GILCHRIST BLUE SPRINGS STATE PARK

FORECAST: CHILLY WITH A CHANCE OF FUN

Written by: Ben Knowles

It was a little after 8 a.m. when Laura and I launched our paddleboards at the Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park in High Springs, Florida. After paddling over the stunning head spring, we eased our way down the crystal-clear spring run toward the river.

This might sound like the start of just another paddling adventure. But it was a special trip. Laura and I were celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary with a day exploring the Santa Fe River and some of its beautiful springs near Gainesville.

The air was chilly in the low 50s. Fog rising from the water added a special touch to the picturesque scenery of a spring run surrounded by forest. As we paddled out of the run, the sun was waking up the Santa Fe and affirming that it was going to be a great day on the river!

Our plan was to paddle downstream to several springs along the Ginnie Springs Campground. However, Laura and I made a slight detour upstream to visit Rum Island, a beautiful spring area right off the river.

I shed my warm clothes down to a swimsuit and slipped on my snorkeling gear. I took a deep breath as my body responded to the cool water. It was so clear I could see across the entire spring area. The magnificent view made me forget any lingering cold thoughts.

After a quick snorkel, we resumed our paddle downstream. Laura and I had the river to ourselves.

'Laura and I were celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary with a day exploring the Santa Fe River and some of its beautiful springs near Gainesville.'

THE SPRINGS WERE CRYSTAL CLEAR WITH BEAUTIFUL UNDERWATER VIEWS.

Woodpeckers drummed and birds sang as we took in the sights. Huge bald cypress trees lining the bank, a great egret hunting for breakfast in the shallow waters and an impressive white-tailed buck easing through the forest were just a few sights we enjoyed making our way down the Santa Fe. But peaceful sights and sounds did not last forever. We started hearing a self-appointed DJ’s music booming from the Ginnie Springs Campground. The campground is popular year-round and not the quietest place. We prefer less active spots when we paddle, but the springs in this area are some of the prettiest in Florida and well worth enduring a little noise. There are five different spring systems along the campground and two more across the river.

The first stop was the Devil system, which is made up of three separate vents (the Devil’s ear, eye and mouth) just off the river. Laura and I were not registered campers or visitors therefore we could not access the campground land or facilities. No problem, we were allowed to paddle into a run and anchor our boards to snorkel.

This was our MO for each of the spring systems we visited.

The springs were crystal clear with beautiful underwater views. Although the campground was fairly active, few people were swimming. That is one of the benefits of getting out on the water early, especially when it is chilly. Laura and I did share the springs with several turtles and a few bream but we did not mind at all.

After a few hours of spring hopping, we were ready to paddle back to Gilchrist Blue. It was a fairly easy paddle upstream except for one little rapid. The swift water gave us a challenge, but with a little muscle and determination we got past the rapid.

Laura and I returned to the state park by mid-afternoon. Before taking out our boards we enjoyed our last swim of the day in the beautiful Gilchrist Blue.

Once our boards were deflated and tucked away in our SUV, we walked a trail to see our tenth spring system of the day and to conclude our anniversary excursion at the Santa Fe River.

Ben Knowles is an outdoor enthusiast living in North Florida with his wife and two children. Find his Facebook page “Ben Outside Photography” to enjoy photos, stories and videos of his outdoor adventures throughout Florida. FCM