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Manatee Road Trip by Tim Kennedy September 2003 |
This a sample itinerary for a week-long road trip to Florida to dive with the manatees. Included is a Panhandle Gulf dive and numerous spring dives. There's camping info to keep costs down.
Manatees are most common in winter. Leaving on Friday, December 26 and spending New Year's in Florida might be a good time to do this trip. It could also be done over Spring Break, but you would want to make reservations at places like Henderson Beach State Park, because the Florida Panhandle is very popular with spring-breakers.
I have actually been diving at every dive site listed, although it's been a few years since I've hit some of them. This trip could be modified as a 2 week trip where you could make a dive every day as you work your way to West Palm Beach and the Florida Keys.
I've also got a "Poor Man's Spring Break" trip to West Texas that I've been working on. It includes diving at San Solomon Springs in Balmorhea State Park, Lake Amistad and Chalk Bluff, as well as camping at Big Bend, Davis Mountains, and other places. That trip can also be done over Christmas Break.
MANATEE ROAD TRIP
Friday Austin to Lumberton TX 261 miles 4:45 hours/minutes
Camp Village Creek State Park
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/village/
Saturday Lumberton TX to Destin FL 504 miles 8:56 hours/minutes
Camp Henderson Beach State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/hendersonbeach/default.asp
Sunday Dive Florida Gulf Coast off Destin
http://www.florida-scuba.com/destin.htm#Shops
http://www.sanddollarcharters.com/
Destin FL to High Springs FL 288 miles 4:57 hours/minutes
Camp Ginnie Springs Resort
http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/
Monday Dive Ginnie Springs
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/springs/locator/ginnie.htm
High Springs FL to Crystal River FL 76 miles 1:31 hours/minutes
Camp Crystal River
http://www.citruscountychamber.com/info_tourism/camping.htm>
Tuesday Dive With The Manatees
http://www.citruscountychamber.com/info_tourism/diving.htm
http://www.crystalriverdivers.com/
http://www.manatee-central.com
http://www.americanprodiving.com/
http://www.crystalriverresort.com/
http://www.manateetouranddive.com/
Camp Crystal River
Wednesday Crystal River FL to Williston FL 42 miles 0:53 hours/minutes
Dive Blue Grotto
http://www.divebluegrotto.com/
Dive and camp Devil’s Den
Thursday Williston FL to Chiefland FL 26 miles 0:30 hours/minutes
Dive and camp Manatee Springs State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/default.asp
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/springs/locator/manatee.htm
Friday Chiefland FL to Branford FL 54 miles 1:06 hours/minutes
Dive Troy Springs
http://www.floridastateparks.org/troyspring/
Troy Spring to Peacock Springs 19 miles 0:25 hours/minutes
Dive Peacock Springs
http://www.floridastateparks.org/peacocksprings/
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/springs/locator/Peacock.htm
Luraville FL to Ellaville FL 31 miles 0:39 hours/minutes
Camp Suwannee River State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/suwanneeriver/
Dive and camp Vortex Spring
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/springs/locator/Vortex.htm
http://tfn.net/springs/Vortex.htm
OR
Dive Vortex Spring and drive on and camp
Blackwater River State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/blackwaterriver/
Ponce De Leon FL to Harold FL 54 miles :53 hours/minutes
Sunday Ponce De Leon FL to Austin TX 764 miles 13:30 hours/minutes
OR
Harold FL to Austin TX 711 miles 12:37 hours/minutes
OTHER FLORIDA TRIP PLANNING LINKS:
http://www.floridastateparks.org/standrews/
http://www.floridastateparks.org/poncedeleonsprings/ (snorkel near Vortex)
http://underwaterflorida.homestead.com/spring.html
http://www.floridastateparks.org/communications/parkguide.html order free state park guide
http://www.flausa.com/ vacation and travel info
http://www.flausa.com/tools/guide/index.php order free vacation guide & Florida roadmap
Go to http://www.amazon.com/ and order “Diving Guide To Underwater Florida” by Ned Deloach. It is a must-have book for diving Florida, from the Panhandle springs to the Florida Keys.
© COPYRIGHT - 2003 - TIM KENNEDY
