Homosassas Springs and Crystal River

On Monday April 6th we finally left Old Town (Mayberry) and headed a short 100 miles south to Homosassas Springs.  On the way we stopped in at a dive shop to sign up and get details about our trip for the next day.  Then we went to the campsite (another RV park) where we quickly setup camp, had lunch and left to to Homosassas Springs Wildlife State Park, which someone had recommended to us.

Dogs were not allowed and we didn't want to leave Sheba in the car because it was warm.  Well, the park had free kennels we could leave her in.  Of course we had to ride the shuttle to the area for the kennel and then back to the park.  I am not sure who had a harder time with it....Don or Sheba.

The park turned out to really be more of zoo or wildlife sanitary, with an underwater observatory, than a regular state park.  We saw a bunch animals from manatee and alligators, to wolves, bear and bobcats, to flamingos and owls.

The underwater observatory

Even Don the manatee..

With better views of the all the animals....

Hmm....what was for breakfast?

After the park we went back to the RV park and went for a swim....believe it or not this was the first only open swimming pool of the east coast leg of our journey.  Not our favorite spot for camping, but  two big pluses....the pool and very close proximity to the bathroom.

Sheba snoozing under our neighbors trailer

We got up really early the next morning....I think it was 5:30, showered went back to the dive shop.  Our trip was a combo mantee snorkel and crystal springs cave dive.  Unfortunately it was a huge flop.     We boated around for quite awhile...trying to find the guaranteed manatee which was kind of a joke.  And when we did...the water was murky and the whole thing quite ridiculous....we were very thankful to have done the snorkeling with manatee a few days before.  The dive was better than the snorkeling but again....not all that.  Cold murky waters.  It was cool to be in the caves...but probably not worth hanging back here for a few days.  Don had really wanted to go diving in this area....well he did.  We left Sheba back at camp in the trailer so we rushed back, hooked up and hit the road.

Sorry these are all the shots we have from the excursion!