, you'll find
more turtles here than
any other north
Florida
river. Not only in actual numbers (it's not
uncommon to see a couple of
hundred in a 3 - 4 hours of paddling)
but it has
the greatest number
of species.
Water birds, deer, wild hogs and otters are some of the other animals commonly
seen.
There are actually two distinct
sections of the Santa Fe, separated by a three mile land bridge
where the river
goes
underground. This is
located in O'Leno State Park. The 30 mile section
above
O'Leno Park is a small tannic stream with
it's headwaters in Santa Fe
swamp, near
Melrose.
After threading through a series of swamps and small,
forested channels,
the river falls into an
underground cavern at the River Sink.
Three miles to the south, the river resurfaces at
River Rise. The
flow here is
greater than when it went underground because it connects with a
channel from
the Floridan aquifer. Recharged
with the added water, the river is renewed. This
is where the springs begin and it is this part of the
river where most of
the
recreational opportunities are found.
The nine mile
stretch between hwy. 27 and hwy. 47 begins as a slow, slightly
tannic river with
only the slightest inclination
to move
westward.
Without the benefit of a paddle, canoes and kayaks
will
surrender their obedience to the river's current
in favor of the
slightest
breeze - even if it's
blowing in the upstream
direction.
Moving
downstream, the river alternately loses water by way of siphons
(underwater cracks which
drain the water into deep, underground
channels of the aquifer) and gains water by way of
springs (which
bring water up to the surface from
the aquifer). By the time it
passes
Ginnie
Springs, the river has gained more water from the
springs than it has lost from
siphons,
and it's moving at a nice
pace. The paddler
can now divert his attention away from the task
of
propelling his
craft and check out the surroundings. Spotting some
features, such as
Big Awesome
siphon and Myrtle's Fissure require
a
curious spirit and watchful eye. Others, like Little
Awesome
siphon
(during low water) are apparent to even the most
unobservant
passers-by.
Wildlife
Of all the rivers
in north Florida, there is perhaps none with the fantastic
population of turtles that
you'll see on the Santa Fe.
Most
common
are peninsular cooters, and chicken turtles. Occasionally
you might also see a Florida snapping turtle. If you
have a chance to camp
alongside one of
the river's many springs, shine
your flashlight into the clear waters and watch dozens
of small
musk turtles scurrying across the
white, sandy bottom.
There are plenty
of otters in the river. Keep a good eye out for them near
Columbia Spring
and up toward River Rise.
As with so much
of Florida, feral hogs are well established. Campers near the
Santa Fe
River Park, will usually spend
much of the night
listening to these 'piney rooters' churning
up the landscape
around their campsite. The first hogs to
frolic in the Santa Fe woodlands
were
plodding at the heels of the first Europeans to frolic here - the Spanish
conquistadores
who crossed the river in 1539 (more about this in the
"History" section below).
History
Florida's earliest inhabitants
who first arrived nearly twelve thousand years ago, found game to
be plentiful
in the lush
Santa Fe forests and
at the many springs along the river. One of the earliest
dated artifacts
of human presence in Florida
came from a paleo-Indian camp site found
near Hornsby
Spring. Here, a spear tip imbedded in a mammoth bone gave
clear
evidence of a nomadic hunters
brave efforts to feed his
family. Another interesting prehistoric site is near the
Hwy 27 bridge,
where
the remains of a fishing weir was discovered in the river bottom.
This was a row of
posts spanning
the river in a V-shaped configuration, with the
point of the V pointing downstream.
In the point, a basket would
catch
fish driven down by a group of Indians.
In 1539, Hernando de Soto led an
army of nearly 500 Spanish soldiers on an exploratory mission
through Florida.
Earlier
Spanish
expeditions to South and Central America had yielded unimaginable
wealth (at the
expense of the natives who
rightfully owned it) and the
rush was on to find similar
loot in La Florida. Fortunately for the Indians of
north Florida,
their wealth was not in gold
or precious minerals, but
in rich land. That would be taken later. For now, the Spanish
moved through
quickly, making winter camp in the Tallahassee area before
continuing westward.
In the 1600's, Spanish
missionaries of the Franciscan order established a network of missions and
outposts across north
Florida. Most were
built at Indian villages that sat alongside an important Indian
trail,
stretching from the St. Augustine
area to the mission San Luis in present
day Tallahassee.
For nearly a century, this important era in north Florida's
history,
resulted in the total demise of
the Indian populations
through disease, abuse and warfare. Today, many place names in
north Florida can
trace their origins to the mission period. Some of our
primary Rivers, including
St. Mary's, St. Johns,
St. Marks and even Suwannee get
their names from missions that were
located on their banks.
Santa Fe river gets it's
name from an important mission, Santa Fe de Teleco,
that overlooked a broad, beautiful valley of the Santa Fe a
few miles east of
today's O'leno State Park.
Unguided paddle trips
(click
here for information about guided trips on the Santa Fe)
Launching from Hwy 27 boat ramp
(you can also launch from Hwy
441 ramp for a longer trip (when there's enough water) - no extra charge ; - )
Destination
Kayak
Tandem Kayak Canoe
(single
person)
(two
people)
(2 people)
River Rise
(3 hrs. - upstream and back) ..................................... $20
............................ $26 .......................... $24
Hwy 441 - Hwy 27 (when there's enough water) (1½ hrs*) $20
............................ $26 ........................... $24
Poe Springs (2 hrs*)...............................................................
$24............................. $34 ............................ $34
Rum Island (2 hrs*)................................................................$24..............................
$36 ............................$34
Blue Springs (2 hrs*)
..............................................................
$26............................. $38 ........................... $36
Ginnie Springs (2.5 hrs*)
........................................................
$30............................. $40 ........................... $38
Hwy 47 bridge (4 hrs*)
........................................................
$28............................. $40 ........................... $38
Extra passengers (over 2
people) in canoes are $5 each
Prices include: boat rental, paddles, vests, seat backs,
cushions, maps, parking and shuttling
Prices
do not include: park entry
fees (Poe Springs - $5, Blue Springs - $8, Ginnie Springs. $10)
* These paddle
times are based on starting from Hwy 27.
* You can add as much time as you want to your trip at no extra charge,
but your pick up time must be arranged with us before you launch.
* Paddle times may vary according to river conditions and individual
paddling speed.
Current conditions
April 2008 - Spring has descended upon the
Santa Fe valley. Like kids in a schoolyard, many of the forest inhabitants refuse
to consider the possibility of another frost and are celebrating the
warmth notable are
the
huge swaths of rain lilies (Zephyranthes
atamasco) that crowd the shaded floor of the lowest sections of forest. Red maples have
already flowered
and are now carrying
heavy loads of their scarlet sumara (seeds). Many are sprouting their
new,
spring
greenery. Oaks, hornbeams, blue beech and
ash trees, are loaded with fresh green leaves and
pollen laden
blooms. Some of the forest
inhabitants, however, are ever-reluctant
to change. Somber old-man cypress, always content
to languish in a state
of solemn, southern contentment, refuses to show
the slightest
acknowledgement of the
advancing
season. Some among the hickory and Florida maple tribes stand firm at
his side and
have
yet to unfurl even a single
new
leaf. So, while spring is in the air, the Santa Fe river forest is retaining some of
its quiet,
wintry mood.
March 08, 2008 - The heavy rains two weeks ago
combined with today's deluge has brought the Santa Fe up to above average
conditions. Paddling is great up here. Below
Hollingsworth Bluff the river is above average and rising. In the lowest part of the river,
around Three
River Estates, Ichetucknee confluence and down to the Suwannee confluence, the river is
slightly
flooded (not over any roads yet, but close). Today's heavy rains is certain to raise levels
considerably so flooding seems
imminent. Definitely check with us if you plan on paddling the lower Santa Fe or
Suwannee any time in the next few weeks.
August 20, 2008 -
Watching TS Fay - Come on big girl, we need your rain!! Hwy
441 ramp closed due to vegetation - all
other ramps open. While water
levels remain low, there is plenty of water from Hwy 27 bridge on down.
Hwy 441 ramp is
completely blocked with vegetation, so even upstream paddling toward River Rise is
not doable. All trips are currently launching
from Hwy 27. On a positive note, aquatic vegetation has
rebounded well since the die-back a couple of years ago and the
water is looking
great.
It's time to paddle!
Sept. 17, 2008 -
The storm brought much needed rain which flushed
all the vegetation blocks away and elevated water to above
average levels. It has now dropped a bit and is running
close to average height at a speed of about 2 mph.
Paddling's great!! Come on out!
Jan.
16, 2009 -
Water levels have returned to below average levels,
but fine for paddling below Hwy 27. Above Hwy 27
(the section between Hwy 441 and Hwy 27) is very low, requiring several pull-overs.
Do not launch at Hwy 441. From
Hwy 27 on down it is fine, although shallow in a couple of spots, but no need to
get out of you boat anywhere. The
good side of this low water level is that motor boats dare not ply these waters.
This is now one of the few rivers with that
perfect water level for paddlers - deep enough to paddle and too shallow for
motors! Springs are clear and running strong.
Bald eagles nesting near river in the area between Hwy 27 and Rum
Island. Wood storks and ibis loving the shallow
water, as are great blue and little blue herons and great egrets. Phoebes and
kingfishers loving life along the rivers
edge. Still seeing small group of manatees in lower river, near
Ichetucknee confluence.
April 14, 2009 - The lower river is flooding from backed-up water from record-setting floods on Suwannee River. Water is
near average level at Hwy 27, slightly elevated at Rum Island and almost up to parking lot at Hwy 47 ramp. Further downstream,
the
river is well out of the banks at Wilson Springs, Ichetucknee
confluence and below. Paddling is great, though the flow is
slower than usual.
NOTE: Poe Springs new management no longer allows paddlers to stop at the park without paying an
entrance fee. This is an unfortunate change from the previous managers policy that went a long way toward fostering
good relations with the public and, therefore, encouraging them to visit the park as paying customers on other occassions.
.
CURRENT WATER LEVELS
http://www.srwmd.state.fl.us/water+data/surfacewater+levels/30+day+river+levels.asp?statid=80
____________________________________________________________________
.
We currently lead tours on over 40
waterways throughout North Florida.
The trips listed on our "Launch Menu" have been selected to give a full
representation of
North Florida's rich variety of waterways. Cypress swamps,
hardwood swamps,
river hardwood forests, darkwater rivers, spring runs and marshes
are among the
variety of habitats we explore. With a legacy of prehistoric
inhabitants and
human history and their enchanting natural beauty, each of these
wetlands is unique.
And, each is the happy home to a fascinating array of plants and
animals.
* See an article about us and our tours
in the
February, 2009 edition of
National Geographic Adventure Magazine.
Our Guides

Most Adventure
Outpost tours are led by Lars Andersen, author of the
North Florida Adventure, an educational
audio cassette, self-guided
tour of north Florida (Grinnin' Lizard Productions, Dallas, TX,
1988) and
Paynes Prairie: A History of the
Great Savanna.
(Pineapple Press,
Sarasota, Florida, 2001 (hardback), 2nd edition,
2004 (softback). His most recent project, the
Paddlers Guide to the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail is now available.
Call or write and we'll send you a copy (autographed if you want ;o). $19.00 incl. S & H
With over thirty five years experience in exploring Florida's wildest places,
(yeah, that includes the wonder-filled ramblings of a curious little boy ;o)
Lars' knowledge and understanding of the area's cultural and
natural history helps make each of our tours a meaningful and
educational exploration of the 'real' Florida.
Occasionally, we
bring in "guest guides" with expertise in fields like
birding, plant identification, edible
wild plants,
archaeology, history and others.
Watch the
Calendar for these
special trips.
Calendar
We usually do 2 - 3 guided explorations per week. To see what's
being planned,
visit our
Calendar or give us a call at (386) 454-0611. Most of
our trips are the result of
customers requests, so if you have a trip you'd like to do, give
us a call and we'll set it up.
E-mail
list
If you live in
the area and are interested in hearing about scheduled trips that
still
have space available, you can get on our "wanna go"
e-mail list. There's
no charge or obligation. Just e-mail us at riverguide2000@yahoo.com
saying you'd like to be on the list and we'll include your name.
You will then receive 1 - 2 e-mails per week telling you
what trips are coming up.
Launch Menu
(Guided Excursions)
Click on the river of your choice to see it's description.
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Hillsborough |
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Suwannee River |
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During the cooler
months, (November thru April) we lead canoe
and kayak trips to
some of the best manatee viewing waters in Florida. On these
tours, we visit some of the manatees
favorite winter haunts where we enjoy the company of these huge
marine mammals up close and
personal. But our explorations are much more inclusive than just
quickly going to the manatees and
coming back. We explore many of the springs, marshes and more
natural areas of King's Bay and
Crystal River. We usually encounter manatees all day as we also
enjoy viewing the myriad numbers of
water birds that spend the winter here, as well as dolphins,
otters, raccoons, bald eagles, white pelicans,
brown pelicans and more. It's a fantastic area that should be
appreciated for it's tremendous
wildlife, history and prehistoric sites and not simply as a
manatee holding facility.
Our most popular
manatee trip is Crystal River, where you'll paddle among the largest winter
congregation of Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus
latirostris). The 300+ animals that winter in
Crystal River represent nearly 10% of the entire population. While paddling the
Bay in search of manatees,
you'll also learn about the
many springs and Indian village sites in the area.
Another good tour for seeing manatees is Homosassa
River. Birds and occasional otters make the
headsprings area good for spotting wildlife. On the down side, Homosassa has many houses
along
the run. For more intimate manatee encounters, we journey
to rivers like
Weeki Wachee spring
run, and the wilds of
Chassahowitzka River where the smaller number of manatees is
compensated by the natural beauty of some of Florida's most scenic
rivers.
Cost - All manatee tours are $39.00 per
person. Bring your own boat for a substantial discount.
Reservation required.
Check the
calendar
for dates
Every month, near
the full moon, we lead moonlit tours down the
Santa Fe river. These trips entail a two hour paddle ending at
Poe Springs where
a warm bonfire, refreshments and a cool swim in the spring awaits
us.
Unlike our day trips, where scenery and animal watching are the
main focus,
moonlight paddles are more about relaxing, checking out the stars
and enjoying
good company. But, don't rule out animal observation altogether.
Our arrival on the river is usually heralded by a rousing chorus
of green tree frogs and
cicadas. Before long, as you settle into the quiet pace of the
river, you'll slowly become
aware of the more subtle creatures of the night. Focusing your
attention on the sky,
you might glimpse a bat or a swift working hard to free the world
of mosquitoes
and other airborn munchables. Occasionally, a pair of barred owls
will call out to
each other, sometimes from a quarter mile away. With any luck,
you'll hear their
conversation degenerate from a civil exchange of hoots and
hooty-hoo's to a
raucous bout of cackling that sounds like a Chihuahua with a duck
stuck in it's throat.
During the dark hours there is as much, if not more, wildlife
moving around than in
the day. With the help of your flashlight, you might see a family
of raccoons, rooting
armadillos or an occasional deer feeding at the riverside.
Fishing spiders perch at
the waters edge, dangling a leg in the water waiting to detect an
approaching
fish on which to jump. Listen and you'll hear owls, frogs,
crickets or the eerie call of a limpkin.
We also see a beaver or two on many of these moonlight trips.
Northern
visitors, who are often giddy at the thought of visiting
Orlando's famous,
big-eared, lederhosen-clad mouse, aren't so impressed with our
beavers.
Apparently, these huge rodents are still holding there own in
northern
regions. But here in Florida, where beavers were wiped out by fur
trappers in the 1800's, we celebrate their return in recent
decades. They're always quick to announce their return to Florida
riverscape with a sudden, loud slap of the tail on the water
surface as it
dives out of sight. It's a stunt that's intended to startle
potential predators,
but it's pretty effective on paddlers as well.
Cost - $35.00 per
person. Reservation required.
Check the
calendar
for dates
History Tours
Join local
history writer, Lars Andersen, on an exploration of
the history and prehistory of some of North Florida's most
scenic and remote locations. These trips are made by
canoe, kayak, bike, hike or car (depending on the destination).
Our most
popular "History Tours" are Ocklawaha
River, Santa
Fe River,
Suwannee River, Withlacoochee
River (S.), and
our most popular history tour,
the Wild Side of St.
Augustine
Watch the calendar
or call for schedule of planned trips.
X-Stream
Explorations
For those who
rate their outdoor experiences by the quantity of mud they
get in their boots, grit in their teeth, and crud in their hair,
we offer the
X-Stream trips such as
River Styx and Gum Slough. And, if ending the day
looking like a 'Skunk Ape' (Florida's smelly version of Bigfoot)
isn't reward
enough, take heart in knowing that these explorations take us
into
some of the most breath-taking, untouched regions of North
Florida.
Experience the thrill of going
"where no one in their right mind has
gone before".